Instead of posting this in a subject board I decided to put it here 'cause it deals with several issues.

Been having a tire vibration problem at highway speeds (40-60 mph) with my BEAUTIFUL NEW TRUCK!!!!!. It had 26,000 miles on it, and had new tires, when I bought it last summer.

After my first tire rotation I noted a front end vibration--felt like a wheel out-of-balance. Had that redone....3 times--still vibrated.

My tire shop unmounted the suspect left front tire looking for tread separation. Remember these are new tires, only 4,000 miles on them. Found nothing.

Still vibrated so decided to take it to the dlr to have them check it over. On the way there, I stopped for an errand and had to set the parking brake. When I left I heard a <sproing> from the rear of the truck. "Wierd...must be a rock in the tire or something rolling around in the back".

When I pulled out, things felt weird, like my brakes where still on!!!! wow...rechecked the parking brakes, they were released.

Or so I thought!!!

It was two miles to the dlr. When I got out of the rig I smelled roofing tar. "Hummm, no roofing work going on here....." checked my wheels and found SMOKE comming from inside the left rear wheel! 8-0 "Hummm....brakes hanging up...."

One of the few times ever your rig will be misbeahving when you have it at the dlr!!!!!!

So the dlr--Lithia Ford in Richland, Washington--checked it over and found:

1) Parking brake mechanism broke--they replaced it

2) Rear axle seals leaking--diff fluid all over the place--serviced rear axle with synthetic, replaced parking brake pads (parking brake unit is separate from service brakes--actually located inside rotors)

3) Rear brake rotors rusted--possibly from road salt. No doubt from it's former life in western O, Canada, as salt is not used here. Replaced both rotors.

Lithia Ford replaced everything--under Ford Warranty. THANKS, BILL!!!!

The tire vibration? They couldnt track it down. Yes, tire vibration, yes, front tires, but couldnt narrow it down.

Tires are funny--the one component covered by a seperate mfgr. Unfortunatley, since I wasnt the origional purchaser of the tires, the mfgr wont warranty them!!! <grrrrrr>

The tires are Sigma--made by Kelly Springfield--the same tire is sold by Les Schwab Stores under their name. (Wild Country APT I think). A nice riding 10-ply for highway, good traction, too. But If they wont back up new tires then I guess they are junk! A POX ON LES SCHWAB!!!!!! And Kelly Springfield 8-P:::::::::::::::::::

I will probably put a new set of Cooper Disco AT's on my truck--LT265/75 16's. Going to cost a pretty penny, but a much better tire.

Oh, the price of a Les Scwab replacement was $161 mounted and balanced--the Coopers is $145 each mounted balanced warrantied and taxed. Better tires for less money----

Lithia was great--did all that work, washed my truck and pulled it up for me, dropped me off at home and picked me up. Even had doughnuts and hot coffee at 3 in the afternoon!!!!

So, a kudo for Lithia Ford (and FoMoCo)(thank goodness for warranties) and a ziggy for Les Schwab and Kelly Springfield.

I can also wholeheartedly recommend Perfection Tire in Kennewick Washington--great tires, great service. I've bought 6 sets of tires from them since 1992. Looks like I am going to buy another....

--karl

 

nice to here a story of being treated correctly at a dealer.

 

Yes, that is why I decided to take the time to post it. Too bad the "front end of the house" isnt as good as the service dept.

--karl

 

Did anybody check to see if a tire is out of round?

 

yes-it's had more **** examinations than a proctologist gives in a day.

--karl

 

Good to see you got good service at your dealer to bad about the tire. So did they look over the front end to make sure you didn't have a bad shock or bad brake rotor or anything else in the front suspesion that could be causeingg the vibration

 

Oh yes--both the tire shop and the dlr examined the front end, all is well.

--k