Just wondering with all the folks that have had the dreaded 2004 Steering Wheel nimble/shake, has anyone got it fixed?

Looking for fixes that prove its not the tires.

 

Take to the dealer and have them fix it. Keep taking it until they fix it and if they don't, then I would say it is a lemon. It has to be some where in your alignment, tire balance or maybe your rack and pinion steering has some play in it some where. Could have some worn bushings where the rack mounts to the frame.

 

Thanks, they have replaced the rack, drive shaft and other stuff.....doesnt seem to matter what wheels or tires or combination, its still there.

Calling the dealer back in a few min to find the new results of their testing.

JP

 

There is a tsb for the front brakes on early build dates. New rotors and stuff. Mine was built 10/04 and it qualified.

 

This is a duplicate post on a different thread but this is what happend today. So now the question is, is there a trick to getting 20 inch wheels to work with this truck?

Boy I hate posting this but here it goes.

Got a call from the dealership, they pulled 4 tires and wheels off a truck in the lot, put them on my truck and it drove fine. I didn't believe them, so I went down there and drove it myself. Sure enough, smooth as slik...they also said that my BRAND NEW MICHELINS are bad...and they road forced out of spec. The funny part, these are brand new 20 inch wheels (Gunner 6's) from discount tire, I watched them balance the wheels with no tires...then mount the tires and road force balance test them. They call came in under Fords specs....who should I belive?

Thoughts anyone?

 

My truck had the same issue, the dealer replaced the rotors and that took care of the nibble i got under hard braking. Otherwise the 33's took care of the other. I dont get any vibrations in the wheel anymore no matter what.

 

I would probably say there is something wrong with your new set of wheels and tires since your dealership changed them out and everything is fine. I would be taking your wheels and tires back to where you bought them from for a new set or my money back.

 

Yeah that is my plan...people say there is a difference from 18's to 20's I know that...stiffness in ride, yes, I get that, but that shouldn't make the steering wheel shimmy back and fourth....I can deal with the stiffer ride, but the steering wheel jumping out of my hands is not something I am going to live with.

Funny thing. The Road Force Balance Machine at Ford is made by Hunter, its the same one that Discount tire uses. When I talked with Discount tire, they said they would have the tech out to calibrate it.

more thoughts?

JP

 

Which hunter machine is more likely to be out? I'd say if the stock tire/wheels at the dealer worked and the dealers hunter said your tires were out I would have to say theirs was more acurate. Thats if you actually believe/saw the dealer check your tires. I'm still skeptical on the michelins being out, unless they were blems, cause usually michelins are right on the money with a road force balance. Possibly rims? did they have to stick a ton of weight on them to balance out? Tough call. If discount said they were getting someone in to check the machine I'd try to get your truck there at the same time. Maybe that tech might know/see something to fix the prob. At least everyone is working with you by the sounds of it.

 

Great post and good thought. I didn't see Ford ford force test my 20's. They didn't check my factory wheels either that were in the bed of the truck, what they decided was to take 4 wheels off a truck from the lot. They did write on the two front tires the number they were out....when I spoke to discount tire, they were totally baffeled. Now i do know that one of the wheels takes 3.5 onces of weight without a tire but it only road force tested with a tire at 4.5 onces...yes they are the sticky kind on the inside. All the other wheels required no weight without tires, and only about 1.5 ounces with tires. The bad wheel (not really bad) is in the back, would I still feel it in the steering wheel?

 

I only know enough about tire machines to get in trouble but maybe the guy at discount didn't have something set up right or wasn't using the right cone for the rim or something and if he didn't know it was wrong to begin with wouldn't know to fix it Thats especially why I'd try to get it there when there hunter tech is there. Which I'm sure discount would agree with trying to get you there as well. Sometimes another eye is all it takes. And again at least their working with you thats usually half the battle.

 

More than likely, it is your tires. These tires have to be balanced within 10 grams (yes, grams) of zero for best effect, with no more than 24 lbs roadforce, and roadforce in the low teens is ideal. I balanced mine on a Hunter GSP9700, and with a little fidgeting and indexing, none of my tires take anymore than 2 ounces of weight to balance, and none have no more than 15 lbs of roadforce. Runs smooth as glass.

 

That is great info...thanks much, Discount Tire and Ford use the same machine so it should be helpful.

Let me ask a follow up question. If a bad wheel is in the back, and by bad I mean takes 4.5 onces would I feel it in the wheel or does it have to be in the front to feel it in the wheel.

Last question on this Hunter machine, is there a Fine setting I can ask them to check rather than just onces?

Thanks again folks really appreciate this info.

 

Just want to mention, I have had a defective brand new Z-rated Michelin tire. Really out of balance, out of round. Shook so bad on a rear of a Vette that it ruptured a gas shock in about three hundred miles.

Everyone makes some bad product, now and again.

I have also seen many tires out of round. You could balance them till your eyes bleed and still get a shimmy.

If the other tires didn't nibble, then it is pretty much open and shut.
Best of luck with it.
Chris

 

IMO, if any wheel takes over 3 ounces of weight to balance, something's wrong with the tire or the wheel. Generally speaking, you can get away with more of an imbalance in the rear of the truck, but depending on how sensitive your *** is (mine isn't very sensitive), you may or may not feel a significant imbalance in a rear tire.

If they're using a GSP9700, on the right side of the monitor there's three dials. The top one will adjust from ounces to grams to check how fine the imbalance is.