Seriously need help with "swaying" after new tires/wheels

[Phrekkle]

Okay Guys I really need some help here....

Stats:

00 Exp Sport 4x2

Put 16x7 wheels with Yokohama Geolander 255/70/16s on before leaving to drive cross country (moved).

Midway through the journey SWISH SWISH BOOM!

Right rear tire blew...shredded

Exp fell of the piddly jack TWICE before the wrecker came to lift it up and get the spare on....(almost rolled down an embankment)....landed on the brake thingy (sorry can't remember if its a hub, drum, rotor, or what)

It was a total nightmare....

Got to WalMart and they put a proper size Wally tire on (hey it was Sunday in the middle of NOWHERE!)

I couldn't drive it over 50 the rest of the trip because it vibrated so much (and I was still shaken up pretty bad).

Finally got to where we were headed and had a new yokohama put on and all balanced.

Now it still vibrates a little (alignment is in check)

But the big problem is the "swaying"....it doesn't seem to want to stay in the road.

FYI I also had Monroe sensa-tracs put on at the same time as the tires/wheels.

I'm scared to death to drive my "baby" and am ready to sell it....but maybe there is another problem and I just need to fix it to feel safe again.

Any help would be amazing!

PS The reason my tire blew---FAULTY VALVE STEM!!!

 

[Critical_Level2]

you mentioned it fell off the jack onto the brake rotor (95-up have rear brake rotors). This could have damaged your rotor, is the vibration coming from that area where it fell? In a rare case it could have bent your rear axle when it fell. One idea would be to take it to a shop you trust, tell them what happened, and have them inspect the area that hit the grounnd when the truck fell. It could be as simple as just replacing a brake rotor if that was all that was damaged when it fell off the jack.

 

[Phrekkle]

Thanks for the reply I thought the same thing because it had smacked the pavement with a pretty good thump both times....but then our biggest concern at the time was it almost falling over on my husband and then down about fifty feet into a river with our pets inside

I asked the wrecker guy when he came and he did a quick scan and assured us it "looked" fine (I could have kissed him anyway for rescuing us from the nightmare!)

After I got it home I had my shop look it over, and when the new tire came in they got it up and went over it again. They assure me its just fine...

Its not really coming from that end, kind of just a light shimmy and the "swaying".

Now the rear axle is a different story....How could I tell if its bent?

Also its seems awfully swooshy now, like more easily moved when sitting still and either pushed from the outside, or when I'm sitting in traffic and others are passing at 30mph+....just like when the tractors whizzing past at 70 and it fell off the jack

Anyhow, thanks for the reply again, I really appreciate it

Phrekkle

 

[performancenut]

As a general rule, don't take the "wrecker guy's opinion" too seriously. But, for your safety and security, get to a good alignment and suspension shop. There are many factors to cause your problem; could the failure have been due to the continued existing problem? A badly manufactured wheel out of true round? An offset or spacing 0of the new rims that is inappropriate?

Good luck. Don't risk your spouse or pets until you get some more answers.

 

[Phrekkle]

Thanks for your reply I'm taking it down again just to see if they can find anything at all

 

[Critical_Level2]

A quick thought, maybe the leafsprings took a hit, If they are out of whack, it could cause swaying.

 

[Phrekkle]

I thought I would mention how it fell and how far....after getting it up about 6 inches a semi flew past and the wind from it made the exp wiggle and down it went...this happened twice from about 6 or so inches up. (we were sitting a frog's butt hair off the freeway).

Okay so what exactly are leaf springs (sorry, I don't know a whole lot about the inner workings of my ride )

I've heard of them and think I know what they are, but where do I look and what am I looking for?

Thanks a million Critical

Phrekkle

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

The leaf springs are what connects the differential to the chassis. On your Sport, they are a single "leaf" crossing behind the rear wheel. CriticalLevel is correct in that a spring related part may be broken and not be obvious, or something else out of whack that's not apparent. Try pushing down on all four ends and see if it's "looser" at one corner than another.

I also have a 2000 Sport, and the best thing I've added to mine is an Explorer Express rear anti-sway bar. It really firmed up the handling, and made it much more stable in turns.

 

[Doug]

I highly doubt either the axle housing or leaf springs are in the slightest way damaged. It sounds like you have a broken sway bar link, if one of them broke which to do from time to time your truck would handle alot worse. As far as the truck falling off the jack the only thing that would probably be damaged is the rotor and possibly the wheel studs and maybe the caliper bracket but I doubt it, six inches isn't that far. Take it to a shop, ask them to inspect the rear brakes and suspension for anything amiss. My money is on a brokenm front sway bar link and thats about it.