F350 front end shake

[gutsnthegrass]

I have a 2012 F-350 that has 90,000 miles.  I drove over to Idaho last weekend and noticed my front end shaking pretty bad on the stretch of road between Othello and Washtucna.  It was bad enough I had to ride on the fog line and center of the lane to get a somewhat smooth ride.  I just replaced my shocks last fall so they should be ok.  Any other suggestions on what it could be?  All ball joints and tie rods are still factory.  I do have a level kit if that makes a difference.  I make that drive several times a year and this is the first time I've had this happen, so something has to be loose or worn.

[Skillet]

My first thought was "ball joints." 90k miles is a little early for them, but you're close to replacement time. To check, jack up the front end and see if you have any play.  The uppers on my F250 went away at 125k. 

[Woodchuck]

Ball joints are very popular on those. Have you had an alignment lately?

[gutsnthegrass]

Ball joints are very popular on those. Have you had an alignment lately?

No, I haven't.  The steering seems to track straight and my tire wear is pretty even.  Something to consider for sure.

[Woodchuck]

Ball joints are very popular on those. Have you had an alignment lately?

No, I haven't.  The steering seems to track straight and my tire wear is pretty even.  Something to consider for sure.

I would suggest getting a front end inspection done before alignment. Steering and suspension components get popular at that mileage. If any of it does need replaced you will need an alignment after. Can you jack up the front end and spin the front wheels? Look for any bulges or irregularities in the tread as it spins. Does it do it at low speed or just highway?

[2MANY]

Cheap leveling kits without the rest of the components that should be replaced come to mind.

Good luck with your wobble.

[gutsnthegrass]

Yes, I was going to put it up on jackstands tonight and check for play also.  It only does it at highway speeds on rough road.

[gutsnthegrass]

Cheap leveling kits without the rest of the components that should be replaced come to mind.

Good luck with your wobble.

I have had the level kit for 40,000 miles with no issues. 

[Woodchuck]

Yes, I was going to put it up on jackstands tonight and check for play also.  It only does it at highway speeds on rough road.

My non politically motivated SWAG is that it has either pitched a wheel weight or you have a tread separation starting. Look for clean spots on the rims where a weight may have been. 

[ne kid]

I have an older F350 that shakes really bad on a section of road feels like the only time I'm on the road is when I cross it. All new front end come to find out for me it was the tires just don't like the ruts in that part of the road. Strangest thing I've ever seen.

[Huntin4Ever]

I have a 2014 F350, same thing happened to me at highway speeds, the shake was pretty severe. Ended up being the panhard / track bar.

[CP]

Could be the tires.

[jackelope]

Ball joints
Tie rods
Trac bar/trac bar ball joint*
Steering dampener
Tires

Any or all of the above.

[jackelope]

My first thought was "ball joints." 90k miles is a little early for them, but you're close to replacement time. To check, jack up the front end and see if you have any play.  The uppers on my F250 went away at 125k. 

90k isn't early on these. I mean...it may seem like it should be early, but it's not early in terms of commonality.

[LDennis24]

Yes, I was going to put it up on jackstands tonight and check for play also.  It only does it at highway speeds on rough road.

My non politically motivated SWAG is that it has either pitched a wheel weight or you have a tread separation starting. Look for clean spots on the rims where a weight may have been. 

 

I didn't read the rest of folks posts but this can definitely do what your describing. Go have the tires rebalanced. Do you have those stupid beads for balancing... If so toss'em and go get weights put on. If you use the beads and accelerate too quickly the beads get stuck by inertia and stay in one spot in the tire. They suck...

[dyhardhuntr]

Before you take this to a shop. Have someone turn the steering wheel at a steady clip back and forth with the truck on the ground(not jacked up). Watch your tie rod ends for up and down or side to side play. We have several Ford in our fleet and the top 2 joints for play are the draglink ( comes off the pitman arm on the gearbox) and the track bar ball joint which is mounted on the passenger side of the vehicle on the front axle. Can you feel it in the steering wheel?


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[acrocker]

I had the 'death wobble' with my 2005 F250, had just put a new track bar and lift kit on and it came on suddenly - unnerving feeling to say the least when it happens. The fix was a new set of tires - the old ones had sat for a long time while the truck wasn't running and even though they had lots of tread on them they weren't working. Funny thing is, they were fine until the new track bar and suspension went in, then I started getting death wobble almost every time I drove it. New tires fixed the whole thing, so that could very well be the issue.

[cat fisher]

steering gear just replaced one om my f250 had the same problem fix it.

[Jingles]

90K is nothing just traded a 1999 F350 4 x 4  with 439,000 + miles and had no major problems and none with steering shimmies or shakes

[gutsnthegrass]

It only did it on the rutted out section of road between Othello and Washtucna, and occasionally if it hit a pothole if that helps.  I would think that if it were missing a weight, it would do it all the time.  I didn't get a chance to put it up on jackstands last night to look into worn ball joints.

[Oh Mah]

I just got through chasing this one down in my f-450.
New shocks front,then new shocks back still a problem.

new front brakes,still a problem with front shaking bad.replace back brakes sent rotors in to get turned...............

One of the rear rotors cracked in between the cooling fins.11 fins were cracked and the brake rotor was wider at that spot causing the pads to hit and miss causing the truck to shake much worse when brakes were applied but shook sometimes on the road without touching the brakes.

good luck i hope this helps.

[LDennis24]

What size are your tires? Did you go bigger with the lift kit? Or wider? What's the width of your rims also. If you put too wide of a tire on a narrow rim it will bulge and when you hit an uneven spot or anything else in the road they will feel like Jell-O and can make you feel the wobble.

[jackelope]

If i was a gambler, I’d replace the trac bar and trac bar ball joint first.

[3boys]

steering gear just replaced one om my f250 had the same problem fix it.

same

[gutsnthegrass]

If i was a gambler, I’d replace the trac bar and trac bar ball joint first.

I read something about the trac bar and its bushings.  But that was on some newer models that were having similar sounding problems.

[millerwheeler]

I have a 2012 F-350 that has 90,000 miles.  I drove over to Idaho last weekend and noticed my front end shaking pretty bad on the stretch of road between Othello and Washtucna.  It was bad enough I had to ride on the fog line and center of the lane to get a somewhat smooth ride.  I just replaced my shocks last fall so they should be ok.  Any other suggestions on what it could be?  All ball joints and tie rods are still factory.  I do have a level kit if that makes a difference.  I make that drive several times a year and this is the first time I've had this happen, so something has to be loose or worn.

Betting broken belt inside the one of the tires . Just went through thisnon 2017 gmc 3500 dually . They said it was my lift , ball joints , steering , blah blah blah was  the belt inside front passenger tire

[2MANY]

If you look at your front tires one of them will be closer to the truck frame then the other.

[jackelope]

If i was a gambler, I’d replace the trac bar and trac bar ball joint first.

I read something about the trac bar and its bushings.  But that was on some newer models that were having similar sounding problems.

Trac baars and trac bar ball joints have been a weak link issue with Super Duty for a very long time and continue to be.

[rem700300]

Just food for thought.
Everytime we drive that stretch of Hwy 26 we talk about how horribly rough it is 

[gutsnthegrass]

If i was a gambler, I’d replace the trac bar and trac bar ball joint first.

I read something about the trac bar and its bushings.  But that was on some newer models that were having similar sounding problems.

I was able to get underneath and had my son turn the steering wheel with the engine off.  It seemed like there was play in the track bar ball joint. would I just have to replace the track bar ball joint and bushing?  The track bar is solid steel, i wouldn't think it would need replaced. 
Trac baars and trac bar ball joints have been a weak link issue with Super Duty for a very long time and continue to be.

[coachcw]

If it has a shake my first thoughts are tires , Can you drive through it and does it only do it a certain speeds ? tires could also be cupped on the front . id swap front to rear and re drive , check steering linkage and ball joints while you got the jack out .

[greenhead_killer]

^^happened to my old Tacoma. I’d hit 55mph and the front end felt like it was gonna rattle apart. Past that it was fine and slower was fine. That was just the speed it went haywire. Took it to les Schwab and they told me it was shocks. Changed those, still the issue. Then they said rims were bent. Swapped those and still same issue. Was talking to a buddy 6 months later and he mentioned tires, ran his hand over them and said yep, check this out. I felt/saw what he had said and sure enough, it was the tires. Swapped them out and no issue after that

[2MANY]

If i was a gambler, I’d replace the trac bar and trac bar ball joint first.

I read something about the trac bar and its bushings.  But that was on some newer models that were having similar sounding problems.

I was able to get underneath and had my son turn the steering wheel with the engine off.  It seemed like there was play in the track bar ball joint. would I just have to replace the track bar ball joint and bushing?  The track bar is solid steel, i wouldn't think it would need replaced. 
Trac baars and trac bar ball joints have been a weak link issue with Super Duty for a very long time and continue to be.

Yup.
A correct leveling kit replaces the trac bar location and will create an equal distance between both front tires and the truck frame.

[h2ofowlr]

I am currently experiencing this on my 2003 F-350.  Also some popping sounds when turning.  Whats the approximate cost for replacing ball joints and other mentioned fixes?

[gutsnthegrass]

When I checked my track bar ball joint, I also raised the front end and checked my upper and lower ball joints by trying to get play top and bottom and side to side.  Everything seemed tight at the wheels.  The track bar ball joint did have a little play in it when the pickup was on the ground and I had my son turn the steering wheel left and right.

[rtspring]

Hubs?   

[usmc74]

We have changed ball joints/hubs and steering on my sons '99 F250 and '02 F350. Utube is your friend.  But I do have a lot of tools on hand.

[NitRally]

Hubs?

This. Check the hubs. Had a similar issur on my truck the wheel bearings were shot. Pretty easy fix. Also check tire pressure. 

[Magnum_Willys]

Yep all of the above.   Unbalanced tires, rims, worn tie rod end, wheel bearings, ball joints, steering gear slop, loose steering gear, shot shocks.   Allows vibration at certain speeds which grows to a wobble or death wobble.  No weak links allowed.