Steering wheel shaking
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New User
Joined: Aug 2010
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I don't think it is the same issue as yours. I did not replace the driveshaft u-joints, I replaced the front BALLjoints about 2-3 months ago. There is no way to driveshaft would coase the steering wheel to fluctuate 2-3 inches from side to side, unless the damn thing was bent beyond belief. This sterring wheel shake may disappear for a week at a time? If it was a driveshaft issue it would be constant. Could be a caster problem with front end. Too much Negative Caster can create the shopping cart effect. I am going to take it to an alignment shop and have them add some positive caster. I will keep in touch and thanks again for all the good info.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Bellville TX. Wof Houston
I don't think it is the same issue as yours. I did not replace the driveshaft u-joints, I replaced the front BALLjoints about 2-3 months ago. There is no way to driveshaft would coase the steering wheel to fluctuate 2-3 inches from side to side, unless the damn thing was bent beyond belief. This sterring wheel shake may disappear for a week at a time? If it was a driveshaft issue it would be constant. Could be a caster problem with front end. Too much Negative Caster can create the shopping cart effect. I am going to take it to an alignment shop and have them add some positive caster. I will keep in touch and thanks again for all the good info.
ummm Ok. I was at the aliment shop today. then I left there and went to a shop where I too was proven WRONG, thinking it was the front end.
Best of luck to you
Tuned
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 302
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Well, it should have plenty weight on the front tires. So much for my next theory.
I'm still kinda stuck on shocks right now. Assuming that the tires aren't in some way defective & since everything else is new. A steering damper will soften it down so you won't get the locked up steering wheel feeling. I just don't like the old "steering damper fixes a worn out frontend" mentality.
I highly doubt this, but have you checked for a cracked leaf spring?
I'm still kinda stuck on shocks right now. Assuming that the tires aren't in some way defective & since everything else is new. A steering damper will soften it down so you won't get the locked up steering wheel feeling. I just don't like the old "steering damper fixes a worn out frontend" mentality.
I highly doubt this, but have you checked for a cracked leaf spring?
Tuned
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 434
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From: Somewhere in Alaska
I'm new to Fords, so I don't know if this is an issue on the SD's, but one of the things that causes death wobble on Jeeps (where I have a lot of experience) is a crack in the frame where the steering box mounts up. Would drive people crazy trying to diagnose it until the frame was carefully inspected and the cracks were located and repaired. Just a thought.
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Joined: May 2005
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From: Columbia, MO
As was mentioned earlier, even though you have new tires I think that you shouild check very carefully for a tread seperation, a wheel that is not true, or an out of round tire. What psi are you using? What brand tire? Were they made in China? Were the tires you purchased blems or seconds? I just fixed a bad front tire wobble, I checked the tires several times and I never found anything. I have life time road hazard, rotate and balance at Wal-Mart. Finally took my truck in to get my tires rotated and balanced...turned out I had a tread seperation. Got rid of the tire and everything is fine now. (Some tire problems are difficult for a nonprofessional tire person to see.)
Be sure to let us know what the problem was.
Be sure to let us know what the problem was.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2006
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Im not trying to jack your thread but I think I'm having the same problem, however the ball joints are in decent condition and I've got a dual steering stabilizer setup. I think mine has got to be the steering gearbox again even though it was replaced less than 6 months ago. My wheel goes back and forth like crazy and will even lock itself on one side till I pull it back the other way, then it will lock on that side, till I pull it back. Ill be getting it replaced this weekend and let you know what I found. Hi-way driving is scary right now.
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Heres an update for ya. I had my ford guy driving it when the truck started shaking and pulling from side to side like crazy. He got under the truck while i turned the wheel back and forth and it turned out to be the drivers side u-joint by the wheel on the axle shaft. It was all froze up. Check that out next time it does it.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 588
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From: Bellville TX. Wof Houston
Heres an update for ya. I had my ford guy driving it when the truck started shaking and pulling from side to side like crazy. He got under the truck while i turned the wheel back and forth and it turned out to be the drivers side u-joint by the wheel on the axle shaft. It was all froze up. Check that out next time it does it.
ahhhh, so it was a u joint ....I thought there was no way in HELL it could b a u joint because it was not constaint
hummmm
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New User
Joined: Aug 2010
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Heres an update for ya. I had my ford guy driving it when the truck started shaking and pulling from side to side like crazy. He got under the truck while i turned the wheel back and forth and it turned out to be the drivers side u-joint by the wheel on the axle shaft. It was all froze up. Check that out next time it does it.
Senior User
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Oh man, yea i forgot to say that, when I engaged 4wd prior to replacing the ujoint...holy S***. thats when it would get REAL bad and stay consistently bad. So if you had the same proplem in 4wd...then its gotta be the u joint. I was like you though, thinking, no way in hell could a u joint make my truck do that.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,552
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From: Manhattan, KS
I don't think it has been mentioned yet, but I had that problem with my '01 and it turned out to be a sticking brake caliper. It would stick and drag and when you hit a bump or rough road it would have the death wobble something fierce. I replaced the caliper as the pins were froze on the driver's side and that took care of it. It was worse after driving for a while and after the brakes warmed up.