shaky front end???
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Cross-Country
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shaky front end???
Ok guys can you make some suggestions, I have a 99 4X4 and when I go over certain types of bumps (like railway Xings) the front end gets into a shake, kind of like a speed wobble. It regains control quickly but I can definetly feel a shake in the steering wheel more than I remember when the truck was newer. I have new shocks and both lower ball joints have be replaced recently everything else is original minus the brakes of course. The truck has about 180 000km on it. I am wondering if the sway bar links could cause this? They look ok but also look easy to change if there would be a gain in handling?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Liberty, MO
Have you noticed a popping noise driving elsewhere (like turning either direction? hitting a normal type bumb)? If so you may try seeing if you can tighten up the lower ball joints some more, they may have wiggled loose after the fresh change. Happened to me.
What tire pressure are you running at? A really hard tire will send crazy vibrations thru the truck if your not used to the feel.
Are you taking these thing like RR X-ings square on or at an angle? The angle would feel/sound totally different then square on since the tires arent hitting it simultaneously. Essentially doubling the amount of vibration/noise sent thru the truck.
If the sway bar or its links should be fine unlesss there's a visible break in them. You would hear a semi loud popping sound when the body rolls if either was broke. There would be a reduction in side to side body roll with thicker roll bars. That is a bonus for cornering for sure, but cant think of a gain on a trail with one besides being tougher to handle the abuse.
What tire pressure are you running at? A really hard tire will send crazy vibrations thru the truck if your not used to the feel.
Are you taking these thing like RR X-ings square on or at an angle? The angle would feel/sound totally different then square on since the tires arent hitting it simultaneously. Essentially doubling the amount of vibration/noise sent thru the truck.
If the sway bar or its links should be fine unlesss there's a visible break in them. You would hear a semi loud popping sound when the body rolls if either was broke. There would be a reduction in side to side body roll with thicker roll bars. That is a bonus for cornering for sure, but cant think of a gain on a trail with one besides being tougher to handle the abuse.
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From: Aurora
Besides what Ben suggested above, check your pitman arm and steering box for excessive play. Even though the rest of the front end can be tight, if the pitman of steeing box is loose, it will allow the front end to flail about.
Fred
Fred
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Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Liberty, MO
I was just thinking that myself fflintstone after i replied what i just said. Pitman arms and steering boxes rarely go out unless the truck's been in an accident or severely abused. I know dealers will sometimes get a junkyard pitman arm if they have to wait for one on order and the owner wants it asap. They're not a weak point in the steering system normally and last a VERY long time, tho they can work themselves loose.
All suggestions will have a varying amount of movement in the system. You mentioned it being similar to a speed woble, I'm guessing that you are meaning the feeling of a tire at highway speeds that is out of balance?
All suggestions will have a varying amount of movement in the system. You mentioned it being similar to a speed woble, I'm guessing that you are meaning the feeling of a tire at highway speeds that is out of balance?
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Cross-Country
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Thanks for the ideas, I do notice a ever so slight poping sound when going over small bumps slowly, like easing into a diveway. I haven't been able to isolate the source and somtimes wonder if I am just hearing some of the fluids sloshing around. I do keep my tires fairly hard for fuel economy and the truck has never had any accidents and really I have not been hard on it. I wonder about that loose ball joint idea, can I tighten them myself, just remove the pin and tourqe them? Or is there more to it? If not how tight?
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 524
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From: Liberty, MO
You cant properly torque them since they're a rotating joint. Here'd what I did as a last second thrash while the dealer had my truck up on a drive on 4-point lift doing an alignment and the front end proped up from there:
He had shown me that it was loose by putting a pry bar underneath of the tire and pushing from the ground against the bottom of the tire. So, with the front end in the air I pulled the pin from the castle nut and pushed up from the bottom of the tire to expose the how loose it was. I just tightened it up as tight as it would allow before spinning, backed the nut off to where I could spot the hole, and inserted the pin.
There was no movement after that so they could continue on with the alignment. By me jumping in and doing what I did I saved myself money instantly. They had no choice in letting me in! lol
He had shown me that it was loose by putting a pry bar underneath of the tire and pushing from the ground against the bottom of the tire. So, with the front end in the air I pulled the pin from the castle nut and pushed up from the bottom of the tire to expose the how loose it was. I just tightened it up as tight as it would allow before spinning, backed the nut off to where I could spot the hole, and inserted the pin.
There was no movement after that so they could continue on with the alignment. By me jumping in and doing what I did I saved myself money instantly. They had no choice in letting me in! lol
Postmaster
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From: St. Peter
If the end links are broken they could cause a front end noise. Other possibilities would be the upper ball joints, outer tie rods, drag links, etc. Remember to check the front end you need to have load the lower A arm. So when you check it, jack it up by the lower A arm, pull up on the bottom of the tire, if no movement, push in on the top of the tire. If no movement, wiggle it side to side. You may feel some clunking around, make sure its not the steering wheel moving around or play in your steering box.
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