Front end rebuild

[chillman88]

Hey all,

Driving the truck today I started to notice a wobble. Kinda feels like an out of round tire at low speeds.

I couldn't see anything loose with my wife shaking the steering wheel but it looks like the driver's side tire might be cupping a little on the inside
I noticed the driver's front is hot to the touch. Much hotter than the passenger side.

I'm thinking it might have something to do with a while ago I noticed an occasional "pop" or "clunk" noise in the yard or coming off a steep driveway.

Lately it's been sounding like it might have a loose shock. Kind of a rattle type noise going down the road.

It's pulling to the right going down the road too. All the steering linkage feels tight.

What does this sound like? I'm thinking pivot bushings and radius arm bushings but I'm hoping someone has a more direct answer than just doing everything all at once.

 

[snicklas]

What on the drivers side is hot to the touch? If it's the hub, that is that hot, then you have either bad bearings or a maybe a stuck caliper.

If the tire is that hot, I would say you are WAY out of alignment.....

Loose / Busted shock noise, check your ball joints

 

[chillman88]

Sorry yes the tire itself is hot to the touch.

Is it possible a pivot bushing could be bad enough to cause that and the rattle noise?

Alignment was fine until just recently. I have a hard time thinking it went that far out in a few days.

Calipers are practically new. I've been meaning to check the bearings anyway. I'm hoping to jack it up tomorrow and see if I can't figure out what's up.

 

[Mulochico]

Just to be safe. I was getting a pop for a while then one day I got under it when my son was turning the wheel. Passenger side springs were moving side to side about 3/4 to 1". The pivot bracket had broken 2 bolts and elongated the hole on one more so there was only 1 bolt holding it on. Parked it and ordered a 4" lift. Wanted a d-60 but time constraints didn't allow for me to go that route. Check those pivot brackets. All of the mechanics I know said they had never seen it before, but they also weren't looking for it either. I had 2 alignments done while the popping was going on and they didn't see it either.

 

[chillman88]

Just to be safe. I was getting a pop for a while then one day I got under it when my son was turning the wheel. Passenger side springs were moving side to side about 3/4 to 1". The pivot bracket had broken 2 bolts and elongated the hole on one more so there was only 1 bolt holding it on. Parked it and ordered a 4" lift. Wanted a d-60 but time constraints didn't allow for me to go that route. Check those pivot brackets. All of the mechanics I know said they had never seen it before, but they also weren't looking for it either. I had 2 alignments done while the popping was going on and they didn't see it either.

Actually I think I remember reading that on here but I had forgotten. Thank you I'll check that too.

 

[chillman88]

Crappy cell phone pictures but I can't imagine this pivot bushing isn't part of the problem. What's left of it anyway.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Bracket bolts are all intact and appear to be solid. I have a few errands to run today but I'm hoping to get it jacked up later.

 

[chillman88]

Ugh, sometimes I hate being right.

Kinda feels like an out of round tire at low speeds.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

I put one of the rears on the front for the drive home. Still something wrong because it's pulling pretty strong to the right.

I wish it was "just" $40 worth of bushings instead of $130 worth of a tire!

 

[Macrobb]

I had a bit of a pull to the right on my '93; took it in for an alignment, watched them... They got it spot on.
Took it out on the highway... still pulling to the right.
Asked them and they said "Hm... Try swapping the two front tires; that's usually the problem at this point".

I did so(actually, I swapped the front/rear on the right side) and... Problem solved!

Now, there's probably a reason for it somewhere on my rims - all 4 were JY rims, all Ford but slightly different colors and years. So chances are, one was off a little?

Either way, once I got them swapped around, it drives quite nicely again.

 

[chillman88]

There's an idea. I'm trying to figure out what to do for tires now. Being broke. I'll put my spare on now that I'm home and see how that goes.

I've got a great set of 235/85 retreads on my Chevy. But idk if I want to take the good tires off my winter truck lol!

I'm kinda wondering if this all goes back to a pothole I hit last week. Maybe I broke a belt and it's just now showing up?

 

[chillman88]

Ok so I got the spare on. It seems there's play in the wheel bearing. I don't dare tighten it up and burn up the bearings and I don't have time to change/repack it yet.

Could a bad/loose wheel bearing cause a tire to blow? It spins pretty freely except for a tiny bit of brake drag. I've been running junk/free tires but technically this is the second one to go bad on the driver's front.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I think you just answered your own question. I say that it's the tires that you're running. Tires don't last very long these days like they used to. I worked at a tire place for about 18 months in '06 and '07. It seemed like they just wouldn't hold up after 7 years no matter how much tread they have on them. So 7 years is my limit for tires that I run down the road. Now a trailer is a different story altogether. Several years ago, I used a neighbor's tire machine to put a set of used tires o a truck for an older guy. I told him that he doesn't want to use them because two were 10 years old and two were 14 years old. He wouldn't listen. He only drove about 55 on the highway and the speed limit is 65 here. He had all four blow out in about three weeks time. I also put some on a guy's car for him, same tire machine. They only had about 400 miles on them but were sitting out in the weather for about 8 years. The next day, he said that one of the rear tires had bad weatherchecking on the sidewalls. I told him that the other side did too and that's why I put them on the rear. A few days later, he was about 1/4 mile outside of town at his dad's farm. He said that one blew out just sitting there while he was in the house visiting. These are examples of why I never run old, used tires any more unless I have to. I think the fact that two tires in the same position on your truck blew out is just a coincidence.

 

[chillman88]

I was thinking the same thing but there's still a little noticable wobble. That could even be a balance issue thought.

I gave my buddy my two spare wheels and a pair of the tires off my Chevy yesterday. Hopefully he can get them mounted up today.

The last tire that went was from 05. The spare I had is kinda sketchy looking (weather checking) and from 02 but I just pray it'll get me until I get the tires swapped.

I had a tire blowout on my 92 C2500 Chevy about 6-7 years ago. Ripped a hole in the side of the utility box. Luckily I was in a field at the time practically idling. That was kinda scary and I can't even imagine if it was going down the highway.

I went to order new pivot bushings but I can't find any poly ones that specify bolt size and I need ones for 5/8 bolts. Might be stuck with rubber ones...

 

[chillman88]

Not too bad of a job...

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

I am definitely glad I got them changed!

I have a set of Energy Suspension radius arm bushings sitting here for another day. Ordered some NOS spacers too so I can replace it all. There are rub marks around the radius arm bushings now so if they aren't "bad" they're at least moving around in there. Driver's side looks relatively new but passenger side looks shot.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Well I can tell you from experience that having the passenger's front tire blow out at 70 on the highway is NO fun! You find the ditch in a hurry. I was also pulling a trailer with some atv's on it and it seemed like it took about five miles to get stopped (it really didn't, just felt like it). It was all that I could do to keep the truck in the ditch and not the wheat field beside it. The ditch wasn't very steep where I went in, but was steep enough when I got stopped, that I just changed the tire in the ditch, then I used 4lo to get back out.

 

[chillman88]

I would imagine. Reminds me of those people who get passed by their own wheel after it leaves them. I do believe I would need a change of pants...

That one that I blew was LOUD! Scared the heck out of me and I was hardly moving!