F350 front end vibration
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Cross-Country
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 66
Likes: 1
From: Centennial CO
F350 front end vibration
Hello I've been searching the forum trying to solve this through the existing posts but have come up confused.
Here's the situation, 2000 F350, 163k, experiencing a minor but annoying vibration between approximately 45-55 mph. You can feel it in the steering wheel but the wheel does not "shake" in your hand. Sometimes it happens outside of the 45-55 window but not much. Just had the tires balanced twice and front end aligned vibrations still occurs. I tried engaging the 4wd from the dash, still feel the vibration?
Other things that I have seen mentioned but were completed with the past 2 years: ball joints replaced, right hub replaced, sway bar and drop link bushing replaced. It never had a steering stabilizer so I have not done that...yet.
My guess based on reading here is left hub, carrier bearing, front drive shaft u joint or axle u joint?
Any thoughts or ideas would be great!
Thanks, <O
</O
Wink<O</O
Here's the situation, 2000 F350, 163k, experiencing a minor but annoying vibration between approximately 45-55 mph. You can feel it in the steering wheel but the wheel does not "shake" in your hand. Sometimes it happens outside of the 45-55 window but not much. Just had the tires balanced twice and front end aligned vibrations still occurs. I tried engaging the 4wd from the dash, still feel the vibration?
Other things that I have seen mentioned but were completed with the past 2 years: ball joints replaced, right hub replaced, sway bar and drop link bushing replaced. It never had a steering stabilizer so I have not done that...yet.
My guess based on reading here is left hub, carrier bearing, front drive shaft u joint or axle u joint?
Any thoughts or ideas would be great!
Thanks, <O
</OWink<O
</O
Thread Starter
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Cross-Country
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 66
Likes: 1
From: Centennial CO
Jacked up the front end, no play from the left hub, ujoints seems to be fine no leaking or significant play (a very very small amount at the front drive shaft, carrier bearing seems ok as well.
Would shocks cause this?
Thanks,
Wink
Would shocks cause this?
Thanks,
Wink
New User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
2002 F350 DRW 2WD--front end vibrates--2 alignments--new tires, balanced twice--new Bilstein shocks--front end "looks good" by 3 different mechanics. Any ideas? On any but a butter smooth road (hard to find) steering wheel actually shimmys slightly
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,404
Likes: 3
From: Asheville-where weird is
I will assume that you have auto lockers... if not, substitute Free for Auto...check to see if they are in Auto or Lock. If not in Auto, put them there, place selector in 2WD, and see if that makes a difference. One could be locked and the other could be in auto... If this does not work, place selector in 2WD, place a piece of duct tape on the front drive shaft and each of the wheel shafts. Remember their location and move the truck forward a 'couple' of feet to see if any of them have rotated. If they have then the hubs are not unlocking. If everything is disengaging properly, then none of the shafts should have moved. The front drive shaft should spin freely when you rotate it by hand. If the wheel shafts moved, then pull the hub and manually unlock it from the inside, reinstall it, drive it and see if it is still vibrating or you can just leave the hubs out for a short test drive...they do act as a seal for the bearings so make sure you keep it dry and clean.
If this isolates the problem then you can ask all of these guys what the best fix is. I still have not completely addressed this issue on my truck...so I can use this info too.
If this isolates the problem then you can ask all of these guys what the best fix is. I still have not completely addressed this issue on my truck...so I can use this info too.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 18,849
Likes: 179
From: Puget Sound
I just went through a stock hub locked while driving, and I now have a test procedure as well. Turn the steering hard left or right. Reach behind each of the front wheels (one at time), grab the front U-joint, and spin it. Grab the front drive line and spin that too. If one of the three is locked, they all spin except the locked one (courtesy of the front differential). If nothing spins, both (or all three)sources of the lock need to be determined.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,404
Likes: 3
From: Asheville-where weird is
Tugly is absolutely correct! The reason that I place tape on all three is so that I can see if there is an intermittent problem. For example, none of the shafts should rotate regardless of how far you drive unless "you" shift the truck into 4wd. My vibration would come and go, and still does occasionally, for no apparent reason. So, I simply look to see if there has been any movement. If there has been any then I know the source and don't worry about it so much. Without the tape, I would not be able to determine if the shafts have rotated or not.
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2015
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From: Omaha, Nebraska
I will assume that you have auto lockers... if not, substitute Free for Auto...check to see if they are in Auto or Lock. If not in Auto, put them there, place selector in 2WD, and see if that makes a difference. One could be locked and the other could be in auto... If this does not work, place selector in 2WD, place a piece of duct tape on the front drive shaft and each of the wheel shafts. Remember their location and move the truck forward a 'couple' of feet to see if any of them have rotated. If they have then the hubs are not unlocking. If everything is disengaging properly, then none of the shafts should have moved. The front drive shaft should spin freely when you rotate it by hand. If the wheel shafts moved, then pull the hub and manually unlock it from the inside, reinstall it, drive it and see if it is still vibrating or you can just leave the hubs out for a short test drive...they do act as a seal for the bearings so make sure you keep it dry and clean.
If this isolates the problem then you can ask all of these guys what the best fix is. I still have not completely addressed this issue on my truck...so I can use this info too.
If this isolates the problem then you can ask all of these guys what the best fix is. I still have not completely addressed this issue on my truck...so I can use this info too.
New User
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
I'm having the same issue. Well kind of. I have vibration when I let of the accelerator. Sometimes it's bad and others not so bad. Hubs are fine, carrier bearing is fine. Don't think it's shocks. One thing I noticed. I have a lift kit and I turned into the gas station pretty hard, parked, fueled up, and when I started to leave, heard a huge pop sound. Vibration and noises started immediately after that. My wheel was turned to the left at the time. Any suggestions.
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