Possible Hub Problem. 95 XLT 4.0

[Reidy]

Hi to all. I like forums like these, as I hate paying $30, $40, $50 per hour for labour and the marked up costs for parts and I thank all who help out to help others. I will take photos and do write ups when I start ripping my Ex apart for all to see.

I have recently purchaced a Ex 95 XLT 4.0 with 156K on it. This truck runs strong, has no accident history on the carfax.

The thing is, is that the front end kinda rocks from side to side very slightly. Rocks might be the wrong word, more like shimmys.

When driving it slowly you can feel the whole truck lightly moving side to side. This can also be felt and seen at the steering wheel. At speed it feels like the wheels need balancing.

There is also a light clunk going over bumps, but I know this will be the sway bar links, this is still an outstanding recall showing on the carfax, but I dont think this is the culprit.

Would I be right in thinking that this truck my have had a slide or bump into a curb (or something similar) hard enough to bend a hub out of true??

I also know the top ball joints are ok as I have checked these, though I have yet to jack it up to check the lowers.

I have been looking on these forums to see if anyone else had this kind of trouble, but they have not.

Any ideas??

 

[N1265]

I have never seen a bent hub , more probably a bent rim or a front brake caliper hanging up with possiable warped rotor.

Maybe even something as simple as a tire out of ballance...

 

[Reidy]

I know it's not a warped rotor, because the truck slows and stops smooth, and there is no pulsing at the peddle, and an out of balance wheele would only show it's self at speed, not when crawling at 10-15mph.

The bent rim, idea though is possible, I'll try putting the spare on (because I think it is just the front right wheel) and see how that goes.

 

[Reidy]

OK it's not a bent rim, and all the wheel bearings are good.

The drivers side front rotor does have a little warping, but I an not convinced that will be enough to make the steering wiggle in my hands without pressing the breaks. Also the drivers side lower ball joint has a little play, but it's less than an 8th of an inch, I have had much worse before changing them without causing anything like this.

I have another theory......either the tires sidewalls are REALLY shot (though they are not curb scrubbed) or, I found an almost empty cheap can of that tyre repair stuff in the rear storage compartment. If the truck was sat for a while before I bought it, could all that stuff have ran to the bottom of the tyre and pretty much set? Thats the only thing that I can think would upset the stearing SO much.

Any other ideas would be helpfull.

 

[N1265]

I have never dealt with that tire stuff but I would think it could be the cause.

How did you make out when putting the spare tire on ?

 

[Reidy]

I never got round to it in the end. I have had another friend who fixes cars tell me that the warped disk might be enough to make the steering move as it does.

He also said that the tires may be shot too. He has had belts go in the tire walls causing the same feeling.

Getting 4 new tires soon and changing all the rotors / pads out and getting the truck in for the stabliser rods / bushings to be done (free recall). I'm hoping to get the ball joint changed when I do the tires, SOOOOOO hopfully all should be well.

 

[Reidy]

Well, all the rotors and pads are changed, and now have alloy wheels (used ones so they don't look out of place) and fresh hoops.

I tried to change the lower ball joints, but they are NOT!!!! coming out. I really thought I was going to break something. I hired the tool from Advance and even with a 6' tube on the clamp to turn it, they went nowhere!

The sheer amount of pressure we applied took the slack up the slightly worn joint though, so it will give me time to save my pennies for new control arms instead. (Ebay :biggthump ) I don't have a second car to fall back on or I would take off the control arms and just burn out the ball joints at work. (I'm a fabricator/welder/machinist/mechanic)

I found out that the ballast in the tail gate is shot too, so that has been ordered, and should be arriving shortly.

Ex drives nice now with the new hardware though. Still has a bit of a rattle from the stabalizer rod bushings, which I still have to get Ford to sort out.

So thats where it is at right now.