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:p</O:p
Wink<O:p</O:p

I would check the ujoints for sure, most of the time if you look close you can see where one is going bad. Check for play in the carrier bearing as well.

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

I would also check the u joints for being too tight, Drop the rear one and check it out.

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

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.

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.

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.

GREAT THREAD im having a similar issue in my 00 F350

My boss just had the same thing on his 350 6.0 ..carrier bearing was shot....

See i just replaced my u joint this weekend and now im having this problem. Dumb question of the day: Where is the carrier bearing?

Carrier bearing is in the middle of the driveshaft bolted to truck. Also check rubber balancer on rear shaft. On mine the rubber started rotting which made the driveshaft vibrate.

OOOOOOOOOOOH yea i know what your talking about. But would cause front end vibration really?

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.

Check your seals on your front axle, the dust and the axle seal.
That what it was on mine.