Just got word today that the drive shaft that I(they) have been waiting for over a week is on emergency order but now it is on backorder to at least the end of the month... They have had my truck for over a week and now are telling me to come get my truck and they will call me when my drive shaft is in..... I AM DISGUSTED.....!!!! Have you driven a Ford lately..???

 

Unfortunatly

 

I've been following this thread from the beginning - it's kinda like reading a suspense novel, just waiting for the "we got it".

But, in the mean time, I wonder if anyone would care to explain what, ‘Road Force Tested’ is and how it's done.

I believe that I've got a bad tire and this just may be the ticket to prove that the tire is bad. But, I don't want to "tech talk" without knowing what I'm saying - you know showing off one's intelligence.

 

Man, I can't tell you how bad I am looking (waiting) for that "I Got It"..!! Will it ever come is the real question..???? I too check back often..
"Road force" balancing is basically a spin balancing machine that also adds "force" via a pressure arm that lays on the tire as it is spinning. Its design is to emulate the force created by the road... Hope that helps ..? .These new F-150 makes us all real pros to that machine...!!!!

 

My dealer still holds that the vibration is normal. I went for a ride with my salesman driving and he tried to tell me that I was feeling something that just wasnt there. Then it did it bad enough that he could not play it off. Im trying to just drive the damn thing now and forget about it. One of the toughest things is having your friends ride in your new and expensive truck, saying.. ..you should have bought the chevy!! Man that just burns!

sooo... Ive resigned to waiting patiently! PLEASE PLEASE report this problem to the Ford customer service hotline (This is a public number so it should be ok to post 1-800-392-3673) If this is removed, you can find it in your owners manual. The more customers concerned with the problem, the more resources they will exhaust trying to find a fix. Thanks.

 

Hey greynolds & ferbm

Two weeks ago I told the service manager that other people were having the diff. Rebuilt. I also told him that replacing the driveshaft and "Vibration Kit" was not helping the 45-65mph vibration problem. He took the truck rebalanced the tires and turned the rotors last week. Then he found a STB about the vibration kit. He got the Ford to agree and he installed the "Vibration Suppression Kit". The kit did not help. He went back to Ford and got permission to install a new drive shaft. He called today and told me that the truck was driving great. He even drove a new truck and compared it and my truck rode better.
I went to the dealer and drove my truck.
I went to my dealer and drove the truck today. I can feel very little improvement in the 45-65mph vibration. They did improve the steering wheel nibble and the vibration when breaking. The service dept. has been great but I can’t say the same about Ford. Ford will not do any more authorized work on my truck.
I now have a better case for the Dispute Settlement Board with more paper work from my dealer and F-150 forums like this. Maybe after the DSB I’ll wait for the 2005 model.

 

I'm sure glad we have a service manager to ad to this thread. I have had a vibration problem for over a month now from about 55-60. It's more of a bed wobble than anything. I had the tires balance...rebalance...force variance tested and I've learned more about tires than I ever needed to, but this clearly is not a tire issue. I also noticed a serious vibration when I turned corners and then recently the tires actually churping like the rear end was locking up. I took it to Ford and they replaced the rear end fluid as they have a service bulliten about this. This has helped with the low speed locking turning corners, but the wobble or viabration is still there at highway speeds. It's making me just sick as I watch my brand new 2004 F-150 SCrew Lariat wobble like I've got a 1984 with 200k miles on it. I'm frustrated but the service department is also trying to help. I have to drive 1000 miles on the new fluid before they replace the clutch packs in the rear end. Don't know if that will help, but I too till be checking to see if there is a common solution. I was just thrilled with everything else about the truck, but now feel this irritated feeling knowing I'm driving something that I'm sure Ford engineers didn't intend. You think maybe the frame is to f-in' stiff? Maybe having a frame that stiff is not a good thing after all? Don't know, but I'm serious about getting this fixed and have the bucks to spend to figure this out.

Thanks guys!

John

 

Thats where my head is at too, John (thenetguy). I am considering paying to have the rear rebuilt in my truck . I am now waiting on a driveshaft, that is on backorder. Dont have much faith that the driveshaft is the fix..?? My service guy is saying wait till we see what the driveshaft does...???
Only 58 more payments and she's paid for....?? Aint that grand..!!!!

 

Thanks FXE. I consider myself fairly intelligent and very mechanically inclined and this is clearly a larger issue. It reminds me of when I bought a version of operating system for my computer years ago that we all know was a problem. Can you say blue sreen of death? :-) I don't think the poor guys at the dealership understand that I will spend the money if needed to fix this....it's that bad. Or...I will get another truck and they will wish they read this earlier.

Hang in there guys....I'm sure we'll all laugh when we read the recall bulletin soon.

Take care,

John

 

I haven't bought my new F150, yet, but, I'm watching this thread closely. One thing that would be interesting to know is if everyone with this 'vibration' problem has the same type of differential (open, LS or both).

Hope FORD come through for all you guys.

 

Guy's,the vibration that im feeling is in ,or under the floorboard's,my steering wheel feel's fine. I can drive down the rd. around 60mph and turn the engine off and put it in nuteral and it still does it,is this sort of what you guy's are getting.

 

After considerable study, I have determined the vibration in mine occurs from roughly 1,200 to 1,400 rpm's, regardless of the gear. In overdrive, the vibration occurs from 52 to 58 mph. Shifting overdrive off, the vibration stops between these speeds. Could this still be the drive shaft or rear end?

 

I know you said "regardless of the gear." Does that mean it also does it in neutral???

 

Good point. I have never reved it to 1,200 to 1,400 rpm's in neutral. I'm going to try that tonight!

 

Well I'm going to have the girlfriend drive the truck so I can try to see what the heck is going on back there. I'm going to try the different suggestions in regards to overdrive, nuetral, etc. to see these effects as well. I'll post my findings this weekend also.

2004 F-150 Super Crew Lariat 4x4 with 3:73 LS