shaky steering wheel
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shaky steering wheel
Hi everyone, I just registered. I have a 99 f150 4x4. I'm having a problem with the steering wheel shaking very badly. It's especially bad if I'm on a bumpy road. Sometimes it gets so bad that I have to slow down until it stops. I think the problem is the ball joints but I want to know for sure before I change them. Midas was going to charge me about 500 bucks for this but I found them at Oreilly for 70 bucks each. I have big all terrain tires and my truck also has 109,000 miles on it. Also does anyone know how much of a problem the ball joints are to change and if I have to get it aligned afterward. Thanks guys.
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Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Wheatland, Mo
Ball joints are a starting point...also check pitman arm, tie rod ends both inner and outer, shock mounts, steering stablizer (if eqipped). Just start going through all of your suspension. I have the same prob with an old Bonco and it turned out to be the radius arm bushings plus the shock mounts. Couldn't get over 40 without it feeling like it was going to shake apart.
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From: Southern Louisiana
Do you hear any noise when hitting bumps, or does it just shake? For the shake, I would change the tie rod ends (all 4) and radius arm bushings. If it makes a thumping noise or a bell ringing noise when you hit a bump, replace both upper and lower ball joints. If you have the mechinical ability/knowledge, replacing them yourself would be your best bet, or find a garage that will allow you to purchase your own parts. A good place to find any parts for your truck would be rockauto.com, their suspension parts are mostly moog which are excellent suspension parts and they come with grease zerks and a lifetime warrenty at a reasonable price. While the tie rods are being worked on I would shake and bang around while the truck is on the rack to see if anything else may be loose or need to be replaced.
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A easy way to check the lower ball joint is to jack the tire off the ground about a inch, put a long good sturdy bar under the tire and lift up if there is movement other than the whole vehicle moving then it's the lower ball joint. while the truck is lifted up have a friend move the tire back and foruth like you were turning and look at the outer tie rod ends, if there is any movement at all other than the whole steering moving then replace the outer tie rod ends also look at the innner while doing this any play at all is cause to replace the joint.
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