TroutnMuskieHunter Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 (edited) I know this is going to open up a huge thread of Ford wise cracks but here it goes: I have a 2004 F-150 4x4 with 70,000km and just before I got home yesterday the steering wheel starting vibrating like crazy!!....I slowed right down and the vibration started to go away but when I went back up to 90km it started again....when I got home I could smell something wierd (like burning or something heating up)..... This happened once before a couple of months ago when I travelled down 32kms of dirt road...when i got back on the highway, the steering started vibrating like nuts so i pulled over and checked the tires....when I didn't see anything unusual, I got back on the road and the vibrating disappeared I'm heading up to Temagami next week on a fishing trip and will be trailering a boat up....I'm going to try and get the truck into a local shop tomorrow morning, but just wanted to know if anyone has ever experienced something like this with their Ford!!!....I haven't had good luck with this truck.... In 2007, the truck only had 43,000km and Ford replaced the tie rods, ball joints and upper and lower steeering shaft bearing under warranty.....is this related in any way???? The warranty has long expired.....would you guys take it back to a Ford dealer and pay the $$$$$$$$$ labor rate or to a cheaper local garage??? Ok...so I went out and checked a few things on the truckand then realized I MAY have an issue with the driver side front wheel... ....it looks to me that the wheel is on an angle compared to the passesnger side .....what do you guys think???????????? DRIVERS SIDE PASSENGER SIDE Thanks... Steve Edited June 14, 2009 by TroutnMuskieHunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 tone z71 Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 could be as simply as a wheel weight,maybe need a balance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroutnMuskieHunter Posted June 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 could be as simply as a wheel weight,maybe need a balance I just had 4 new tires put on 2 weeks ago.....the vibrating thing comes and goes and the last time it happened was in March when I had the old tires on ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tybo Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 The FIRST part of a VIBRATION diagnostic is to get your tires balanced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptmpete Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 when I got home I could smell something wierd (like burning or something heating up)..... Sounds like a brake problem Maybe a sticking E-brake cable or a stuck slider pin for a caliper ,take the truck for a drive then stop and feel the heat coming off the wheels to see if one is hotter than the others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerry Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Get your steering assembly checked, could be a ball joint. I've also noticed this in my 2006 F-150, intermittently. I had a 1999 Expedition and the ball joints practically fell out at about 100k kms. Fords are notorious for weak front ends and wheel bearings. The rest of the truck is good, you just have to be aware of these weaknesses and have the truck serviced and repaired. Let us know how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroutnMuskieHunter Posted June 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 (edited) Sounds like a brake problem Maybe a sticking E-brake cable or a stuck slider pin for a caliper ,take the truck for a drive then stop and feel the heat coming off the wheels to see if one is hotter than the others Thanks ptmpete, I'll try that tomorrow morning....I've never used the E-brake since I've had the truck so that can be ruled out....I haven't had the brakes serviced yet, and it's been 5yrs and 70,000km.....what's the normal interval for brake service???......all these questions ...I've always bought new trucks after the warranty period expired (3yrs) but given the economic circumstances, I've decided to keep this one for a while!! As far as the wheel balancing Tybo, I just had 4 new tires installed and balanced....you would think that they got it right the first time, no???? It's going in the shop tomorrow I hope.....I'll report the outcome for sure!! Thanks guys!! Edited June 7, 2009 by TroutnMuskieHunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptmpete Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 70,000 and still OEM brakes Now I almost Guarantee brakes are your problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moose Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 on my 150 it was tie rod end then it broke sealed unit with no grease nipples, when are you going to temagami iam going june 20 to 26 flyin in to diamond lake where are you staying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitespinnerbait Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 If the steering wheel starts to vibrate right after hitting a bump.... ( Steering damper :whistling: ) Looks just like a shock and it runs Horizontal from the steering linkage to the diff housing..... ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Bob Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 It's a FORD you should be glad it got you home.......SORRY I couldn't resist. Sometimes a wheel will go out of balance in the winter months because of ice build up on one area of the wheel but it's not that in June....did you travel any muddy roads to cause this ? ? ? After that has be eliminated from the equation I would then look at a brake hanging up somewhere...that means it could be a front caliber or rear is your truck has disc brakes all the way around.... The easiest way to diagnosist this is when it's happing by pulling over and checking each wheel for excessive heat build up. If so you just found your problem. The burning smell tells me you have a bad brake somewhere on you truck.....jack up each wheel and see if that wheel spins freely, if not you have a problem right there.... Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroutnMuskieHunter Posted June 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 If the steering wheel starts to vibrate right after hitting a bump.... ( Steering damper :whistling: ) Looks just like a shock and it runs Horizontal from the steering linkage to the diff housing..... ;) Paul, I didn't hit a bump...it just started out of the blue when I was on the Dunrobin Rd coming back from Kanata... Malcolm, I'm heading up June 15th for the week......are you staying at one of Rick's places and is he flying you in?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUSTER Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 seized caliper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitespinnerbait Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Paul, I didn't hit a bump...it just started out of the blue Could still be the Steering damper.... BTW 5 year 70,000 km's ....... :wacko: :wacko: The brakes are not causing the steering wheel to Vibrate ,, but a brake service is long over due.... :stretcher: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twocoda Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 i agree with the damper ...i just replaced mine on my dodge and problem solved...it was actually pretty scary the way mine was bouncing ...they actually have a name for the symptom..." DODGE DEATH WOBBLE"... with new tires i would make sure you are aligned properly so not kill the new tires.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptmpete Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 The brakes are not causing the steering wheel to Vibrate Ever heard of a warped rotor ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroutnMuskieHunter Posted June 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 I guess the mystery to me is why this happens intermittently.....if it was something that was "broken" or siezed, it should be a repeatable experience everytime I jump in the truck...like I said, this happened once before in March when I was returning from an ice fishing trip...I pulled over to see if i had a flat tire, due to the truck vibrating so bad, and when I got back in and drove off, the truck was good to go I just don't want to get hosed by a service center Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tybo Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 One thing with every thing that mechanical. Is that some thing caused the problem. Ruler of diagnostics. Confirm problem. confirm there is no related problems. Alot of front end problem are do to, in-proper balance of tires, in-proper air pressure of tires and not in-line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroutnMuskieHunter Posted June 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Ok...so I went out and checked a few things on the truckand then realized I MAY have an issue with the driver side front wheel... ....it looks to me that the wheel is on an angle compared to the passesnger side .....what do you guys think???????????? DRIVERS SIDE PASSENGER SIDE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Ever heard of a warped rotor ? I doubt a warped rotor is going to cause the entire assembly to vibrate like mad when he's not using the brakes. It's also not going to suddenly come and go like his problems seems to be doing. I would guess maybe strut mounts, the steering stabilizer or even ball joints. Any chances a CV is binding up causing this? I'd definitely look at the entire front of the of truck (balljoints, tierods, CV's, etc) and see what's going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonny Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 wheel bearing maybe,but whatever it is get it checked right away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PERCHER Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Lower ball joint.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBCregal Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 lets not guess and get it looked at by someone qualified Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptmpete Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Pics now nice an angle like that good chance on wheel bearing . Also explains the vibration and the smell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroutnMuskieHunter Posted June 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 (edited) Thanks again guys!!.....I hope they can get my truck in tomorrow to take a look and get er done for the trip ....if it is the wheel bearing, any estimates on what a job like this is going to run me Edited June 7, 2009 by TroutnMuskieHunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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