Something is not right..

[KNI]

Yesterday I noticed behavior change in the way the my Raptor drives. This morning I did a short trip to grocery store and confirmed that something is not right. I've not checked anything and got ~8 hours to speculate on the issue before I can do something about it. So why not speculate in here.

Symptoms seem to be rotational shock like hammering/shake, noticeable on pawed roads on speed over 60kmh (37mph+). After you notice it you can identify it on as low as 30-40kmh (25mph). No hammering/shake when going over gravel. Bumps and pot holes seem not to have any effect. Occasionally turning to left gives out slippage/lurch feeling. Symptoms seem to indicate something is wrong with the front right tire. Nothing seems to be wrong on quick glance.

So let's speculate what is the issue and what should I check:
- Tire is deflated
- Bolts are loose on the rim
- Lost weight on the rim (nah, slippage doesn't indicate this)
- Large rock lodged into thread
- Sidewall failure
- Camber angle failure (can't be toe in, car aligns in instant and goes straight if you let go of the steering wheel)

Any other speculations?

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[Markubis]

Hmmm....we've already seen one of the new Tremors missing a front needle bearing. Could this be another one?

 

[KNI]

is it in 4X4?

RWD.

Also tried on 4HI in the morning over gravel to check. No added noise or vibrations.

 

[KNI]

Hmmm....we've already seen one of the new Tremors missing a front needle bearing. Could this be another one?

I hope not.. Got 6000 miles now on the ODO.

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

My first guess was wheel weights - we’ve all seen that guy driving his minivan down the highway, seemingly oblivious to his out of balance front tire bouncing up and down like a jackhammer, right?

How about a faulty ABS sensor cycling on and off?

 

[Jason B]

RWD.

Also tried on 4HI in the morning over gravel to check. No added noise or vibrations.

Possible bad U-joint in rear or CV joint in front. Remember, the front axles are always turning, even when not in 4WD.

 

[KNI]

Didn't have time today to check anything. Will check tomorrow.

Reason for loss of time was that the grid operator hired some people to cut down trees under power wires (20kVA). No problem with that, it's their right anyway.

What is a problem is that they decided to fell some of the trees over a planted border hedge, flattening it to the ground and probably killing half of the plants. Similarly rest of them they felled over the 2m height planted bamboos. Flattening them also in the process. While they were at it they casually walked over the hedge and possibly killed the roots in the process.

Also stumps were 80cm at highest (~2.5 feet) without a felling notch, just a straight 45' cut. Like a bunch of amateurs taking random job.

Took some photos, cleared the trees over the hedge and assessed the damages. Tomorrow it's complain time.

 

[Scooter]

So people are having drive shaft vibration.

 

[Mustang2Ranger]

My first guess was wheel weights - we’ve all seen that guy driving his minivan down the highway, seemingly oblivious to his out of balance front tire bouncing up and down like a jackhammer, right?

How about a faulty ABS sensor cycling on and off?

What you described would be a blown shock, not wheel weights

 

[Chris M]

So people are having drive shaft vibration.

A few of us are, yes.

 

[KNI]

Solved.

Turned out to be pebble size rocks. Seems that when I gave way to a 40ton truck on 4 meter wide road (Raptor is 2,2m and the other was 2,4m) the material on the former ditch was these small pebbles. While the 50cm bed of pebbles allows water to flow freely on the former ditch, while providing support for anyone requiring the side, they seem to have a drawback. They're exactly the size which goes to general grabbers gooves and stick to there. I had hundreds of em in the front right and some on right back.

Practically messed up the wheel balance. Took a screwdriver and plugged most of them off. Odd that they're not cleared by the rotational force of the wheel (or I drive too slow).

 

[Markubis]

Wow that's crazy.
I remember my wife called me and said that her Escape was suddenly vibrating violently and it only happened when going at higher speeds.
When she got home I looked at the tires and then asked her "did you drive through a section of newly paved road?"
Her answer....yes
I then proceeded , I shit you not, to pull rope out of her longitudinal tire grooves and it was stuck in the grooves with road tar.
She somehow managed to tar and rope her tire. LOL

 

[Chris M]

Wow that's crazy.
I remember my wife called me and said that her Escape was suddenly vibrating violently and it only happened when going at higher speeds.
When she got home I looked at the tires and then asked her "did you drive through a section of newly paved road?"
Her answer....yes
I then proceeded , I shit you not, to pull rope out of her longitudinal tire grooves and it was stuck in the grooves with road tar.
She somehow managed to tar and rope her tire. LOL

She's got skills.
She's a keeper!

 

[KNI]

Wow that's crazy.
I remember my wife called me and said that her Escape was suddenly vibrating violently and it only happened when going at higher speeds.
When she got home I looked at the tires and then asked her "did you drive through a section of newly paved road?"
Her answer....yes
I then proceeded , I shit you not, to pull rope out of her longitudinal tire grooves and it was stuck in the grooves with road tar.
She somehow managed to tar and rope her tire. LOL

My wife only managed to paint the car tires and sides to yellow. Drove over double yellow lines which were being painted...

Luckily there was good wax on the sides so getting rid of the wax dropped the paint also. Mild solvent, good wash and re-wax and the body and rims were good to go...

Tires on the other hand were totally yellow for few thousand kilometers and the sidewalls were with yellow spots until the tire wore out.. She now understands why I'm not passing road painters

Wax your cars people.

 

[KNI]

there is sometimes a line they should not cross.......

I see what you did there..

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