Oh, I forgot. I would think that if folks are using their fords as work trucks- hauling heavy stuff etc on a daily basis, that in time the stiff suspension might soften up a little bit as it gets worked/broken in, only time will tell. However, if you only use an f350 4x4 cc LB diesel just lets say, to go to church on sunday, Hmmmm. I dont know

 

Yeah - sure - and I'd agree with you - everyone buys a one ton dually so they can get themselves to church on Sunday.

However.... in my case - I've drug my 24' enclosed car trailer to Phoenix - to LA - to Reno - to Pomona - to Pleasanton - those are all round trips from Seattle - and they would all have been done just since JUNE of this year -- my 2006 truck has 27,000 miles on it already - it's a whopping 6 months young.

It has also carried MANY very heavy loads locally.... and trust me --- my bounce has gotten WORSE not better -- and it rides WORSE with a load than it does empty...

I'll quote the Ford service tech -- "this is the worst riding SOB I've ever been in. This borders on dangerous!"

 

Texan asked if this was a problem with all rims... I had the problem with the stock steel wheels and Continental tires and still have the problem at exactly the same speed with aftermarket fake beadlock steel wheels and Terra Grappler tires. And the Bilsteins did nothing. I think it is interesting that guys with 05 and newer trucks with the coils up front are having the exact same problem at exactly the same speed. My 04 has the leaf spring front end. And I understand about the concrete highways with the expansion joints, but that is definitely not what this is. Different feeling altogether and I can reproduce it on any smooth road. I'm getting ready to take my daughter to school and I know it will do it again at exactly 41 mph as always.

 

There are 2 TSBs out that will not necissarily address all of the problems various individials have described, but may no doubt contribute to the problems for a few individuals.

TSB 06-6-6
ISSUE:
Some 2005-2006 Super Duty F-250/350 4x4 vehicles with a build date before 12/5/2005 may exhibit the front suspension bottoming out (hitting the jounce bumpers) and/or making a banging/clunking noise when driving. The condition is more pronounced in cold temperatures 5 to - 40° F (-15 to -40° C), and when driving over bumps on rough roads.

ACTION:
Replace the jounce bumpers and metal cups with revised parts.

TSB 05-22-1

ISSUE:
Some 2005-2006 F-Super Duty vehicles may exhibit steering wheel oscillation (back and forth motion), immediately following front or rear wheel impacts (pavement joints, frost heaves, rough roads, etc.). Steering wheel motion is typically in the range of ± 5 degrees, and typically dampens out in fewer than five oscillations. This condition occurs mostly on 4x4 vehicles, and is more evident on trucks equipped with a gas engine.

ACTION:
Refer to the following Service Procedure to minimize the steering wheel oscillations on impacts, however, there may be some remaining minor oscillation which would be considered normal.

With the wide variety of wheel/tire/spring options availble on late model trucks. Setting up a vehicle suspension is not nearly as cut and dried as it used to be and it seems that they are finding out that some tweaking has become necissary to tune each suspension to an individual truck. Even in louisiana where superduty trucks are on the roads by the thousands becuase of the Oilfield, the dealers still struggle with figuring problems out sometimes. It has been my experience, that in lieu of a dealer, especially for suspension stuff, the best place to get work done is a custom 4x4 shop that is used to dealing with the larger suspensions and wheel/tire combinations. A lot of places, even dealers, just don't have the right equipment to deal with the larger stuff. Thats just my 2 cents.

 

Is it just a coincidence or is everyone whose having the 42 mph vibration driving a crew cab LONG bed? I've tried different tires ,shocks,had driveshaft replaced under warranty,loaded the bed with different weight and no matter what I do ....the 40-42 MPH vibration is violent.In the mirror I actually lose sight of the top bed rail it bounces so bad.
I'm curious if it's happening to the short bed drivers out there.I feel like the vibration is some kind of resonance that happens only at this certain speed .
I am starting to think that the frame on this truck is so damn long that it's actually flexing at this point kind of creating the porpoising effect everyone is describing. If someone comes up with a solid fix ,I'd sure love to hear about it.
Sorry for the long post. LPII

 

No coincidence. I'm going to the dealer for the 3rd time tomorrow for this issue. They are replacing 2 tires. But from what I am reading here, it won't make a bit of difference.

And I agree with you as well on chassis resonance being the cause. It would be intersting to see if shortbeds have the same issue...

 

Years ago ford had a simliar issue and the tail housing of the transmission had a flange with 2 holes. The holes were to bolt a weight to change the harmonics of the car to prevent vibration. So it is possible to find the "sweet spot" and put a weight to change the resonance. But Ford should be doing this with the engineering staff given they haven't been layed off. Jim

 

UPDATE:

After the 5th time back to the dealer, they may be making progress. After 2 tire replacements, road-force balance, and shimming the center carrier bearing (upon my request) with 3 1/4" shims, the truck seems to ride a bit better. The bounce at 42 MPH is still there but not nearly as bad. It's at it's worst when the tires are cold but improves after 10 miles or so of driving.

Interestingly enough, we drove 5 similarly configured F-350's on the dealer's lot and guess what? They ALL had the same bounce/vibration problem. Ford engineers are involved now but I'm not sure I have the patience nor the confidence to keep going back to the dealer.

I'm still convinced that the problem is just being masked. I think the center carrier bearing shimming just changed the harmonics of the chassis at the speeds where the bouncing occurs. Ford seems to agree and states that due to the length of the LB and stiffness of the suspension, it is possible that some harmonic dissonance can occur resulting in the bouncing I'm experiencing.

Long story short: it's better and may just be good enough for me. Time will tell...

 

I have a short bed on my CC. Dealer is still waiting on tires for my truck

 

I think I've found the cure for the porpoising of the F-350 Dually.... Doesn't require a trip to the Ford dealer...

Buy a Chevy.

That's what I'm going to do. I can't stand riding in this P O S anymore - and after following this thread -- nobody has a fix for what is and must be a crucial design flaw.

 

Ha! Well, I just got rid of my Chevy and got a Ford.

I got tired of the same parts failing and finding that the new part had the same flaws as the old one, from 1992!!! Chevy didn't think it was so bad that after 122k miles of very carefull driving (my wife thinks I drive like a little old lady) that I should have replaced the alternator 2 times, the wiper control board 2 times, the transmission 3 times! Oh and I had to replace the interior fan motor, the ABS computer, the radiator, the rear hubs, the "mode controller" i.e. central computer, rear lamp board (twice),... "quality goodwrench" parts yeah right.
I couldn't believe it when they handed me the third alternator and in 2005 it had the exact same flaw as the original 1992 one did. I handed it back and got a much better aftermarket one. The third wiper control board had all the same flaws as the original. In fact it was identical. I am an electronics engineer and I can tell you this thing is one seriously cheap P.O.S. They were perfectly happy to keep replacing bad parts with bad parts. Why fix anything that keeps bringing in revenue...

...and who cares if the steering wheel isn't centered with the drivers seat...
Yup, I sat in a newer one and it was the same way, off to the right. I used to wonder why my shoulder hurt after long trips and my seat was worn on the right edge...

...and that wiper control board...Chevy thinks that if a bird poops on your windshield the wipers should sweep through it once before the washer fluid sprays. Yup, just to make shure it all gets smeared across your face and the wiper blades fail faster. Chevy, built stupid.


Now I have to admit they have now finally fixed a few flaws but.... the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side of the hill... unless you replace it with a John Deere

So yeah, my new Ford has the shake and I am bummed about it. I am not going to take it in until I hear that they have figured it out. The difference between Ford and Chevy is that at least Ford tries to figure stuff out. Chevy just ignores it and cashes the check, the next Chevy will have the same problem and the next one after that, unless it gets fixed by chance!

Ok rant off...sorry about that, I feel much better now

 

I have a 2006 Crew cab fx4 short bed.

I can't even drink my cofee on the way to work unless I want to wear most of it.

I've had the problem since day one and since have put a 2" level kit, 315 tires, new shocks, and a larger steering stabilizer, played with tire pressures too.... no better!!

Please pass along any helpful info.
John

 

Go buy your Chevy.

 

I think the largest problem with these trucks is not the trucks themselves, but our expectations of them. These are after all, 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks. 10 years ago the vast majority of people using these trucks as daily drivers were people that were actually hauling a ton or so on a daily basis. If they didn't need the extra capacity, they bought a half ton or a ranger, and borrowed the neighbors 1 ton only when needed. Now, a lot of people that buy these trucks still may need the weight capacity, but probably not on a daily basis. The truck gets used to its fullest capacity only a small percentage of the time, yet gets driven more as a people hualer than a weight hauler. Over time, as manufacturers have added creature comforts, the allure of owning these supertrucks has risen to the point that a lot of people expect them to behave as a car would, simply becuase it is being used mostly as a car. However, the fact remains that these are still really REALLY big trucks and will never handle like a car. Maybe in another 20 years, engineering will have caught up to peoples desires and it will handle like a car, but right now be it ford, cheby, dodge, or whatever, I think people expect too much.

 

Sounds like a good point to me.....