I’ve had nothing but problems with my wheels/tires on my F150. After several frustrating trips to the dealership, I’m about to give up. Can anyone help?

The Truck: I have a 2004 F150 extended cab with a long bed. It included a heavy duty payload package. I didn’t need that, but it had it already and the sales guy was talking deal on this particular vehicle. As I understand it, the HDPP gives the F150 a suspension like an F250. It has a 7 lug setup vs. the standard 6 lug on an F150 and steel wheels vs the typical aluminum. The tires are the stock General Grabber TRs. 17” LT 245/70.

The Problem: Excessive vibration. You feel it in the steering wheel like you would when you have REALLY bad balancing in your tires. At first, it was apparent at 45 mph. That was easily fixed with the first balancing. Now it starts at 65 and goes to 75.

The first thing we did (the dealer and I during the first year/first 12,000 under warranty) was balance, rebalance, and balance again. Then we tried new tires. Then we tried new wheels. Then they replaced the rack and pinion steering.

They tell me that this problem is common with steel wheels because they don’t perform as well at high speeds as aluminum and that aluminum wheels are more true. They also tell me that ford does not make aluminum wheels for a 7 lug setup so I have to buy aftermarket.

No, I also have what seems to be warped rotors because the nibbling/vibration in the steering wheel really gets jacked up when I stop.

Does anyone out there have this problem and know a for sure remedy?

 

So the dealership is saying you need to buy new rims and tires for a brand new truck and that should be common practice? I think they should try new aftermarket rims and tires for you and see if that helps, and if it does, they should cover the cost. Especially if you're under warranty.

I have 17,000 miles and had a bad steering wheel vibration and shimmy. The dealer balanced my tires for free, saying it was still under it's bumper-to-bumper warranty. My steering wheel is still off to the left, but that's a different story.

Duke

 

As long as your truck is still under warranty, go in there and tell them to fix it. It might sound impolite, but I happen to know plenty of people who get pushed around by dealerships, and I happen to know alot of the people who do the pushing. There was a law in massachusetts enacted recently (few years) called the lemon law, look it up and see if it's active where your from, it basically states if a dealership isn't able to fix your brand new car repeatedly and you keep having to ge back for the same problem, after a specific number of trys you are entitled to a full refund. You should be able to bring plenty of info up on google. Dont be afraid to throw your weight arround. They can't do anything to you. you bought it from them and they sold you the warranty. Be strong buddy, and "dont take no guff from these swine"- Hunter S Thompson.
the squeaky wheel gets the greese.

P.S. keep a cool head, it wouldnt be so cool to read " Irate truck owner gets arrested"