Notices
1999 - 2016 Super Duty 1999 to 2016 Ford F250, F350, F450 and F550 Super Duty with diesel V8 and gas V8 and V10 engines
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: Real Truck

Front end problems

Old Oct 3, 2005 | 01:32 PM
  #1  
bryan21178's Avatar
bryan21178
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
Red face Front end problems

Well guys iam in need of some advice i have a shake in the front end when i brake the sterring wheel shakes back and forth I have had my tires checked and they are good,Iam going too jack up the front end and check for play in in the wheels. My trucks a 2003 f250 crew 4 wheel drive it has the 5.4 in it.Ive heard of wheel bearing problems just hoping its not it.I replaced the front brake pads the drivers side had bad wear worst then the other side maybe that will be a good place too start looking.Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
Reply
Old Oct 3, 2005 | 01:38 PM
  #2  
rwilimo's Avatar
rwilimo
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,339
Likes: 5
From: NJ
Probably warped front rotors.
 
Reply
Old Oct 3, 2005 | 01:56 PM
  #3  
bryan21178's Avatar
bryan21178
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
Unhappy

Well just too update when i jacked the truck up i have alot of play in the wheel on the drivers side and a litttle in the other, i grabed the wheel and pushed it in and it moves iam guesing wheel bearing? Its a sad day the are going to cost me 260 a pieace thats if i put them on my self hope its not to hard.
 
Reply
Old Oct 3, 2005 | 03:32 PM
  #4  
Big Orn's Avatar
Big Orn
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,643
Likes: 8
From: NE Texas
Originally Posted by bryan21178
Well just too update when i jacked the truck up i have alot of play in the wheel on the drivers side and a litttle in the other, i grabed the wheel and pushed it in and it moves iam guesing wheel bearing? Its a sad day the are going to cost me 260 a pieace thats if i put them on my self hope its not to hard.
Already? Do you have ESOF? If so, did the vacuum lines get busted or have they cracked and let grime and such into the bearings?

It seems awful early for the bearings just to go away...
 
Reply
Old Oct 3, 2005 | 05:22 PM
  #5  
bryan21178's Avatar
bryan21178
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
It has play if you grab the bottom of the wheel and pull it out.is that the ball joints?I have no vacume lines that i can tell down there.
 
Reply
Old Oct 3, 2005 | 06:02 PM
  #6  
99f350sd's Avatar
99f350sd
Lead Driver
20 Year Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 9,303
Likes: 48
From: Lyndonville, Vermont
Club FTE Silver Member

Could be ball joints have someone yam on it while you get a look under there. no guessing!!
 
Reply
Old Oct 3, 2005 | 06:06 PM
  #7  
FortyFords's Avatar
FortyFords
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,859
Likes: 7
From: USA
No that is wheel bearings,ball joints is up and down. it could be ball joints though but most of the time its wheel bearings
How many miles on this truck?
Where do you live ,do you off road this truck/do you have oversize tires?
What Big orn was getting at was if you had esof with auto hubs in the front the vacum tubes sometimes break and alow water and dirt into the bearing area.
I would chk the seal on the back side of the hub,I'll bet it's shot .
If you drive on extreme bumpy highway expansion joint type roads with air pressures up in the tires we have seen premature bearing failure.plus oversize tires
to chk balljoints by yourself jack up the truck on one side take a long bar or 2x4 put under the tire and raise the tire with the bar if the joints are bad you wil see movement between the knuckle and joint
Rich
 

Last edited by FortyFords; Oct 3, 2005 at 06:10 PM.
Reply
Old Oct 3, 2005 | 07:54 PM
  #8  
truckmonger1's Avatar
truckmonger1
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 241
Likes: 1
Kind of on the same topic with the front hubs, I am going to replace the front auto hubs with warn units. Someone told me that it would be ok to take the large 2 piece vacuum seal out since it was not needed anymore. Is this OK or not? Thoughts or comments.
 
Reply
FTE Stories

Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts

story-0

10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-1

Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalytic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

 Brett Foote
story-4

Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

 Brett Foote
story-6

Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-7

Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

 Brett Foote
Old Oct 3, 2005 | 08:00 PM
  #9  
99f350sd's Avatar
99f350sd
Lead Driver
20 Year Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 9,303
Likes: 48
From: Lyndonville, Vermont
Club FTE Silver Member

No you can't remove that seal.
 
Reply
Old Oct 3, 2005 | 08:13 PM
  #10  
truckmonger1's Avatar
truckmonger1
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 241
Likes: 1
I am not trying to disagree with you but why is it needed? It appears to me that the rest of the seal arrangement is like to older axles without the vacuum stuff.
 
Reply
Old Oct 3, 2005 | 08:21 PM
  #11  
99f350sd's Avatar
99f350sd
Lead Driver
20 Year Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 9,303
Likes: 48
From: Lyndonville, Vermont
Club FTE Silver Member

Need it for dirt going into the needle bearing and the wheel bearing.
 
Reply
Old Oct 3, 2005 | 08:49 PM
  #12  
truckmonger1's Avatar
truckmonger1
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 241
Likes: 1
Ok, I guess I will not take them out. Thanks for the info.
 
Reply
Old Oct 4, 2005 | 06:07 AM
  #13  
kenneBF250V10's Avatar
kenneBF250V10
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 772
Likes: 3
From: Mount Airy, MD
Originally Posted by bryan21178
It has play if you grab the bottom of the wheel and pull it out.is that the ball joints?I have no vacume lines that i can tell down there.
I just went through this this past weekend. With the truck jacked up I could grab the tire at the top and the bottom and move them in and out a significant amount, the drivers side was worse. For me it was bad ball joints on both sides, top and bottom. It could be either, ball joints or bearings. While the truck is jacked up try moving the tire in and out at the top and then the bottom. If you have any play at all, top to bottom, my bet is that your ball joints are bad. If you have play side to side and top to bottom then I would say your bearings were bad.
 
Reply


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:18 AM.

story-0
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: the best gifts for dads & grads

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-02 21:45:57


VIEW MORE
story-1
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalytic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath

Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-30 18:33:59


VIEW MORE
story-2
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

Slideshow: 10 most expensive Ford trucks ever sold on Bring a Trailer.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:24:34


VIEW MORE
story-3
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

Here's everything that has changed for the latest model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-27 16:17:28


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

Slideshow: Top 10 Ford truck tragedies.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-18 19:34:33


VIEW MORE
story-5
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

And it might be even better than that.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-18 19:26:42


VIEW MORE
story-6
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

Slideshow: Does lowering an F-150 Lobo RUIN the ride quality?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-18 19:20:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

Slideshow: Ford's bizarre fishing-themed Explorer concept has resurfaced after spending decades largely forgotten.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:07:46


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

Slideshow: The 10 best Ford truck engines we miss the most.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 13:09:47


VIEW MORE
story-9
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

Slideshow: first look at the 810 hp 2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road!

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-12 12:50:07


VIEW MORE