Vibration in steering wheel

[superfestiva]

Hi:
I have a 99 XLT with 4x4. Yesterday my truck started to vibrate when turning either way either slowly or without moving. When doing this at higher speeds it won't do it. It's like vibrating not too rough and you feel like this popping low tone sound???!!!
In the morning I took the car to an alignment center and they checked the complete front end and nothing was wrong and tires are good. The truck was completely aligned and nothing was either missing or broken. The ball joints were replaced about two months ago. You can have the truck at 70-80mph and it goes completely straight.

Well, these guys told me to take it to a mech 'cause when you turn the steering wheel it feels as if the 4x4 is engaging? This is weird because wouldn't the 4x4low or 4x4auto lights turn on? Took it to Precision Tune Auto Care and they re-checked the front end, steering pump and tranny. They just called me and said that the T-CASE SHIFT MOTOR has gone bad? But it is engaging, so why this?

Please help...

 

[superfestiva]

Help? Anyone?

 

[Bigg_billy]

Well it could be the tie rod end, usually the passenger side. Jack up the front and see if you can move either wheel horizontally, the worn side should move.
Horizontal movement is tie rod ends, vertical movement is bearings. If everything seems tight, how long since you replaced tires, nearly worn out ones will cause the shake.

Bill

 

[superfestiva]

Well it could be the tie rod end, usually the passenger side. Jack up the front and see if you can move either wheel horizontally, the worn side should move.
Horizontal movement is tie rod ends, vertical movement is bearings. If everything seems tight, how long since you replaced tires, nearly worn out ones will cause the shake.

Bill

The complete front end was checked and was aligned. Tires were checked also (wear, pressure, etc.) and they are OK.
Funny thing is, the truck has not done this in a week...
Weird...

 

[Bigg_billy]

I would check the wheels as I said, horizontally and vertically for play. Not all "front end" shops are created equal...

 

[superfestiva]

I would check the wheels as I said, horizontally and vertically for play. Not all "front end" shops are created equal...

Yes, the front end was checked for play both ways. I was there when the tech was servicing the car and made sure he was checking vertical (bearing hub) and horizontal (tie rod) play. It had no play, no broken parts, had grease, etc.

 

[floydr007]

it sounds like you may have air in your PS lines. did you steer the wheel at all when the car was off, of have a brake job or anything recently? I had this exact same problem, and i drove around a parking lot basically at idle for about 15 minutes and steered as much as possible, and it worked the air out. I may be totally wrong in your case though, but good luck. You could try flushing the fluid too, and using some synthetic.

 

[superfestiva]

Bad news...the problem is there...again...
Happens specially while turning in reverse at very low speeds...now what it does new is that it makes a clunking sound and you feel it in the steering wheel...do the tie rods cause this?

Recently I checked the front end and the driver side tie rod had the plastic torn, it had no play but it was torn...I greased it just in case...
The ball joints were replaced recently and there is no vertical or horizontal play in the front end...bearing hubs or ball joints should be ok then...
I hear a very low clunk sound when passing through a speed bump...sometimes a low humm sound is heard like if it was the brakes...

HELP is appreciated...thanks guys...and girls...

 

[explrths]

sounds like half shaft cv joints. The only way i know to check em is to pull it apart and see if it rotates freely. I had a bad one, when i pulled it out i could barely make it move.

 

[superfestiva]

I just got home from another alignment shop and they only found that the right hand side stabilizer bar bushing is bad???...this may be the cause of the low clunk sound when I pass through speed bumps....the problem that they did not get was the vibration and the pull when steering the wheel while ir reverse
I am guessing that my problem has something to do with the steering pump?
Maybe there is air in the system? Maybe the fluid needs to be changed?
Oh man, please help...!!!

 

[LL]

This is quite the coincidence ! I havn't been on here for a while and was just about to come on here to pretty much post the exact same problem .
I just had my truck on stands because I was rotating tires and checking brakes . I replaced rear pads , and I did turn the steering wheel side to side with the truck off in order to check the backs of the calipers . I now have the exact simptoms you describe , almost but not quite like you're driving your truck in 4x4 on pavement at crawl speeds only and more pronounced in reverse and also noticed that my rpm goes from 750 to around 500 when stopped and crancking on the wheel .
Will turning the wheels while the truck is off allow air in the system ? I think Floyd is the one who brought this up ?

 

[LL]

Ok , took Floyd's advice and bleed the steering system . Lots of bubbles and foam later , all seems good