What the heck is this?
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,068
Likes: 2
From: So. Cal.
[QUOTE=gcw;3833338]Ive asked ford, muffler shops, body shops, anyone i can and ive searched all over the internet and this site and still cant find anything.
its right behind my shackle on the drivers side mounted to the frame it looks like a big rubber wheel and it does not have any wires, hoses, cables going to it. anyone know what it is?
both are from laying on my back under my truck [QUOTE]
It is indeed a vibration damper that they came up with early in the new body F-150 to try and keep the bed from shaking off the back of the truck and skidding down the highway. Some needed it, some didn't. Even though mine is an '04, I had no such problem. I didn't know they ever put them on from the factory though, I thought they were only a fix that the dealer did per the direction of the factory engineer that dealt with the vibration problems. It was always installed where that 1 is and they only ever used one. Vehicles actually have a number of such devices on different places on a vehicle (much smaller though) that are fixes for vibrations and harmonic resonances that are discovered after the vehicle is engineered and the prototypes built.
its right behind my shackle on the drivers side mounted to the frame it looks like a big rubber wheel and it does not have any wires, hoses, cables going to it. anyone know what it is?
both are from laying on my back under my truck [QUOTE]
It is indeed a vibration damper that they came up with early in the new body F-150 to try and keep the bed from shaking off the back of the truck and skidding down the highway. Some needed it, some didn't. Even though mine is an '04, I had no such problem. I didn't know they ever put them on from the factory though, I thought they were only a fix that the dealer did per the direction of the factory engineer that dealt with the vibration problems. It was always installed where that 1 is and they only ever used one. Vehicles actually have a number of such devices on different places on a vehicle (much smaller though) that are fixes for vibrations and harmonic resonances that are discovered after the vehicle is engineered and the prototypes built.
Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
From: Greenville, Ms
code58 is right that is what it is for its to cut down on vibration, some of these trucks will shake a good bit while driving down the road or going over bumps you can watch the top of the bed in the mirror just shake like crazy its just there to help out with the overall ride of the truck.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,017
Likes: 0
From: Augusta, GA
Correct. They were a pain to deal with when the trucks first came out when putting on a aftermarket receiver hitch.
To the OP, you need to change dealerships. Since Draw-Tite knew what it was and stated what it was in the hitch instructions, Ford should certainly know what it is.
To the OP, you need to change dealerships. Since Draw-Tite knew what it was and stated what it was in the hitch instructions, Ford should certainly know what it is.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 816
Likes: 1
From: Indianapolis, area
Anyone know how much 1 of those would cost? My truck has had bed shakes since day one. So far my only fix has been getting the tires road forced balanced every 6 to 9 months to keep it smooth. If it was cheap enough it's worth a shot.
