front end wobble
Thread Starter
|
Freshman User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
front end wobble
My 2000 F-150 with 135K has had a front end wobble at about 70 MPH when I apply the brakes. Now it does it a little without the brakes. Had wheel alignment; and they also said the brakes are fine. A similar thing happened at 79K; a mechanic put on a Pitman arm. How do I test the Pitman arm, do I need special tools to do it, and is the repair something a shadetree mechanic should try?
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,931
Likes: 180
the guy that did the alignment should have an idea of what is wrong. you normally find the ball joints, or tie rod wear when trying to align.--- jack up the front end an dset a block under each A frame and let the jack off so the truck is setting on the A-frames with the tires 2 inches off the ground. now jerk each tire back and forth while your buddy lays underneith the radiator and see if the tie rods "wiggle". next stick a 2 x 4 about 4 ft long under one tire and lift if up and down an inch. the other guy look at the ball joint on the bottom of the A-frame, and top frame and see if either has any slop to it.--- next run the steering wheel back and forth about 10 degrees, and look for excessive play in the steering arm and idler arm bracket bolted to the frame under the radiator area.
