Vibration

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Shantheman73

Full Access Members
Joined
Dec 29, 2019
Posts
221
Reaction score
116
Location
Kansas City
It could be possible the tire shops balancing machines aren’t calibrated...and the dealer’s wasn’t either. You’ve eliminated a lot of other issues already...but in my experience...the science of balancing tires has gotten pretty neglected lately. Either poor training or poor maintenance of the machines, or both.

I’ve had so many issues with getting mine balanced, on all my cars. I think most people drive around with the shimmy above 60 like its normal and don’t know any better. But those of us who know, it drives us crazy.

That being said...

I’ve found high degree of success in having tire shops try this method:

1. Balance the wheel.
2. Take it off the machine, spin it half a rotation, put it back on the machine, and see if it zeros out again. Often it doesn’t!
3. Balance it again. Repeat process until it zeros out two times in a row.

When the tire place does this process...I end up vibration free.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

riphip

Full Access Members
Joined
Nov 6, 2018
Posts
641
Reaction score
192
Location
Memphis, TN.
It could be possible the tire shops balancing machines aren’t calibrated...and the dealer’s wasn’t either. You’ve eliminated a lot of other issues already...but in my experience...the science of balancing tires has gotten pretty neglected lately. Either poor training or poor maintenance of the machines, or both.

I’ve had so many issues with getting mine balanced, on all my cars. I think most people drive around with the shimmy above 60 like its normal and don’t know any better. But those of us who know, it drives us crazy.

That being said...

I’ve found high degree of success in having tire shops try this method:

1. Balance the wheel.
2. Take it off the machine, spin it half a rotation, put it back on the machine, and see if it zeros out again. Often it doesn’t!
3. Balance it again. Repeat process until it zeros out two times in a row.

When the tire place does this process...I end up vibration free.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Or use tire balancing beads. My Next light project. Have know Truckers that swear by them since wheel weights get thrown off and better than stick-ons. Lot of guys on other truck forums like them also. Inexpensive to use and can be inserted in valve stem after removing core.
Also check that the wheel nuts are torqued correctly & none have been substituted with another type.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Lynnii2

Lynnii2

Full Access Members
Navy
Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Posts
181
Reaction score
69
Location
San Diego, CA
It could be possible the tire shops balancing machines aren’t calibrated...and the dealer’s wasn’t either. You’ve eliminated a lot of other issues already...but in my experience...the science of balancing tires has gotten pretty neglected lately. Either poor training or poor maintenance of the machines, or both.

I’ve had so many issues with getting mine balanced, on all my cars. I think most people drive around with the shimmy above 60 like its normal and don’t know any better. But those of us who know, it drives us crazy.

That being said...

I’ve found high degree of success in having tire shops try this method:

1. Balance the wheel.
2. Take it off the machine, spin it half a rotation, put it back on the machine, and see if it zeros out again. Often it doesn’t!
3. Balance it again. Repeat process until it zeros out two times in a row.

When the tire place does this process...I end up vibration free.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thank you for the information. I will go tomorrow back to the tire shop ans have the try your method of balancing. I have just out of precaution I ordered new front hub/wheel bearing and if the new tire balancing does not work I will be replacing them.
 

Conrad Penner

Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2020
Posts
24
Reaction score
15
Location
Manitoba
I had a 2012 expedition, a 2013 F150 and a 2010 F150 that all developed a steering wheel wobble/vibration over time that the dealer couldnt help me with. In all 3 instances i took it upon my self to diagnose and all 3 times it was the brake rotors. Replaced the front rotors, and all 3 vehicles drove like new. The F150's were before 100000km and the expedition at about 180000km
 

07navi

Full Access Members
Joined
Feb 3, 2020
Posts
2,535
Reaction score
598
Location
Mt.Shasta California
I had a 2012 expedition, a 2013 F150 and a 2010 F150 that all developed a steering wheel wobble/vibration over time that the dealer couldnt help me with. In all 3 instances i took it upon my self to diagnose and all 3 times it was the brake rotors. Replaced the front rotors, and all 3 vehicles drove like new. The F150's were before 100000km and the expedition at about 180000km
He replaced the rotors,
 
OP
OP
Lynnii2

Lynnii2

Full Access Members
Navy
Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Posts
181
Reaction score
69
Location
San Diego, CA
I had a 2012 expedition, a 2013 F150 and a 2010 F150 that all developed a steering wheel wobble/vibration over time that the dealer couldnt help me with. In all 3 instances i took it upon my self to diagnose and all 3 times it was the brake rotors. Replaced the front rotors, and all 3 vehicles drove like new. The F150's were before 100000km and the expedition
I had a 2012 expedition, a 2013 F150 and a 2010 F150 that all developed a steering wheel wobble/vibration over time that the dealer couldnt help me with. In all 3 instances i took it upon my self to diagnose and all 3 times it was the brake rotors. Replaced the front rotors, and all 3 vehicles drove like new. The F150's were before 100000km and the expedition at about 180000km

I replaced everything on the front suspension except the lower control arms and hub/wheel bearing. I ordered new hub/wheel bearing and it should be here tomorrow sometime. I will then see if it stops the steering wheel back and forth movement.
 

Carl Keef Jr

Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2020
Posts
22
Reaction score
2
Location
Cedar Park, TX
I have the exact same problem on my 2010 Ford Expedition Limited. It has the factory 20" rims. I recently replaced the tires thinking that would help but still have the same problem. I've had several tire shops and one mechanic look at it and they haven't been able to figure it out. The last shop that I took it to was Discount Tire. They were able to eliminate most of the shimmy when they did another balance. Their machine showed that the rims were fine and that all the tires were perfectly balanced. It is much better, but still around 60 miles per hour, I have a small shimmy in the steering wheel. If you are ever able to resolve the issue, please post the solution here so that I can fix mine as well. Thanks! Carl
 

Modelcarguy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2017
Posts
89
Reaction score
35
Location
Algoma
I’d suggest that you might be looking at the wrong end of the truck. Having had a similar problem with my ‘08, we discovered that I had a bad REAR wheel hub. That hub caused the rear end to sway ever so slightly but translated directly to the steering trying to compensate for the tiny movement in the rear end as a shaky and pronounced steering wheel movement.

We, like you, tried everything, wheels balancing, tires, ball joints etc. Nothing seemed to work. But the bad hub At the rear in a large heavy vehicle was enough to set off all sorts of strange behaviors in the front end.
 

David1

Full Access Members
Joined
Nov 30, 2014
Posts
108
Reaction score
15
Location
Pa
He replaced the rotors,
Possibly debris squished between back of rotor and hub face ? It would stay there everytime unless wire brushed.
I have same truck with 150K. I don't have that problem but did have one bad upper control arm (you replaced) and one inner tie rod.
 
OP
OP
Lynnii2

Lynnii2

Full Access Members
Navy
Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Posts
181
Reaction score
69
Location
San Diego, CA
I ordered front and rear hub wheel bearing and will be replacing the front tonight and the rear in the morning. I will update everyone if this has fixed the problem.

I have replaced everything in the front end. So this is the last thing on the list to do and hopefully this will fix the issue.
 
Last edited:

07navi

Full Access Members
Joined
Feb 3, 2020
Posts
2,535
Reaction score
598
Location
Mt.Shasta California
I ordered front and rear hub wheel bearing and will be replacing the front tonight and the rear in the morning. I will update everyone if this has fixed the problem.

I have replaced everything in the front end. So this is the last thing on the list to do and hopefully this will fix the issue.
I doubt if that will do anything if you already wiggled the wheels.
 
OP
OP
Lynnii2

Lynnii2

Full Access Members
Navy
Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Posts
181
Reaction score
69
Location
San Diego, CA
I doubt if that will do anything if you already wiggled the wheels.


I will also be doing the drive shaft slip yoke and rear differential fluid change all this weekend. So hopefully this will fix the problem and make the wife happy at the same time.
 

07navi

Full Access Members
Joined
Feb 3, 2020
Posts
2,535
Reaction score
598
Location
Mt.Shasta California
I will also be doing the drive shaft slip yoke and rear differential fluid change all this weekend. So hopefully this will fix the problem and make the wife happy at the same time.
Those slip yokes can bind up inside at the spline and the bushing they ride on can wear out and vibrate the whole truck.
 
OP
OP
Lynnii2

Lynnii2

Full Access Members
Navy
Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Posts
181
Reaction score
69
Location
San Diego, CA
Those slip yokes can bind up inside at the spline and the bushing they ride on can wear out and vibrate the whole truck.


That is why i decided to do a service on the yoke and rear differential fluid along with the front wheel hub bearing
 
OP
OP
Lynnii2

Lynnii2

Full Access Members
Navy
Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Posts
181
Reaction score
69
Location
San Diego, CA
Hello everyone,

So I replaced the front and rear wheel hub/bearing and the vibration in the steering wheel and shaking has gone away. I also did rear differential fluid change along with the slip yoke and the small bang I would get when taking off and hard stop is gone also. I appreciate a the help from everyone.
 

07navi

Full Access Members
Joined
Feb 3, 2020
Posts
2,535
Reaction score
598
Location
Mt.Shasta California
Hello everyone,

So I replaced the front and rear wheel hub/bearing and the vibration in the steering wheel and shaking has gone away. I also did rear differential fluid change along with the slip yoke and the small bang I would get when taking off and hard stop is gone also. I appreciate a the help from everyone.
It was all in the slip yoke.
 
OP
OP
Lynnii2

Lynnii2

Full Access Members
Navy
Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Posts
181
Reaction score
69
Location
San Diego, CA
I also did the front lower control arms as well this weekend. The truck was driving like new before I did the slip yoke, but I did it anyway just as a route maintenance.
 
Top