Major Problems with Front end

[Deadlifter]

Alright, I brought my truck in to Ford for an estimate. The truck was making a grinding and vibrating noise in the front end. Very heavy vibrating too, like I was coming up to a stop sign and rolling over the ridges cut into the concrete.


Well they said it was bearing and hub shaft. So I order the parts and put in new universals as well.

We get the truck all put back together, and I had a Ford mechanic there basically doing it for me and at a very reasonable rate. Then I take it for a ride and is doing the exact same thing. I replaced the front drivers side basically, and its still doing it.

I'll add that normally it only makes the heavy vibrating at about 50-55mph and wont stop until I slow down and almost stop. Then I'll start out and at the same speed it will start with the vibrating again. If I hit a big enough bump in the road it will stop for a bit, but then start up again.

Any ideas???

 

[pat_da_man]

i had a terrible vibration in my 4x4, usually when speeding up to get on the highway. it was scary bad, pulling my steering wheel. i replaced a bad tierod and it went away for a few days but then came back. i changed my tire and its gone. i had no idea a bad tire could do that, tire looked fine but obviously somthing was up with it.

 

[h2odrx]

I'll agree with the tire too, at idle it is ok?

 

[Deadlifter]

Yeah at idle its fine. Even when I drive slowly though I'll hear a little knocking coming from the front left side. It goes away at a certain speed, but then at about 50mph the vibration kicks in.

The whole left side is basically rebuilt, so I guess I'll be some new tires for the front and see if thats it. At this point, whats another couple hundred bucks lol.

I'll post back later today or tomorrow and let ya know.

 

[BigRigTech]

Are your hubs locked or unlocked when the vibration is there?

 

[Deadlifter]

Are your hubs locked or unlocked when the vibration is there?

They are unlocked. I have auto locking hubs and we changed that vacuum seal for them to.

 

[pat_da_man]

i'd try rotating in your spare to see if anything changes, unless you need new tires anyways. no sense in spending money unless you need to

 

[Deadlifter]

Alright, I put the spare tire on. Still the same problems.

There's a bit of a clunk, then the heavy vibrations come. Now the start at lower speeds though.

Any ideas what it might be? Im at my wits end here.

 

[yoslick]

Still sounds like you got a hub spinning or trying to engage, I'd jack up the front end and start turning tires, drive shaft anything you can turn, grab the tires and check the ball joints etc......

Slick

 

[camo85]

Still sounds like you got a hub spinning or trying to engage, I'd jack up the front end and start turning tires, drive shaft anything you can turn, grab the tires and check the ball joints etc......

Slick

I agree with the hub. Had a ranger that did something like that with the auto hubs when they blew up.

But also a very easily overlooked reason on vehicles with front leaf spring is the u bolts. I've personally have had the experiance of hiting a crown in the road or a dip, and having the feeling that the axle is ready to fall out..... and all due to a quater turn on all the u bolts!

 

[Deadlifter]

Thanks guys... I'll take a look at both of them.

 

[Deadlifter]

Well, it was the right side bearing out.

One question though. When I was putting everything back together, I went to put the thrust washers on and the snap ring. The snap ring wouldnt fit for some reason. So I loosened up the nuts on the studs connecting the wheel bearing to steering knuckle and tried prying the shaft out abit from the front pumpkin.

Well the snap ring still wouldnt go on. So to get the truck home, I took the big washer, which was made of some type of fabric/paper material, and set it aside. That gave me enough room to put the thrust washers on and seat the snap ring.

How important is that big washer that is made of the fabric/paper material to be in there? I can hear all the laughing now, but is it going to cause some major problems, or just some premature wear on the bearings?