vibration in front end

overflow · #1 (**permalink**) 02-11-2006, 05:32 AM

I was just wondering if anyone could help me? Within the past couple of months my 2001 f250 has started to vibrate in the front end. I first noticed it when driving at around 65mph. It has got worse since. It now feels like the steering is getting loose going around curves. Yesterday when I applied the brakes it was pulling hard to the right. Does anyone have any ideas. Thanks.

mschn99 · #2 (**permalink**) 02-11-2006, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overflow

I was just wondering if anyone could help me? Within the past couple of months my 2001 f250 has started to vibrate in the front end. I first noticed it when driving at around 65mph. It has got worse since. It now feels like the steering is getting loose going around curves. Yesterday when I applied the brakes it was pulling hard to the right. Does anyone have any ideas. Thanks.

sounds like you may have multiple problems. if the vibrations is only when braking you have warped rotors and they need to be turned....or better yet since the more metal the better the heat dissipation.....replaced. if it happens while just driving you probably just need to have the balance on your tires checked. if you threw a wheel weight....or if the tires have gone a long time since the last time they are have been balanced....this causes a high speed vibration that you can even feel in the steering wheel.

the looser feeling steering could be loose ball joints. to check them, jack the front end up, have an assistang grab the tire on the outside of the tire at 12 o clock and the backside of the tire at 6 o clock....try to push the top away from you and pull the bottom towards you very hard all at the same time.....and you watch both ball joints while your assistand does this. any movement can casue a loose steering condition.

the pulling when braking could be a sticky caliper slide....or if its a 2WD....it could be a loose wheel bearing. if you feel something moving when you check the ball joints, but the joints themselves have no movement....your wheel bearings are loose. if that is all ok....take your caliper off of the shackle.....and check to see if the things with the rubber boots that the 18mm bolts for the caliper go into are free to slide in and out...if there is any binding they need to be lube with ONLY caliper slide grease........hope this helps.......if you have any questions......let us know........Marc

overflow · #3 (**permalink**) 02-11-2006, 01:02 PM

Marc,
I checked the ball joints like you said I really never saw any movement while my friend was pushing and pulling. I haven't got a chance to check the brake rotor yet. I was wondering would the truck vibrate that bad if the shock was blown on that side? The reason I ask is because you can see oil coming out of the shock. Thanks again Chad

mschn99 · #4 (**permalink**) 02-11-2006, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overflow

Marc,
I checked the ball joints like you said I really never saw any movement while my friend was pushing and pulling. I haven't got a chance to check the brake rotor yet. I was wondering would the truck vibrate that bad if the shock was blown on that side? The reason I ask is because you can see oil coming out of the shock. Thanks again Chad

with a bad or weak shock.....the vibration should come and go....depending on road type....the smoother the road the less work the shock needs to do....but on roads with lots of inperfections....you would get a vibrations from that......it would vary depending on the road.....but the long and the short of it is a leaking shock should be replaced....and i reccomend replacing shocks in pairs so the ride stays consistant.....that may be part of your problem........Marc

overflow · #5 (**permalink**) 02-12-2006, 01:19 PM

I am taking the truck to a local garage tommorrow. I will let yall know what I find out.

**overl0rd** · #6 (**permalink**) 02-12-2006, 02:51 PM

Another idea would be checking in the steering linkage, and making sure the wheel bearings aren't fried. They don't always get loose when they go bad.

overflow · #7 (**permalink**) 02-13-2006, 07:06 AM

I took the truck to a local garage. They went through the front end and said all the parts were tight. They took off the front wheels and checked the balance. The right wheel had thrown off all the balancing weights. They drove the truck and said it was smooth. The truck does feel smoe what smoother. I think the rest of the problem is coming from the blown shock. What kind of shocks do yall recommend?