I recently purchased a 93 SWB, regular cab, XLT, 5.0 engine w/tow package, total of 54,000 miles. I purchased it from the second owner, who had the truck for only 3-4 months. He sold it because of $$ problems. During my test drive I noticed a vibration in the truck, I thought it needed the tires balanced. Well, this didnt help. I have had everything from the transmission to the rear axle checked, everything checks out good and still the rear axle hop/vibration! In some auto page reviews they say this was common to the 93 F150 model.
HOW CAN I FIX THIS?

 

Is the vibration constant or does it get better/worse as you change speed? I don't have any vibrations in my '93 LWB.

 

GVW,
I have a 96' long wheel base and I have the same problem. Feels just like the tires are out of balance, but I've had them balanced and did no good. It started at around 45,000 miles. It gets pretty bad and annoying at times and really just sort of comes and goes. If anyone knows anything, I would like to hear. BTW: I have the 302 and 5spd Mazda.
Thanks,
-Hank

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1996 F-150 (3/96-old style)XLT, 302, 5sp. Toreador Red CC, Tow Pkg, Optional Payload Pkg, HD susp., Flowmaster 40 series, "Duals",
Raven Cap, Bumper Guards, Hood Ornament, Unity Lights, Jet Chip, K&N, B&M Shift ****, Hidden Hitch w/ Ford Motorsports Cover,...etc.

 

Hank, that truck must be hell to park and U-turn with a 96 foot long wheel base!

Have you guys checked your driveshafts? Could be out of balance. Also, U-joints could be worn; try replacing with good quality units.
More info on the problem would be helpful - is it at highway speeds? GVW - what do you mean by rear axle hop? Only on leaving a dead stop, or is it at speed?

 

I don't know if this will help or not, but I'll share it anyway. My truck is a '95 SC short bed, and I too noticed an annoying vibration that I couldn't remedy. I tried balancing the wheels and it made no difference. I tried replacing the shocks, and that helped, but didn't completely solve the problem. I then installed an "Add-a-Leaf" leaf spring reenforcement spring, and that also helped quite a bit. The last thing I did that finally solved it was to buy some good tires. I use to have some el cheapo 31x10.5's that cost about $50 each. I now have some Bridgestone Dualers that were about twice that much. BIG difference. All in all, no one thing fixed my vibration, but the combination of all three finally did it.
Take care,
~Chris

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Moderator
MustangNet

'95 Eddie Bauer F-150 SC & '64 Falcon/Ranchero
-------------------------------------
Are you A.S.E. Certified ? If so, ask me about
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[This message has been edited by PKRWUD (edited 12-11-1999).]

 

Thanks for the responses to my vibration/rear end hop. Im not sure if its a hop in the rear maybe more like if you rolled an egg and see that out of round motion. And when I push on the brakes not to hard the trucks rear end feels like it is starting to bounce, just alittle more pressure on the brake and it stops. The vibration starts around 40 mph and stays with the truck at higher speeds. It doesnt vibrate so bad, but you sure can feel it. There is a list of the things Ive had checked (c) or replaced (r) and I still have the vibration:
drive shaft (balanced), U joints (c), rear wheel bearings (c), rear axles (c), chunk gear (c), brake drums (r), brake shoes (r), tires (r), tires (balanced numerous times). WHAT NEXT?

 

It sounds to me like a tire/wheel out of balance. I don't have the sound like you guys do, but I have heard several other vehicles who have the same problem, and balancing the wheels solved it.

 

Ok, I know you all said it came from the rear end, but one thing you may want to look at are engine mounts. Just a thought.

Neal

 

Something else just occured to me that might have something to do with it. When I first bought my truck, when I drove it along a certian stretch of freeway here in So Cal, it would almost feel like it was bucking. It happened mostly around 55 mph. It would start at 45, and be gone by 65/70, but was the most intense at 55. As time went on, I added more and more weight to the truck, and the problem lessened, but I can still feel it sometimes when I am right around 55 mph. I have determined that it has something to do with the seams in the cement in the freeway. On a paved road, there is no problem what so ever, and when the freeway cement pattern changes, the problem also goes away. I think that my trucks wheelbase is such that it has that effect. Does your problem happen all the time on different types of roads ? Just a thought.
Take care,
~Chris

------------------
Moderator
MustangNet

'95 Eddie Bauer F-150 SC & '64 Falcon/Ranchero
-------------------------------------
Are you A.S.E. Certified ? If so, ask me about
iATN...the best tool you'll ever have ! ! And it's
free

 

Still trying! This week Ill check the motor mounts. But get this, I put the truck on a lift, ran it up to 40mph and the whole truck just shook, and I think more from the rear end. Then I took the tires off, ran the truck up to 40mph and it was smooth! No shaking. I put just the brake drums on and the shaking was back! Bought new drums, NO HELP! Had the tires balanced AGAIN, NO help. My mech. thinks its all in the tires or brakes. Tires are new (less then 3 weeks old), they are goodyear wrangler radials. Still trying, anymore thoughts?

 

GVW,
You say you've checked the back axle. Did that include the out of round on the rods and spindle ends? It sounds like the vibration is coming from something in the back axle being off centered. The reason it would shake with the wheels on is becuase of the extra weight being added that results in greater momentum at high RPM's. Put a dial indicator on the spindles and check what the out of round is I wouldnt expect more than a few thousands of an inch. Even that much can cause severe vibration at highway speeds. Also see if anything might be bent.

As for the Wranglers, my experience has shown them not to be worth the 130 dollars you pay for them. It is possible they could be causing problems. But I would put my money down on the axial.

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1989 F-150, SWB 302 5spd 4+2.
K&N Filter, Turbo Exhuast


[This message has been edited by StunningJ (edited 12-13-1999).]

 

I will add my thoughts. This may be of no use but here it is....

I think it is the tires. I would see if you could trade them back in on a set of michelins. I was selling and installing tires at Sams club for 4 years. We sold general , perelli , BFG , Goodyear , Firestone and Michelin. We had many tires traded back in because of vibrations that could not be balanaced out. The machines said that they were balanced but you could still feel vibration. We always traded these units in for Michelin and never had one come back with vibration again. This sounds like a blanket statement but it is true.
The tolerances for the tires are held much tighter on Michelin. Some of the generals and goodyears that we installed (especially generals) could be partially installed by hand. One bead could be set on the rim without using the machines. Michelin was very tight and the only tire that sometimes was balanced from the factory. They needed no weight a "few" times to zero out on the balancer.

Sorry for the long post, but once I get going...

Mike J.


Don't get me wrong. I've seen garbage tires in all brands. But Michelins are not garbage due to workmanship, it is usually lacking in snow traction.
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1997 F-250 HD (old style) Supercab 4x4 w/ 7.5l 460. Jacobs Electronics Ceramic 2000 plug wires, Side-gapped Autolite plugs,Synthetic Oil, K&N air filter, Tonneau cover and bedliner are my only upgrades so far.


[This message has been edited by mjordan44 (edited 12-13-1999).]

 

THANKS STUNNINGJ, I'll try your suggestion. It sure does sound logical. If the axles are bent or the spindle ends, I'll be pissed with the Ford dealership and mech. who checked the truck for my problem. They charged me big $$ for checking the rear end. Said they pulled the axles and checked them, along w/the rear wheel bearings,etc. Said nothing was wrong. Dont they or wouldnt they automatically check the spindle ends being out of round? And I know everyone will laugh but what are spindle ends. Im kind of ignorant about truck mech.

 

Try this first: Swap the front tires to the back, and repeat your test. See what happens. If the problem remains unchanged, it may be the axles.
Take care,
~Chris

P.S. The spindles are in the front

------------------
Moderator
MustangNet

'95 Eddie Bauer F-150 SC & '64 Falcon/Ranchero
-------------------------------------
Are you A.S.E. Certified ? If so, ask me about
iATN...the best tool you'll ever have ! ! And it's
free

 

Sorry but I wasn't using any standardized terminology in my post. What Im refering to is the plate attached to the end of the axle rod. It has the five studs on it to attach the wheels and brake drums to. The reason you should check here first is becuase any offset motion in the axle is going to end up here. If you discover the out of round in the plate then you can work backward until the faulty component is discovered. Hopefully youll find something since this is the only information I can think of to offer you. There is a chance that the vibration is just a combination of things throughout the drivetrain in which case you might just have to live with it.

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1989 F-150, SWB 302 5spd 4+2.
K&N Filter, Turbo Exhuast