the 45 mph wobble/shake

[jon1178]

I needs some suggestions I have checked everything I can think of. Hubs, upper/ball joints, tires balanced all seem good. Put new wheels on thinking I had a bent rim but no change. Anything I should look for that could cause this?

[A_FUrious]

Last time I felt anything like that, one of my front wheels were weighted incorrectly. Some of the counter-balancing weights fell off. It caused the wheel to become unstable after 45mph.

[90zxdriver]

Go faster...?

 

j/k my issue was a bad idler & pitman arm but my shake was more at highway speeds.

[jon1178]

Go faster...?

 

j/k my issue was a bad idler & pitman arm but my shake was more at highway speeds.

What do I look for when checking that?

[90zxdriver]

The tire shop found my problem when trying to align it, couldn't get it to line up. They had it up on the lift and you could clearly see the play in the joints. Just like looking for a bad tie rod. I would get on my back with a flashlight and crawl under the truck. Have somebody in the truck slightly moving the steering wheel. Look at all the linkages and look for any play in the joints.

[Downeast Johnny]

The tire shop found my problem when trying to align it, couldn't get it to line up. They had it up on the lift and you could clearly see the play in the joints. Just like looking for a bad tie rod. I would get on my back with a flashlight and crawl under the truck. Have somebody in the truck slightly moving the steering wheel. Look at all the linkages and look for any play in the joints.

 

^^X2

 

You can also wrap your hand around the joints while the steering wheel is being moved and feel slop in bad joints.

[jon1178]

I will try these suggestions thanks. would it be possible that these parts are bad and I wouldn't feel it in the steering wheel. Because I have no play at all in my steering wheel it feels normal.

[Downeast Johnny]

Yes sir. It is possible that you could have the play without feeling it in the steering wheel. I think that it would be more likely if the problem is in a hub but not un-heard of if it is coming from steering linkage joint.

 

Here are two links that will lead you to a lot of reading on the topic. The first is my search results page. The second is a link to a pdf file available in the third link down on the search result page. That pdf is very informative. On a side note you might consider taking your truck to Sears, or most any good shop and tell them that you are willing to pay them to examine your front end then you can repair it yourself. One obvious potential problem there is that they may try to drum up business by telling you that some good parts are bad but it might start you in the right direction.

 

Good luck.

 

http://www.bing.com/search?q=Steering+and+Suspension+Systems+Study+Guide+

 

http://www.slideshare.net/prashantingale351/studyguide-suspension-and-steering

[jon1178]

There is slight movement in the pitman arm and drivers side tie rod inner and possibly outer. Idler arm does not seem to have any play. In grasped each part with my had while the wife sawed on the steering wheel to detect it.

[jon1178]

Kauffman tire is quoting me $298+tax to do it all inner/outer tie rods both sides, pitman arm, and alignment. I know this a good deal my only question is they use napa parts. Are napa parts good quality or should I go with Moog.I planned on doing the job myself until they told me that price.

Edited August 5, 2014 by jon1178 (see edit history)

[Downeast Johnny]

Kauffman tire is quoting me $298+tax to do it all inner/outer tie rods both sides, pitman arm, and alignment. I know this a good deal my only question is they use napa parts. Are napa parts good quality or should I go with Moog.I planned on doing the job myself until they told me that price.

 

I don't know who makes the NAPA front end parts but think that I would trust the parts if the shop doing the work is willing to warranty the parts, (As well as labor of coarse). NAPA may not have the name recognition but I have had decent success with front end parts from them.

 

Your other option is to ask the shop if you could sully your own parts and ask for a quote to install those.

 

The price that they quoted you for parts, install, and alignment would make the deal close to a no brainer for me. Do you have the tools to remove the nut on the Pitman arm, Have you checked out the size of that nut, by the way?), and do you have a Pitman arm removal tool? If not you would have to buy, beg, borrow, or steal those items and you have to figure that into the cost of the job.

 

Edit to ask;

 

Your not feeling any of this wobble in the steering wheel? Where are you feeling it? Just curious.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Downeast Johnny (see edit history)

[jon1178]

I have the tools and I am more than capable of doing the work myself. I figure $300 and not having to get dirty was pretty much a no brainer. Considering that the parts would cost me about $175 and the alignment another $89.

[Downeast Johnny]

I have the tools and I am more than capable of doing the work myself. I figure $300 and not having to get dirty was pretty much a no brainer. Considering that the parts would cost me about $175 and the alignment another $89.

 

Sounds like you've got it figured out.

[Guero005]

Just fixed my shaking and wobbling over the weekend I replaced tie rods bolts and tie rod ends along with pitman and idler arms $800 later.

[jon1178]

All the those parts are only about $225 from amazon. That is for Moog parts. They must have raped you in labor charges.