Vibration

[Lynnii2]

My wife has been complaining the last few weeks that about the suspension on our 2010 Ford Expedition Limited 2WD with 202,000 miles and 24'' rims (295/35/24). The complain is that the steering wheel rocks or wobble back and forth over 60 mph and that the truck rides rough over on freeway at times. So like the good husband I'm I take the truck out for a test drive and she is right the steering wheel does move back and forth and the ride feels rough on the freeway.I take the truck to my local American Tire Depot and have them redo the tire balance, so we test drive the truck and steering wheel still rocks or wobble back and forth, so then they rotate the tires and redo the balance and we test drive it again same thing steering wheel rocks or wobble back and forth and rough ride over 60 mph on freeway.

I then tell them let me go home and get my factory wheels 20'' (275/55/20) and put new tires on them. So I buy UNIROYAL TIGER TOURING A/S. They mount and balance them and we go again for test ride on freeway and the damn steering wheel still rocks or wobble back and forth over 60 mph. So we go back and guy said maybe the alignment is off. I said I just had the alignment check 2 months ago at Firestone and show the paper work. He recommends to go back and have alignment done again. So I go back to Firestone since I have lifetime alignment and they tell me the alignment is fine after checking it.

I then go home and start checking all the suspension components to see if anything is loose and going over everything again with the air gun and nothing is loose. So here is some back story on all the parts I replaced 1 yr ago (Motorcraft lower ball joint both sides, Moog upper control arm both sides, KYB GR2 struts in front and KYB GR2 shocks in rear, Motorcraft front stabilizer bar, Motorcraft front sway bar bushing, Motorcraft rear sway bar bushing, Motorcraft outer tie rod end links) and over the weekend I replaced (Motorcraft steering shaft assembly, New front rotors and Powerstop Z36 Ceramic Carbon Fiber pads) since it had some play in it. I then reached out to a friend of mine that works for Ford and took it to his dealership and had them check everything again for me. They test drove it and they don't know why the steering wheel rocks or wobble back and forth. They even redid the balance and road forced balanced them and still the samething. I'm at a lost now and wanted to see if anyone has some ideals I might have missed.


It's alot to read, but I would appreciate the help.

 

[07navi]

My wife has been complaining the last few weeks that about the suspension on our 2010 Ford Expedition Limited 2WD with 202,000 miles and 24'' rims (295/35/24). The complain is that the steering wheel rocks or wobble back and forth over 60 mph and that the truck rides rough over on freeway at times. So like the good husband I'm I take the truck out for a test drive and she is right the steering wheel does move back and forth and the ride feels rough on the freeway.I take the truck to my local American Tire Depot and have them redo the tire balance, so we test drive the truck and steering wheel still rocks or wobble back and forth, so then they rotate the tires and redo the balance and we test drive it again same thing steering wheel rocks or wobble back and forth and rough ride over 60 mph on freeway.

I then tell them let me go home and get my factory wheels 20'' (275/55/20) and put new tires on them. So I buy UNIROYAL TIGER TOURING A/S. They mount and balance them and we go again for test ride on freeway and the damn steering wheel still rocks or wobble back and forth over 60 mph. So we go back and guy said maybe the alignment is off. I said I just had the alignment check 2 months ago at Firestone and show the paper work. He recommends to go back and have alignment done again. So I go back to Firestone since I have lifetime alignment and they tell me the alignment is fine after checking it.

I then go home and start checking all the suspension components to see if anything is loose and going over everything again with the air gun and nothing is loose. So here is some back story on all the parts I replaced 1 yr ago (Motorcraft lower ball joint both sides, Moog upper control arm both sides, KYB GR2 struts in front and KYB GR2 shocks in rear, Motorcraft front stabilizer bar, Motorcraft front sway bar bushing, Motorcraft rear sway bar bushing, Motorcraft outer tie rod end links) and over the weekend I replaced (Motorcraft steering shaft assembly, New front rotors and Powerstop Z36 Ceramic Carbon Fiber pads) since it had some play in it. I then reached out to a friend of mine that works for Ford and took it to his dealership and had them check everything again for me. They test drove it and they don't know why the steering wheel rocks or wobble back and forth. They even redid the balance and road forced balanced them and still the samething. I'm at a lost now and wanted to see if anyone has some ideals I might have missed.

delete

 

[Lynnii2]

Please read. Thanks

 

[07navi]

Please read. Thanks

Back and forth laterally or in a circle?

 

[Lynnii2]

The steering wheel has a shimmy left and right like in this video.

 

[Lynnii2]

It shakes just like this and I don't have a clue why. I was thinking about changing out the wheel hubs or the engine mounts to see if it is engine vibration transfering through the steering column.

 

[07navi]

It shakes just like this and I don't have a clue why. I was thinking about changing out the wheel hubs or the engine mounts to see if it is engine vibration transfering through the steering column.

That's a circular motion. A bent wheel will do that.

 

[Yupster Dog]

Please read. Thanks

Have someone else drive the vehicle and get it to shake. You ride (not drive) in another vehicle and see if you can see one of the wheels shaking. might get you a little closer.

 

[Lynnii2]

That is what I thought too, but it just started within the last 3 weeks based off what the wife told me. I have swap back to stock rims 20'' factory from the 24'' rims and it is the same steering wheel vibration. So you think I have bent rims on both factory and aftermarket? I can't see me having bent my 20'' factory wheels. The shaking is the same with the 24'' rims or 20'' rims.

 

[Lynnii2]

I had the dealership drive it today while I was in the passenger seat and they don't know either and they road forced balance the factory 20'' rims. I had American tire depot ride with me in the car two separate times as well on Wednesday. This is why I went home got the factory rims and bought new tires from them to make sure I was not crazy. I still have the wired back and forth of the steering wheel. I'm at a lost and so is my wife. She like to drive it to work since it sits up high and it makes her feel safe. Plus I'm very meticulous on the maintenance because the wife drives it 3 days a week to work. I don't like to hear her complain about it not running well.


Is there a away to see if the rims are bent can't the tire tech see that when they balance it on the machine?

 

[98nhexpy]

My first thought was a bent wheel. But he OP states he changed out wheels with new tires and it didn't correct the issue. If there was a wheel issue, I would have expected the Tire shop to discover that during the "balancing" process.
Given all the information above, did you have the wheels "run-out" on the vehicle? I would be suspect of a failing wheel bearing/hub. Many times that may also display similar symptoms and you may hear a humming sound coming from the assembly at speed.

 

[07navi]

That is what I thought too, but it just started within the last 3 weeks based off what the wife told me. I have swap back to stock rims 20'' factory from the 24'' rims and it is the same steering wheel vibration. So you think I have bent rims on both factory and aftermarket? I can't see me having bent my 20'' factory wheels. The shaking is the same with the 24'' rims or 20'' rims.

No that's not it for sure and it's obviously nothing to do with the wheels or tires. I'm thinking it might have something to do with something moving the steering shaft but that's just a guess.

 

[Lynnii2]

No that's not it for sure and it's obviously nothing to do with the wheels or tires. I'm thinking it might have something to do with something moving the steering shaft but that's just a guess.

I replaced the steering shaft over the weekend and nothing changed.

 

[Lynnii2]

My first thought was a bent wheel. But he OP states he changed out wheels with new tires and it didn't correct the issue. If there was a wheel issue, I would have expected the Tire shop to discover that during the "balancing" process.
Given all the information above, did you have the wheels "run-out" on the vehicle? I would be suspect of a failing wheel bearing/hub. Many times that may also display similar symptoms and you may hear a humming sound coming from the assembly at speed.

I was think maybe the hub/wheel bearing as well. So I will order new bearing tonight and install them once they come in and see if that will help.

 

[Yupster Dog]

I replaced the steering shaft over the weekend and nothing changed.

Like I said ride in another car and watch. If it is enough to shake the steering wheel and make it move back and fourth, More times than not you will see something to get you a little closer to the problem.

 

[98nhexpy]

I might recommend that you hold on throwing more parts at this. I would 1st confirm the run-out of the hub, the rotor, and the wheel. There are several possibilities at play here. Could be a bad hub/bearing; could be debris/corrosion between the face of the hub and rotor; could be debris/corrosion between the face of rotor and the wheel. I am not saying this is the issue, just trying to help rule out prospective culprits.
C.

 

[07navi]

I replaced the steering shaft over the weekend and nothing changed.

No I meant something moving the shaft. If you shook the wheel and it wasn't loose new bearings won't cure anything.

 

[07navi]

I might recommend that you hold on throwing more parts at this. I would 1st confirm the run-out of the hub, the rotor, and the wheel. There are several possibilities at play here. Could be a bad hub/bearing; could be debris/corrosion between the face of the hub and rotor; could be debris/corrosion between the face of rotor and the wheel. I am not saying this is the issue, just trying to help rule out prospective culprits.
C.

I agree and debris affecting the rotor is possible too, also he did say he added new rotors. It's quite a mystery and it leans toward one of the changed parts being as bad as the original part at this point.

 

[Lynnii2]

No I meant something moving the shaft. If you shook the wheel and it wasn't loose new bearings won't cure anything.

Oh ok. I put my hands at the 12 and 6 position and it is solid and 3 and 9 and solid nothing loose. I also had the dealership check them along with the other suspension parts on the lift and confirmed nothing loose. I have no hub failure symptoms like noise, clunking, grinding. I guess it could be bad since they are the original 10 yr old hubs.

 

[riphip]

I don't know how old your tires are, sometimes it doesn't matter, but I would rotate tires + check that one of the front tires is not separating or has balance weight off.