1/4 turn shudder
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1/4 turn shudder
My '99 F-150 4x4 SCab shudders horribly anytime I turn the steering wheel 1/4 turn and accelerate. If I turn more than 1/4 turn it goes away, but it does it again at 1/4 turn as I cycle back through the turn to straighten the truck out. Any ideas?
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From: St. Libory
Check your ball joints.
You can do this by jacking the front end up, and grabbing hold of the tire at the 6 and 12 o'clock postions. If you can shake the tire, its time for new ball joints, if not........well its something else then.
Make sure that when you jack it up you put jack stands or something under it so that when you try and shake the tire you don't have 'er come down or something stupid.
You can do this by jacking the front end up, and grabbing hold of the tire at the 6 and 12 o'clock postions. If you can shake the tire, its time for new ball joints, if not........well its something else then.
Make sure that when you jack it up you put jack stands or something under it so that when you try and shake the tire you don't have 'er come down or something stupid.
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OK sorry for not replying for a couple days - my sister got married this weekend and I didn't have a lot of time for checking up on this. The shudder feels like it's coming from the front of the truck. It feels exactly like when a too-big tire hits an air dam, but my tires are not hitting anywhere. I never thought of the front hubs not being disengaged fully, that would make a lot of sense if that was the case. Any idea how to check that? And when I check the ball joints, when you say "If you can shake the tire", do you mean try to rotate it? or actually try to move the top and bottom of the tire towards and away from me? thanks for the help so far guys, maybe you can help me more!
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Thanks jseim44. Racerguy, to answer your question, I can feel the shudder coming through the steering wheel. Feels like it's coming from the front of the truck. Like I said before, it feels exactly like a too big tire hitting an air dam. ProjectSHO89, do you have any advice on how to see if hte front hubs are disengaged fully?
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OK, checked the ball joints, and they are fine - absolutely no play whatsoever. The shudder is still there - it is a pronounced vibration that I can feel through the steering wheel, only when the wheel is turned 1/4 turn either way and under acceleration. It can't be felt during braking or coasting at 1/4 turn, only acceleration. The engaged hubs sounds like a good start - does anybody have any info on how to find out if the hubs are engaged or not? Or any other ideas???
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From: BC, Canada
Your truck doesn't have hubs like an older 4x4. It uses a center axle disconnect. Basically when it's in 4x4 the front axles are locked together, in 2wd they aren't.
With the transfer case in 2wd you should be able to turn the front driveshaft if the center axle disconnect is disengaged.
I think someone mentioned in another one of your questions about the rear diff. If it has limited slip you could have a clutch chatter. Do you know any of the techs at your dealer? Maybe you could take one of them for a little drive around the parking lot and see what they think.
With the transfer case in 2wd you should be able to turn the front driveshaft if the center axle disconnect is disengaged.
I think someone mentioned in another one of your questions about the rear diff. If it has limited slip you could have a clutch chatter. Do you know any of the techs at your dealer? Maybe you could take one of them for a little drive around the parking lot and see what they think.
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Thanks for the info Racerguy. I'm guessing that since it's a center axle disconnect that is why you don't have to drive in reverse after using 4x4 to disengage the hubs like in an older 4x4? I did do some investigating though and found a wire that leads straight to each front hub, goes in just above the halfshaft inside the brake rotor. Just for my own curiosity, any idea what that wire is for? ABS maybe?
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My truck, 2001 S'crew 2wd. does this at low speeds, and has done it since it was new. Its really bad in a parking lot that was coated with blacktop sealer, its slick. I have limited slip, so I sure thats whats causing it.
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truckalpers you're correct. With the way the front end works you don't have to back up to get it to unlock. Sometimes the front axle disconnect can bind a bit though and backing up will usually get it to unlock.
Yes those wires are for the ABS wheel speed sensors.
Yes those wires are for the ABS wheel speed sensors.
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Originally Posted by Aftrmidnite
My truck, 2001 S'crew 2wd. does this at low speeds, and has done it since it was new. Its really bad in a parking lot that was coated with blacktop sealer, its slick. I have limited slip, so I sure thats whats causing it.
If the rear, then:
Try to jack the rear up completely and have an assistant hold one rear wheel completely still, while you try to turn the other rear wheel (with your hand). If the wheel turns real easy, check you rear diff. clutches. I'll get back to you on how my rear diff. clutch replacement went, if you private message me.