2004 - 2008 F-150

Bed Bounce Solution?

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Old 01-03-2011, 02:33 PM
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Bed Bounce Solution?

Has anyone come up with a way to lessen the bed bounce? I have a 2006 SCREW 4x4 and my bed bounces on anything other than a perfectly smooth surface. It has become very annoying. I have replaced all 4 shocks with Bilsteins, and changed all the tires to Michelin's but it still bounces and is very very noticeable in the cab.

There must be some solution to stiffen it up to it does not feel like every bump last forever.

Thanks
 
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Old 01-03-2011, 02:44 PM
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Mine bounces when the tires need balancing. I get them balanced and the bounce is gone.
 
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Old 01-03-2011, 02:50 PM
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Not the same issue. The bed bounces anytime the tires encounter more than a smooth surface. If you hold the tailgate up about 6" and drop it, you will see what I mean. Mine seems to be worse than others...and it is not the tires or the suspension or the bed mounting bolts.
 
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Old 01-03-2011, 05:07 PM
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Originally Posted by agood1
Not the same issue. The bed bounces anytime the tires encounter more than a smooth surface. If you hold the tailgate up about 6" and drop it, you will see what I mean. Mine seems to be worse than others...and it is not the tires or the suspension or the bed mounting bolts.
You're not in this boat alone. I've had the same problem since the day I bought my '06. Two different sets of tires, suspension changes (made it worse), shocks and multiple re-balances and still have the problem.
 
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Old 01-04-2011, 08:32 AM
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There must be some solution.....some way to stiffen the bed, or add some weight or something.
 
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Old 01-04-2011, 09:01 AM
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Way back in 2004 when the new body style came out, I remember various reports from people on here and other sites about some kind of vibration or shuddering that they couldn't get rid of. Sometimes the cause was sticking parking brakes due to a part that was installed backwards....some reported different tires solved the problem. I remember those posts on here. There were quite a few reports. I've never had any problem with my 2004 supercab 4x4 lariat. The only time I've noticed an odd shake is if the truck was sitting for several days and the tires sort of got flat spots in them...but after driving for a bit it went away. I wouldn't say mine has ever bounced. It's definitely butter smooth with a descent load of mulch in the bed. It's like driving a luxury car with a load in the bed. But of course I won't want to be dragging extra weight around all the time. Without a load, when I hit a bump, you can tell the bed is pretty tightly sprung but again, for me it's never bounced all over the place unless I hit a really big bump.
 
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Old 01-04-2011, 09:14 AM
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My truck can be sitting still and and it will bounce. All you have to do is drop the tailgate or slam one of the doors.

Just to clarify, it is not a bounce, per say, but more like a jiggle that is transmitted thru the whole truck.
 

Last edited by agood1; 01-04-2011 at 09:20 AM.
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Old 01-04-2011, 09:28 AM
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Originally Posted by agood1
My truck can be sitting still and and it will bounce. All you have to do is drop the tailgate or slam one of the doors.

Just to clarify, it is not a bounce, per say, but more like a jiggle that is transmitted thru the whole truck.
Hmmm....that's strange. I've never heard anyone complain about something like that. I'd be sure all your bolts that hold the bed to the frame are tight. I don't recall if there are rubber bushings that are in between the bed and frame, but I guess if there is and they're wore out for some reason, maybe that could cause it. Are you the original owner? If not, who knows what the previous owner did...how he treated the truck.
 
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Old 01-04-2011, 09:44 AM
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I have read several posts here about the same complaint and many of them mention the same technique to drop the tailgate and watch the bed near the cab to look for the vibration or jiggle.
 
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Old 01-04-2011, 10:27 AM
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I can see my bed vibrate/jiggle through the side mirror when I hit a bump, but I don't feel a thing in the cab.
 
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Old 01-04-2011, 10:31 AM
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Mine is definitely something you feel.
 
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Old 01-04-2011, 01:23 PM
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I had the same issue on my '07 STX Super Cab after installation of new BFG tires at 42K miles. After about $4K on shocks, struts, used tires & wheels, 3 sets of tires, one new wheel, 2 RF Balances, 2 standard balances, rotors, pads and 2 alignments; I finally found that three tire shops in my area have bad balance machines or tech's, you take your pick.

I visited a 4th tire shop and they balanced them with a new machine and most of my driveabilty, vibe, bounce issue was resolved for $63.98.

I would find a good tire shop with a new machine and go from there. Both RF Balances made my truck hop/bounce uncontrollably but no one would test drive the truck to verify my concerns. The 4th tire shop mgr. drove it and 5 minutes later he pulled in and said there was something wrong with my truck.

It may be stiff shocks/struts but I would bet on tires out of balance. It took me 4 months to get mine fixed and I decided to trade last week on a deal I couldn't refuse.

Good Luck, James
 
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Old 01-04-2011, 02:27 PM
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Ford does use some type of vibration dampener for the bed. My 2008 has one, but it doesn't appear that it's installed on every truck. You might ask the parts counter at your Ford dealer. I believe it's available as a kit.
 
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Old 01-04-2011, 02:55 PM
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Exclamation

If this bed's a' bouncin' ...
... don't come a' knockin' !




Never have read of this issue before ...
... but I know my '07 Scab 6.5 Flareside has a big *** heavy looking weight bolted with some rubber isolators over top the rear end of the left side frame rail. I assume it has something to do with some harmonics issue that Ford found.

Like that pair of weights welded onto the 30" long intermediate pipe section between the Y and muffler iof the exhaust system?

edit:

Also, check all bed-frame bolts.

Back in 1971 a buddy's parents bought a new '71 Pontiac GTO and they let him borrow it some. It had some issues in the rear as well. Their older '65 GTO he had didn't do it. One day while cruising we had a flat on the left rear and that car had a bumper jack. So he's loosening lugs as I'm jacking, and I keep jacking, and soon I notice the exhaust pipes on the left is not coming up and then the left rear corner of the frame is poking out into view.

The bumpers on that car were bolted to the body, unlike his '65. There was a missing frame to body bolt on that corner. We finally got the car high enough to change the tire.
 

Last edited by tbear853; 01-04-2011 at 03:10 PM.
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Old 01-04-2011, 02:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Blue07STX
I had the same issue on my '07 STX Super Cab after installation of new BFG tires at 42K miles. After about $4K on shocks, struts, used tires & wheels, 3 sets of tires, one new wheel, 2 RF Balances, 2 standard balances, rotors, pads and 2 alignments; I finally found that three tire shops in my area have bad balance machines or tech's, you take your pick.

I visited a 4th tire shop and they balanced them with a new machine and most of my driveabilty, vibe, bounce issue was resolved for $63.98.

I would find a good tire shop with a new machine and go from there. Both RF Balances made my truck hop/bounce uncontrollably but no one would test drive the truck to verify my concerns. The 4th tire shop mgr. drove it and 5 minutes later he pulled in and said there was something wrong with my truck.

It may be stiff shocks/struts but I would bet on tires out of balance. It took me 4 months to get mine fixed and I decided to trade last week on a deal I couldn't refuse.

Good Luck, James
My truck can be sitting still and and it will bounce. All you have to do is drop the tailgate or slam one of the doors. So it is not the tires.
 


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