Posted 2007-05-13 11:20 PM (#60745) Subject: Ford F250 violent shimmy over potholes
Regular
Posts: 74 Location: IN
I've read a few posts on what sounds like a similar problem, but nothing definite. Last week, I was driving my 99 F250 Super Duty to pick up my "new" gooseneck trailer and hit a minor pothole on the highway. The front of the truck started shaking violently --kind of like the normal "shimmy" you get when you go over a pothole except it got violent and prolonged. It scared me to death, and thought I would lose control of the vehicle. Luckily, there was an exit right there and I was able to take it. As soon as I slowed down, the shimmying stopped and the truck ran normally. This happened once before and we had the truck checked out. Nothing wrong with the springs, shocks, etc. The guy at the station we stopped at, said, "Yeah, that happens with Fords. Something with the springs." and told me to just slow down when it happens. But it happened again with the trailer hitched on the way home. My husband thought it was due to low tire pressure. Sorry to make this so long, but this really shakes my confidence on traveling with the new trailer and no one seems to have a real answer. Is this really just a "thing" with Fords? And if so, what can I do to prevent/fix it? Thanks!
Posted 2007-05-14 12:45 AM (#60746 - in reply to #60745) Subject: RE: Ford F250 violent shimmy over potholes
Veteran
Posts: 238 Location: West Coast
No, it's not normal. It sounds like something in your suspension is worn. It could be that you need new shocks, it could be u-joints, etc. If it were me, I would get it to a good mechanic before I hauled anywhere again.
Posted 2007-05-14 8:16 AM (#60748 - in reply to #60745) Subject: RE: Ford F250 violent shimmy over potholes
Elite Veteran
Posts: 798 Location: Tenn/Ala.
Don't just take it to a mechanic, get it to a good alignment shop that sees a lot of trucks. Ford has a unique tie rod end set up and there are a couple that are very long. When one of them gets worn in the socket end, what you're describing can happen (and scare you to death when it does). An alignment tech will know what to look for more so than a general line mechanic. He'll replace the worn one(s) and perform an alignment to get everything pointed in the right direction.
RTSmith
Posted 2007-05-14 12:19 PM (#60754 - in reply to #60745) Subject: RE: Ford F250 violent shimmy over potholes
Expert
Posts: 1283 Location: Home of Wild Turkey Whiskey
This may sound wierd but I used to be a mechanic on heavy equipment(I sell them now, they had to remove half my brain before I could go into sales) anywho I drove a Mid-90's Ford F250 two wheel drive. It got to doing that same thing on rough overpasses, we put new tires on the front and solved it. The tires were really cupped bad, alignment shop guy said that was just a Ford thing and said just keep good tires on the front, we did and it never done it again, truck had just under 300,000 on it when I quit driving it.
Posted 2007-05-14 9:05 PM (#60768 - in reply to #60745) Subject: RE: Ford F250 violent shimmy over potholes
Elite Veteran
Posts: 671 Location: THE GREAT NORTHWET, OREGON(THE REAL GODS COUNTRY)
I had this problem and it was the king pin bushings.When I hit a bump or hole it went wild.I replaced the pins and plastic bushings with bronze bushings and that was it.
I have noticed toe in or out will cause a shimmy too.Good luck and be safe.
Posted 2007-05-15 7:27 AM (#60784 - in reply to #60745) Subject: RE: Ford F250 violent shimmy over potholes
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Danielsville Georgia
DEATH WOBBEL.Been around a long time.Start with a check of tires and work your way UP.Certain tire types are prone to this as well as worn front end parts.Plus if NOT aligned correctlly (weight in bed changes alignment specs.)they will do this also.No one thing fixes two trucks in a row but the BASICS have to be correct.Lots of through checks before throwing parts at it.
Posted 2007-05-15 4:21 PM (#60809 - in reply to #60745) Subject: RE: Ford F250 violent shimmy over potholes
Regular
Posts: 74 Location: IN
Thanks all! Good info from everybody and gives me a solid base of knowledge to start with if/when I have to take it to a mechanic. For now, I'll follow the advice and start with the tires. The truck only has 60,000 miles on it, but just like HW described, it's a 2WD, and it does it on the rough parts of the highway (of which there are many unfortunately!) Hopefully, I'll get the problem solved and maybe I'll see y'all on the trails soon with my "99's" (99 Ford and 99 Elite Gooseneck...horse is a 98 model!) :)
Posted 2007-05-15 9:41 PM (#60822 - in reply to #60745) Subject: RE: Ford F250 violent shimmy over potholes
Veteran
Posts: 143 Location: southeast U.S.A.
Dunagain Funny that I have a 99 f250 that done this this past Saturday, maybe there's something in the air .Or just maybe some pot(hole) luck,who knows!!!!!!!!
But seriously, I crawled under and gave it a look and couldn't find anything wrong so I jacked up the right tire and gave it a whirl and there was a pronounced flat spot on the tread of this tire. Thought about it for awhile and the only thing that I could come up with is about two weeks ago someone pulled out in front of me and I slid the front tires for about 30 foot or so. I haven't rotated the tires as of yet but I feel like this may be the problem. Mine didn't shimmy after hitting rough road, just done it twice when taking off from a stop at slow speed. Like some of the others have stated here,i'd look at my tires first then go from there.
Posted 2007-05-16 5:33 AM (#60825 - in reply to #60745) Subject: RE: Ford F250 violent shimmy over potholes
Expert
Posts: 1283 Location: Home of Wild Turkey Whiskey
The tires we were using were the Firestones that Ford put on them from the factory, kind of a highway tire. The truck I was talking about was a service truck with a utilility bed complete with air compressor and welder so it was weighted heavy in the rear. Like I said above we just got to where we would change the tires at about 35,000, tire would look real good except for this cupping on the outside edge. We had it aligned many times with no difference in the drive. Only thing that would solve it was tires. I still use this same tire on my pick-ups now(get 60,000 out of them) so it wasn't the tire, it was the way that Ford wore them.
Posted 2007-05-22 9:53 PM (#61167 - in reply to #60745) Subject: RE: Ford F250 violent shimmy over potholes
Member
Posts: 17
Location: Malta, Il
I had the same problem with a truck I had and so did a friend of mine, The problem was the steering stabilizer ( looks like a small shock absorber mounted on front axle) replaced it and problem was solved.
Posted 2007-05-24 7:20 AM (#61216 - in reply to #60745) Subject: RE: Ford F250 violent shimmy over potholes
Member
Posts: 7
Location: georgia
I have a 99 f350 had the same problem I replaced the ball joints and corrected problem, guy at the shop had already turned my brake rotors and wanted me to replace my steering sector, so I decided to get a second opinion, glad I did the steering sector would have cost me over 400$ just for parts. Oh forgot to mention my truck is two wheel drive, may be different than 4WD. Truck also had less than 100k miles when this happened.
Posted 2007-05-26 8:40 AM (#61276 - in reply to #60745) Subject: RE: Ford F250 violent shimmy over potholes
New User
Posts: 3
Location: OH
This is interesting to me since we are also having the same problem with our 93 Ford 350 and have done EVERYTHING on here and it still does it. The tie rod ends, the U joints, the tires the balancing and alignment, steering stablizer and all. I wonder if it is only the 2 WD that have the problem and if it is, is it the twin I beams causing the trouble in the long run? We have had three mechanics look at ours and the problem is still not solved with all the work that is done. Does anyone else find it happens more when turning one direction or the other? Ours only does it when you are turning around a right hand curve and one that is moderately sharp or worse. It NEVER has done it to the left and potholes don't seem to come into play. Just the turn. I was following my husband driving it after the first work we had done and I was terrified to see what was really happening with it. The tires looked like they were going to fall off. I honestly thought the mechanic had forgotten to tighten the lug nuts. Our tires were tipped way out and looked like a tire that is rolling but just about to go over they were leaned out so far. What yaers of trucks do these seem to run in? Is it something that Ford did a recall on and we don't know due to the time we have had the truck? We bought it used two years ago.
Ford F250 violent shimmy over potholes
