Truck still shakes

You've got alot of threads touching on basically the same subject.... So I'll just blahblahblah at this starting point:


Let's rewind to an older thread of yours: http://www.rangerforum.net/f38/sick-these-fricken-camber-problems-please-help-me-out-2771/. And check out post #32.



This and other threads show this truck has issues that need addressed. Many. Shaking of the steering wheel at speed or the entire truck wiggling back and forth can mean a few different things. Something as simple as out of balance tires. Out of round tires too (egg shaped). Or egg shaped or bent wheels even. Or bent rear axle wheel flanges. Could also mean bad outer OR inner tie rod ends. Could be bad BJ's. Or as someone told you, tires internally falling apart (cord separation from carcass). The later usually doesn't happen unless the tires are upwards of 15-20 years old or more. Shocks don't really cause what's happening. Tbar preload doesn't cause that. Bad U-joints don't either...those'll squeek and vibrate, not shake. Judging by the linked thread above and what this thread has said, I think it's just full on front end slop.

Don't find yourself a normal run-of-the-mill mechanic who fixes everything under the sun that has 4 wheels....find a specialized Frame and Alignment shop. These places tend to really know their shiz and discovered things I missed on mine during my recent alignment. They actually found a ball joint nut that wasn't tightened all the way... could be one of your issues too maybe? These places are alot of times where 4wheeldrive shops take their customer's cars for alignment after lift. Definitely is worth the money to really have the entire suspension and steering checked out. I just have a hard time believing a 140k+ truck has original sealed everything(save for passenger TRE).

I know the issue has disappeared, but it seems odd for it to shake on ya then all of a sudden problems disappear.

 

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That's what I'm thinking.... Some days it's good, others it shakes like a leaf on a tree. I know there's a place up by Clinton's that he goes to for alignments, so seeing as I may be up that way this weekend I'll stop in and see what they say. Other than that, I'm gonna start saving up for an entire front suspension rebuild. It just got a new outer tie rod on the passenger side last week, and that seems to have helped both with the camber and the shimmy. So I'm hoping this takes care of it.

 

Jack each wheel individually and try to rock it vertically & Horizontally. If play is found remove the wheel and the cap covering the bearing. Rock the drum while observing the bearing to determine if it shows play. If so remove the kotter key then lightly try to tighten the nut. If it turns easily continue to tighten the nut until it is snug and try to rock the drum once more. If the play is gone you have found the problem. Back the nut off, pull the drum and remove the bearing. Check the bearing race on both the drum and the spindle for smoothness. If all is well clean all surfaces and install a new bearing using an appropriate grease.

At the initial inspection if the bearing is tight the next items to check will be the tie rod end and the ball joint. Suggest purchasing a repair manual from your Auto Parts Store for visual assistance.

Note: a loose wheel will usually create surging when brakes are applied and also motion in the car like that of an out of balance tire.

 

I have my trusty haynes manual there. And the brakes are smoother than a baby's bottom. I'll check everything next week when I'm off for spring break. Thanks

 

wheels balanced properly?

 

Of course they are, I just got new tires installed...

 

Have you checked your rack and pinion? Possibly bad.
Sorry if this had been covered but atm i dont feel like going through the thread. lol

 

This thread's old anywho. But the power steering pump does wine... Would this have anything to do with it?

 

No, thats a ford thing, all older ford gas trucks have whining steering pumps.

 

Wonderful lol

 

but did you take notice if they actually balanced the wheels? see if it looks like any of your wheel weights are missing, or moved, or if there's new weights installed. i've had stuff shake like crazy because of a missing or improperly placed wheel weight, and i've seen plenty of shops that don't even touch them when they install a set of tires.

 

There's brand new tape on weights on the inside.

 

still possible for one to have gotten thrown off or you got a bad tire...are they brand new tires?

 

They're off my Dakota. And tape on weights will not get thrown off.

 

tape on weights??????

 

Yeah?

 

never heard of weights that get taped on wheel.....

 

It's because I can't have weights put on the outside of the wheel

 

why cant you?

 

It's the way the wheels were made. They just aren't made to have weights on the outside. On the inside, yeah.