Help! Front End Noises On a Trip!

[frioranches]

Hey folks;

I am coming back from a trip to California. I hit a rough spot in the road, and then the front end started making a wobble sound. Stopped and started several times trying to decipher the problem. I locked my hubs in and it quit. What went wrong? I'm scared to drive it now, but I have to get home. It's an 05 Ford F350 4x4. 150k. Thanks in advance.

[frioranches]

Bump please help

[Lilpooh]

sound like the bearing in the hub assembly are bad.

[OregonStroker]

Does the hub assembly make noise and move at all when you grab the tire and pull it toward and away from you?

[frioranches]

No it does not. I suspected the hub assembly as well. I jacked up the front end and spin the wheels and there is not any noise. It only does it when the hubs are unlocked, and at about 45+ MPH. It sounds like a wobble... like wa wa wa wa wa... but slow like every second. I know you can replace the bearings alone withing the hub assembly, I just hate to buy a whole hub assembly if I don't need it. I also can't tell which side of the truck its on.

[frioranches]

I know of someone who was almost killed in a truck like mine, same year and all, that whenever they hit the rumble strip on the highway, it would throw their truck, and it threw them off the road and flipped it. That's why I didn't want to drive it.

[OregonStroker]

maybe its the tire. i doubt ball joints would cause that to happen.

[Louiediesel]

could be your ABS system acting up? having somewhat of the same problem, had new brakes put in front today, they check hub,wheel baring,u-joints, no vibrations, took it out for test run with the tech and course nothing happen but in my way home star it doing it again but it only happens sometimes when I apply the brakes? getting the feeling it maybe the ABS system

[frioranches]

I have brand new tires, and just for kicks I put my buddies new tires and wheels on off of his truck, and the issue still exists. It happens when I am going above 45 MPH and braking does not effect it either way unless I fall below 45. I have taken in to several mechanics, who all say something different. The dealerships really seem like idiots. One guy told me that my tires are rubbing for sure. I am not going to pay these guys by the hour just to guess what is the matter. I had an estimate of $3200 to fix my front wheel bearings, and if that didn't fix it, he would move on to something else to narrow down the possiblities. I mean come on, I turn it everyway, and I checked them with the wheels off and there is no sign of tires rubbing.
I am really disgusted right now. You pay crazy dollar amounts for these trucks and then they end up being junk or cost a lot of money to fix. Then the dealerships don't want to hold up to the warranty. No wonder America is in the shape it is in.

[OregonStroker]

it could be a tie rod end allowing the tire to shake and wobble. You checked the ball joints by jacking it up and usinng a big pry bar under the tire while someone else watches for movement. if it isnt either of those, its clearly the unit bearing. i think you can get them for around 200 bucks? The entire assembly un bolts and the new one bolts back on. That has to be what it is. Most mechanics arent used to working on heavy diesel trucks. You gotta go to a truck shop usually to get someone with half a brain that knows whats going on, unless the dealer has a certified ford diesel tech, but even then they dont really know much about drive train. Your guess is prob just as good as theirs. I'm putting my money on unit bearing. I dont see what else it could possibly be.