Hi everybody-

99 F150 XLT 2WD Supercab has been shaking and chewing up tires for years. Front tire cups to the point the roar is so loud you can't think and the shaking is pretty bad.

I've been on a mission to "fix" this mess over the past few weeks.... Just put a new set of tires (all four) on it after having the following things done by a certified alignment technician:

New ball joints
New shocks
New sway bar bushings
Road force balancing
Front bearings replaced
Full alignment (checks out fine)
Rotors are fine (drilled) no shaking from rotors

The truck rode great for ~2 weeks but I've noticed that old shake coming back on the new tires. Getting into and out of the throttle at highway speeds is when I notice it the most (40-70mph).

Once the tires wear the shake gets worse and the "problem" is that much harder to isolate.

Any ideas and/or suggestions for next move before the tires are trashed?

It's a great truck if you don't care about the ride....

Drive shaft?
Transmission?
Rims were not bent

Thanks

 

Tie rods, pitman or idler arm, steering box?

 

Take it back, all that work should have a warranty.

 

I would suspect the rotors.
Using so called drilled rotors is no upgrade.
If one rotor develops a 'wave' from over torqueing you get a shimmy that is sensitive to temperature changes.
This will cup tires over the longer term and make things worse, add wear on ball joints, shocks and all steering parts.
Good luck.

 

Is it possible you have two completely different problems? Where is the shake you speak of? In the steering wheel, in the floorboard, or the whole truck? A shake from

40-70 sounds more like a driveline vibration than a front end issue. I might guess the front end was worn slap out which was causing the tire wear and symptoms that go

with it, but this 40-70 does not sound typical of a front end/ suspension issue. I would check the U joints and the transmission mount, even engine mounts can cause

unwanted NVH. I have seen many times people "throw" parts to "fix" something that is not even the problem. Any good alignment technician should INSTANTLY know if a

shake is indeed caused by worn suspension/steering components.

 

Thanks for the responses. I appreciate your time and thoughts. This problem is a serious pain in the rear...

The alignment tech didn't think the problem was suspension related in the end. He suggested the transmission and drive shaft as possibilities. He also said to take it to a Ford dealership so they can check their database to see if it is a common problem and how it has been resolved in the past.

I feel the shake in the steering wheel. At its worst, my wristwatch shakes because of the steering wheel movement. I can feel it returning now with the new tires. I tend to think it's not suspension related as well. There's not too much left to replace there.

I think I'll take it to the dealership this week and let them take a look.

Thanks again. I'll update the thread as more money is spent!

 

I would check all the control arm bushings and recheck the front end. Does the steering box have excessive free play? A shake could be from the rotors as Bluegrass

mentioned. It could also be a worn rear suspension but very unlikely. The shackle bushings or front bushing could have excessive wear causing the rear axle to shift

forward and backward causing the truck to shake. The steering wheel would shake just to keep the truck straight. I have never dealt with this in a leaf spring setup but

with factory 3/4 links and IRS I have. Jeep, Mustang, Tahoe, and Explorer the rear suspension wear will actually cause a "rear steer" situation due to worn bushings. Its

enough movement to change the wheelbase on a side and drive horrible.

 

Hi Bluegrass-

It would be great if it was the rotor(s). How would that work? Wouldn't a wave in the rotor cause the truck to stop with the usual shake that indicates the need to get the rotors turned?

I'm not feeling any rotor-warp when/as I stop. Can you get the 40-70mph shake from the warped rotor but not feel anything as you stop?

Thanks

 

If the tires are cupping like you say and you feel the shake in the steering wheel, it doesn't sound like the drive line or transmission. Something if worn out in the front suspension that you haven't discovered yet.

I don't see how it could be the rotors unless it happens when braking.

Take it to a better front end shop.

 

i would say you got bad tie rod ends, or something with the steering... also check to make sure the control arm bolts/nuts are torqued... my alignment came loose after a week and i had death wobble for a couple days until i discovered that problem, alignment shop had closed down by the time i went back so i couldnt even get a realignment

 

Maybe not enough toe in on the alignment, that is what toe in is for.

 

I have uploaded pictures of the alignment results (before and current). It is in an album under "photos" called 20131016 Alignment Summary. Below is an attempt at linking you to it...

https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...t+summary.html

The upper and lower limits are in the top corners of the green boxes (difficult to see without zooming) but they are all within the limits.

I paid closer attention to the ride yesterday on the way home. I feel the shake in the steering wheel more at this point than the overall ride of the truck (that will change once the tires cup). You can feel it a little in the ride but much more in the steering wheel.

The shake seems speed dependent but I'm guessing you feel it once the shake exceeds the suspension's ability to dampen it.

Thanks

 

Would I notice the truck driving differently (pulling to one side) if the tie rode ends were bad (I have no reference point)? The steering does not have excessive play and does not drift to one side at all.

I'm taking the truck in tomorrow and have a ride scheduled with the tech so we can make sure we "feel the same thing". I plan to use the feedback here as a checklist for discussion.

Thanks again.

 

it could also be the tires themselves, i had a cheap set of tires for my last set and my whole truck shook pretty bad... got rid of the tires for some name brand used ones and the shake was totally eliminated. some tires have a bad, bulged seam from the factory

 

I would suspect the tires too, I had tires that would not balance properly and had to replace them too . Also make sure the shocks are of good quality. .good luck on the search .