Front End Vibration

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Mar 25, 2008 | 12:49 PM

JamesT96GT

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From: Gardner, MA

Front End Vibration

'03 Explorer Sport - I just checked all my Ball joints, U-Joints and CV joints. While up on the jacks we rotated the wheels & turned them left and right. After jacking it up and doing these things now when I drive the Front end vibrates/shutters to the point I feel it in the steering wheel. It is not all the time but it can happen when I turn l or R and or hit bumps in the road. What is happening. I noticed my front diff is leaking fluid out the pinion seal so I know I need to fix that. Could this be causing the shudder? Is the front diff a Limited Slip? I know the Rear is (D4 code and on Window sticker).

It's strange because the same thing happened a week ago when I had it up on jacks to check over things and when I first test drove it it shuddered turning right. It soon went away. Now it is even worse........ Please help!

Mar 25, 2008 | 10:43 PM

aquanaut20

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From: BC Canada

You have induced air into the steering system (moving steering with engine not running), turn the wheels lock to lock several times with the engine running at 1500rpm.

Mar 26, 2008 | 07:44 AM

JamesT96GT

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From: Gardner, MA

Thanks aquanaut20! I had suspected this but no one around me thought that was possible. It makes sense because both times I had turned the wheels with the engine off. Also on my 40 mile ride home last night the vibration slowly went away. Just curious why a bump would induce this while driving. I may replace the sway bar bushings and such. A friend said this is also a common symptom of worn and dried bushings.

Mar 26, 2008 | 11:20 AM

aquanaut20

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From: BC Canada

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesT96GT

Thanks aquanaut20! Just curious why a bump would induce this while driving.

The steering is a hydaulic system and oil does not compress, air however will, when you hit the bump, a front end ossilation was started and the air in the system was unable to dampen it, causing the shake.

Hope this helps.

May 26, 2008 | 09:40 PM

jdcpjc

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Joined: Nov 2007

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Just read this posting....that happened to me once. My alternator quit and the engine died just as I was trying to turn into the driveway. I kept turning the wheel to make it in. Then I had the shuddering too....I did your remedy and it got rid of the shuddering...