2013 XLT wobble at low speeds?? Can't seem to figure it out.

[roveer]

I just bought a 2013 XLT with 78k miles. Very clean vehicle. At slow speeds 20-25mph it seems like there is a slight up and down wobble. Enough to make your arm move. Frequency almost matches a single tire rotation (best guess). Doesn't seem to happen all the time, but definitely can feel something is a bit off. While it's still under the dealer used car warranty 1month 1k miles, I'd like to figure it out. I'm thinking the following:

Unbalanced tires?
Rim out of round?
Bent Axle?
Wheel Bearing?

We only got the truck yesterday and It's cold and snowy so I haven't had a chance to start looking, but I'm wondering if someone might have any insight into this. It's a very strange issue that I can't say I've every felt before. I own a 06 explorer with 306k miles, but that's on a truck frame, not unibody. Car fax was very clean with no accidents.

Any ideas?

Roveer

 

[peterk9]

The first things I would check are wheel balance and alignment. Then go from there. Found these using the handy 'Search' feature (upper right).

Wobble in steering at low speeds

2014 Explorer Sport with 52k. Still on stock Hankook tires. I recently had the control arms replaced with OEM parts and then the rear hydro bushing with a Moog part. Put 500 miles on the car and no issues. Yesterday, I noticed that the steering wheel would wobble slightly around 40-50mph...

www.explorerforum.com

2013 XLT wobble at low speeds?? Can't seem to figure it out.

I just bought a 2013 XLT with 78k miles. Very clean vehicle. At slow speeds 20-25mph it seems like there is a slight up and down wobble. Enough to make your arm move. Frequency almost matches a single tire rotation (best guess). Doesn't seem to happen all the time, but definitely can feel...

www.explorerforum.com

Low speed, huge wobble.

This all started when I went to go get an alignment because the camber was so bad the tires wore un-eavenly. They told me they couldn't do the alignment because my lower control arm bushing was bad. So I bought a new control arm for the front driver side. I took off the old control arm and...

www.explorerforum.com

Peter

 

[94Eddie]

I just bought a 2013 XLT with 78k miles. Very clean vehicle. At slow speeds 20-25mph it seems like there is a slight up and down wobble. Enough to make your arm move. Frequency almost matches a single tire rotation (best guess). Doesn't seem to happen all the time, but definitely can feel something is a bit off. While it's still under the dealer used car warranty 1month 1k miles, I'd like to figure it out. I'm thinking the following:

Unbalanced tires?
Rim out of round?
Bent Axle?
Wheel Bearing?

We only got the truck yesterday and It's cold and snowy so I haven't had a chance to start looking, but I'm wondering if someone might have any insight into this. It's a very strange issue that I can't say I've every felt before. I own a 06 explorer with 306k miles, but that's on a truck frame, not unibody. Car fax was very clean with no accidents.

Any ideas?

Roveer

I recommend getting the wheels road force balanced. This might solve your issue and will determine if there is a problem with a tire and/or rim. I am a big fan of road force balancing and it has solved a lot of wheel related vibration issues for me. It has also ruled out a problem being tire/rim related. Around my area it costs about $25 per tire for SUVs.

 

[roveer]

Thanks for the input. I just realized there are no balancing weights on these tires. Unlike my much older Explorer there no lip to install weights on. I'm assuming they are on the inside of the tire?

 

[94Eddie]

Thanks for the input. I just realized there are no balancing weights on these tires. Unlike my much older Explorer there no lip to install weights on. I'm assuming they are on the inside of the tire?

Probably. The are stuck to the inside of the rim and are square and very flat.

 

[peterk9]

Thanks for the input. I just realized there are no balancing weights on these tires. Unlike my much older Explorer there no lip to install weights on. I'm assuming they are on the inside of the tire?

As 94Eddie mentioned, they are on the inside. Some have them attached to the inside rim and on my 2017 Platinum they looked like they were magnets attached to the flat inside part of the wheel.

Peter

 

[Gary Crist]

Check the right rear tire for separation or out of round etc.
Usually one "hides" the bad tire on RR.........

 

[roveer]

Check the right rear tire for separation or out of round etc.
Usually one "hides" the bad tire on RR.........

I'd actually be happy to know that it is a tire or balance. I am concerned that it's something more. Probably going to be a while before I can work on this. I just doesn't stop snowing around here, so this might push into springtime.

Roveer

 

[03WIExplorerLtd]

I'd actually be happy to know that it is a tire or balance. I am concerned that it's something more. Probably going to be a while before I can work on this. I just doesn't stop snowing around here, so this might push into springtime.

Roveer

Get them balanced road force.

 

[94Eddie]

Get them balanced road force.

I agree. Road force balancing will definitively tell you if there are any issues with the tires and rims. I have this done on all my vehicles and it has solved many vibration issues for me.

 

[Gary Crist]

Balance will in most cases, not be a problem at the low speed of
20-25 MPH. This is why I suggested a separated tire (belts inside
the tire have come "un-glued"). A bulge forms and one feels the wobble
in the seat for rear and a pull and slow back and forth of the steering wheel.

 

[BoMan]

I recommend getting the wheels road force balanced. This might solve your issue and will determine if there is a problem with a tire and/or rim. I am a big fan of road force balancing and it has solved a lot of wheel related vibration issues for me. It has also ruled out a problem being tire/rim related. Around my area it costs about $25 per tire for SUVs.

I had the same issue a few months ago. 2015 Explorer Sport with low 60,000 miles. Original tires on vehicle when purchased the Explorer new. Took vehicle in for what I thought was an alignment problem. Had wobble when driving at low speeds primarily through a parking lot. No issues at higher speeds. Turned out to be the front passenger tire had large bubble and separation. Replaced all four tires and has been fin since. Dealership even had a cashback deal on the purchased of four tires.