2004 front end wobbles
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2004 front end wobbles
I've read all of the "shimmy" posts and they haven't really answered my issue, so I'll start another one.
I bought her new in 2004, installed a 2" leveling kit and installed larger 315 tires in 2006. Everything was fine for several years.
Then, in 2013, I noticed a change in the way she handled. It started out small, but gradually gotten worse. The brake pedal would pulsate. I could "feel" a kind of grinding in the steering wheel. At 35-40 mph the front end would hop as if I were driving on a washboard road. I could hear an audible bump as I would hit a small hole or rough spot in the roadbed. I had her up to 85 mph, legal on Vancouver Island, B.C., and it shook so bad that that I had to bring her back down to 70. The shaking was still there, but at least I could drive.
Since 2013, I've replaced the wheels and tires, sway bar links, installed Bilstein shocks, replaced the front brake pads, checked my automatic hubs for partial/full engagement, and had the tires rebalanced. I've taken her to 2 different shops and one couldn't find anything wrong, and the other said that it just drives like a regular 3/4 ton pickup! I have new rotors, caliper brackets, and pads and will install them when I get a dry day I know that this post is kinda
, but this thing is driving me nuts! Thanks..
I bought her new in 2004, installed a 2" leveling kit and installed larger 315 tires in 2006. Everything was fine for several years.
Then, in 2013, I noticed a change in the way she handled. It started out small, but gradually gotten worse. The brake pedal would pulsate. I could "feel" a kind of grinding in the steering wheel. At 35-40 mph the front end would hop as if I were driving on a washboard road. I could hear an audible bump as I would hit a small hole or rough spot in the roadbed. I had her up to 85 mph, legal on Vancouver Island, B.C., and it shook so bad that that I had to bring her back down to 70. The shaking was still there, but at least I could drive.
Since 2013, I've replaced the wheels and tires, sway bar links, installed Bilstein shocks, replaced the front brake pads, checked my automatic hubs for partial/full engagement, and had the tires rebalanced. I've taken her to 2 different shops and one couldn't find anything wrong, and the other said that it just drives like a regular 3/4 ton pickup! I have new rotors, caliper brackets, and pads and will install them when I get a dry day I know that this post is kinda
, but this thing is driving me nuts! Thanks..
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,712
Likes: 18
From: Henderson, NV
Have you ever replaced the balljoints? I have a 2004 and just replaced them last year and what a difference. It was wandering quite a bit before. If you do decide to replace them use the OEM ball joints, too many hit and miss threads with the aftermarket ball joints.
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I surely hope that the rotors takes care of it! If not, I'll be looking at the ball joints a bit closer. The truck doesn't wander at all other than the vibration, but I would be running out of things to replace! My father used to throw parts at his car until it ran right and I always thought that he spent a ton of money on parts that weren't really needed. Looks like the son turns into the father, eh?
Thanks!
Thanks!
More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 538
Likes: 151
From: Warsaw KY
Found a really good read on why rotors fail. Jack-"Too many Toys" is the resident brake expert here and I hope this is good information by his standards. Raybestos Brake Tech School, Part One: Rotors Don't Warp | Hendon Publishing
Proper installation of the wheel will go a long way toward keeping your new rotors true...if they are true right out of the box.
Proper installation of the wheel will go a long way toward keeping your new rotors true...if they are true right out of the box.
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Recall
[QUOTE=Jerguy58;17790887]I've read all of the "shimmy" posts and they haven't really answered my issue, so I'll start another one.
I bought her new in 2004, installed a 2" leveling kit and installed larger 315 tires in 2006. Everything was fine for several years.
Then, in 2013, I noticed a change in the way she handled. It started out small, but gradually gotten worse. The brake pedal would pulsate. I could "feel" a kind of grinding in the steering wheel. At 35-40 mph the front end would hop as if I were driving on a washboard road. I could hear an audible bump as I would hit a small hole or rough spot in the roadbed. I had her up to 85 mph, legal on Vancouver Island, B.C., and it shook so bad that that I had to bring her back down to 70. The shaking was still there, but at least I could drive.
Since 2013, I've replaced the wheels and tires, sway bar links, installed Bilstein shocks, replaced the front brake pads, checked my automatic hubs for partial/full engagement, and had the tires rebalanced. I've taken her to 2 different shops and one couldn't find anything wrong, and the other said that it just drives like a regular 3/4 ton pickup! I have new rotors, caliper brackets, and pads and will install them when I get a dry day I know that this post is kinda , but this thing is driving me nuts! Thanks..[/QUOTE
Check your VIN number on Fords website for recalls. I just received a letter a week ago about a the front ends in certain year model trucks shaking (I have an 06). Unfortunately, I threw the letter away because it doesn’t apply to mine, it it’s worth lookin into.
I bought her new in 2004, installed a 2" leveling kit and installed larger 315 tires in 2006. Everything was fine for several years.
Then, in 2013, I noticed a change in the way she handled. It started out small, but gradually gotten worse. The brake pedal would pulsate. I could "feel" a kind of grinding in the steering wheel. At 35-40 mph the front end would hop as if I were driving on a washboard road. I could hear an audible bump as I would hit a small hole or rough spot in the roadbed. I had her up to 85 mph, legal on Vancouver Island, B.C., and it shook so bad that that I had to bring her back down to 70. The shaking was still there, but at least I could drive.
Since 2013, I've replaced the wheels and tires, sway bar links, installed Bilstein shocks, replaced the front brake pads, checked my automatic hubs for partial/full engagement, and had the tires rebalanced. I've taken her to 2 different shops and one couldn't find anything wrong, and the other said that it just drives like a regular 3/4 ton pickup! I have new rotors, caliper brackets, and pads and will install them when I get a dry day I know that this post is kinda
, but this thing is driving me nuts! Thanks..[/QUOTECheck your VIN number on Fords website for recalls. I just received a letter a week ago about a the front ends in certain year model trucks shaking (I have an 06). Unfortunately, I threw the letter away because it doesn’t apply to mine, it it’s worth lookin into.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 231
Likes: 4
From: Texas
Check your VIN number on Fords website for recalls. I just received a letter a week ago about a the front ends in certain year model trucks shaking (I have an 06). Unfortunately, I threw the letter away because it doesn’t apply to mine, it it’s worth lookin into.
It happens occasionally with properly inflated tires.
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Found it!
I finally replaced the drag link, rotor, pads, and caliper brackets. The wobble is gone!
Interesting to note that every book and parts list I saw shows a steering stabilizer, and my rig never even had one when I bought it with 26 miles on it!
The bracket for the "eye" end was bent back, but otherwise nothing.
I asked Ford about it and the parts guy couldn't believe that it never had one.
He came out and looked at it and saw the bracket, but nothing else.
He went back to talk to some of the guys about it.
He came back and told me that one of them said that he had seen some trucks with the towing package without them.
Funny thing is that the parts guy wouldn't look at me in the eye when he told me that!
Yeah, right!
Interesting to note that every book and parts list I saw shows a steering stabilizer, and my rig never even had one when I bought it with 26 miles on it!
The bracket for the "eye" end was bent back, but otherwise nothing.
I asked Ford about it and the parts guy couldn't believe that it never had one.
He came out and looked at it and saw the bracket, but nothing else.
He went back to talk to some of the guys about it.
He came back and told me that one of them said that he had seen some trucks with the towing package without them.
Funny thing is that the parts guy wouldn't look at me in the eye when he told me that!
Yeah, right!
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From: NW IA
I finally replaced the drag link, rotor, pads, and caliper brackets. The wobble is gone!
Interesting to note that every book and parts list I saw shows a steering stabilizer, and my rig never even had one when I bought it with 26 miles on it!
The bracket for the "eye" end was bent back, but otherwise nothing.
I asked Ford about it and the parts guy couldn't believe that it never had one.
He came out and looked at it and saw the bracket, but nothing else.
He went back to talk to some of the guys about it.
He came back and told me that one of them said that he had seen some trucks with the towing package without them.
Funny thing is that the parts guy wouldn't look at me in the eye when he told me that!
Yeah, right!
Interesting to note that every book and parts list I saw shows a steering stabilizer, and my rig never even had one when I bought it with 26 miles on it!
The bracket for the "eye" end was bent back, but otherwise nothing.
I asked Ford about it and the parts guy couldn't believe that it never had one.
He came out and looked at it and saw the bracket, but nothing else.
He went back to talk to some of the guys about it.
He came back and told me that one of them said that he had seen some trucks with the towing package without them.
Funny thing is that the parts guy wouldn't look at me in the eye when he told me that!
Yeah, right!
I've seen the same thing on the older trucks with that bracket sitting there doing nothing, and finally found on from a very knowledgeable Ford parts guy this was the case.
What he was told is it was easier, and cheaper, to leave that part in the equation on the assembly line rather than have another build sheet, etc.
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