Vibration at any speed - don't know what to do

[Rp930]

Having worked as a tech in a dealership I can tell you very few aftermarket wheels are as good of quality as a factory wheel. I have seen all four aftermarket wheels snapped off with only the wheel hub remaining. There are some scary parts out there.

I’m not saying they’re all bad but most of the time you get what you pay for.

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[SpaceRanger]

Having worked as a tech in a dealership I can tell you very few aftermarket wheels are as good of quality as a factory wheel. I have seen all four aftermarket wheels snapped off with only the wheel hub remaining. There are some scary parts out there.

I’m not saying they’re all bad but most of the time you get what you pay for.

Yeah, I get that. Which is why putting the factories back on or balancing just the wheel itself could eliminate some theories.

 

[chasvs]

If I can't recreate the vibration with the factory wheels and tires back on, I'm going to be at a loss for ideas. Only other thing I can think of is that I DO have a true out of round tire or bad tire, or one of the rims is bent. I've also tossed around the idea of taking the aftermarket wheels (off the truck) to my local shop, have them unmount the tires from wheels, balance the wheels separately, then remount tires, and then balance the tires on the wheels.

If you guys can't tell, I'm really hoping it's something as easy as a bad, out of round tire. Haha I hate dealing with my dealerships around here.

Have you mounted the Aftermarket wheels on different wheel positions ot see if anyting changes? Might help ID which one ( if any) are out of round or otherwise compromised.

 

[chasvs]

I'm almost positive that each hub surface is clean. I usually inspect each time I remove/mount wheels and tires because I'm always afraid of sandwiching debris in there, like dirt and rust, and other crap. But I'm going to remove them tomorrow and put the factory set back on and take it for a run and I'll look again and check each rotor for weights.

@Rp930 & @chasvs Yeah, I'm going to put my factory wheels and tires back on tomorrow and do some road testing.

When I mentioned Hubs, I was speakig of a potential Bearing or other cause of a vibration. Shocks, spring mounts etc. Lots of pieces connect there that could cause a vibration.

 

[Zaph]

Assuming you don't have that rotor balance weight issue I mentioned before, a wheel runout test is pretty easy to do. It's even somewhat valid if done while mounted to your hub. Just jack up the front, fix the runout gage and see what you have.

Other possible issues: maybe you have a bead that's not fully seated on the rim. Follow the little ridge in the rubber all the way around the wheel and make sure it's the same distance away from the wheel lip. If that little ridge seems to tuck closer to the wheel at one spot, break the bead, lube it and reseat with high PSI.

 

[ColoRanger]

Put the whole thing on jack stands, throw it in 4wd to get all wheels spinning and put it in gear and get up to the lowest speed you have ever noticed it at. See if anything starting shaking or shuttering and where?
If it’s a wheel issue it will most likely show loaded and unloaded. Tire...may only show when under load.

 

[deton8r]

If the vibration isn't there with the stock wheels/tires, you might want to get some hub centric rings to ensure the new aftermarket wheels are truly centered when you torque down the lug nuts. They aren't too expensive.

Do the aftermarket wheels use tapered lug nuts?

 

[Bob]

So, when I got my truck, I had a very slight, almost unnoticeable vibration at highway speed. To me, it seemed as if a tire was ever so slightly out of balance. I had the factory 18" wheels and tires rebalanced at the dealership and even though they stripped the weights and started fresh, said that they were spot on. Fast forward to about a two months ago, I purchased and installed brand new 17" fifteen52 wheels with 265/70 Falken Wildpeaks. Once installed, the vibration was accentuated so bad that it felt as if I was rolling around on ovals. I went ahead and installed hub-centric rings to match our bore spacing (106mm to 93mm) just to be sure. It may have been a placebo effect, but it felt as if the rings took out maybe 50% of the vibration. But the vibration is still there and it's still very noticeable. It was almost unbearable on a 500 mile trip my wife and I took on the interstate to Chicago. It definitely also feels like it's coming from the rear, although I can't tell if it's coming from one side or not. Also, it tends to smooth out some, then come back, smooth out, come back. I'm about to throw the factory wheels and tires back on, see if I can recreate the vibration and then take it to the dealership. I don't know if the larger tire size was making the original vibration worse or if it's a whole new issue, like a bad or out of round tire. I've had the new tires balanced 3 times by 3 different shops and they all said they were spot on. Has anybody experienced anything at all like this?

I have the same problem, vibration at all speeds, sometimes worse than others. I was a Auto Mechanic, Sr to one of the largest energy companies in the east, for 38 years, now retired. I have dealt with dealerships many occasions. The standard phrases are THEY ALL DO THAT or I DON"T FEEL ANYTHING. So, I'm Working on the problem myself. Tires & wheels - fine. Took the driveshaft and had the balance checked - fine. The driveshafts in these Rangers are manufactured with yokes on the rear tube about 15 degrees out of phase. Thought this might cause the problem, so I set the rear axle on jack stands with the wheels about 2 inches off the floor, blocked the front wheels, Made sure the truck was in 2 wheel drive, and started and put it in drive and mounted my GoPro an focused on the driveshaft & carrier bearing. They were steady and true. No problem. Drove the truck for 43 minutes with the GoPro still installed. everything steady & true. Back at the garage I put it back on jacks running and in gear. laid my hand on the transmission & that's were the vibration is. It can be felt in the transmission & transfer case. I have 3,434 miles on the truck. I now have to go to the dealership, so they can say THEY ALL DO THAT or I DON'T FEEL ANYTHING.

 

[Jwarner]

Going through the same thing with mine. Plus hesitating from the engine. The hesitating only got worse with 93 octane. Still no codes, and a dealership that agrees there is a problem , but can’t do anything without a code.
I’ve got a ticket in with Ford, very hopeful this can be resolved. I like the truck, but can’t live with with these issues. My cobra ran better with a broken valve spring.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Going through the same thing with mine. Plus hesitating from the engine. The hesitating only got worse with 93 octane. Still no codes, and a dealership that agrees there is a problem , but can’t do anything without a code.
I’ve got a ticket in with Ford, very hopeful this can be resolved. I like the truck, but can’t live with with these issues. My cobra ran better with a broken valve spring.

Hi James,

The dealer should be able to evaluate this vibration independently of the engine... Do they think this vibration is engine related? Need much more input from you on this vibration...what speeds...always there from a stop through cruising? Only on accel? Only on Decel... My decoder ring does not work from this far without a very detailed explanation...what mods have you done? Wheels and tires? Stock configuration.

Wish I could help more, but need a better picture of where you and the Ranger are in this process of diagnostics.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[Jwarner]

Phil,

The only thing that I’ve done to the truck is a bed mat, cover and bug deflector.
The vibration is at highway speeds, no real change between acceleration or deceleration. I’m sure it’s in the driveline, but the “truck is not through a code so we can’t find a problem with your truck” is what the dealership was saying. I had the truck in 3 times before the hesitation started. Took the truck in another 3 times. The last time they just balanced the tires. Keep getting the scripted speech . Mind you me and the sales manager are friends, I’ve known him for years. I had reached out to him and basically told him I’m ready to leave this truck on the lot and walk away!!! He begged me to reach out to Ford and get a ticket going. Because it’s warranty work without a code, Ford has to approve exploratory diagnostics.
Sorry back to the hesitation. This hesitation is all the way through the RPM range. It is really pronounced at above 2500rpm’s. It feels like an injector is not working properly. Kind of like duel carbs not balanced. This is also accentuated by the trans slip, to accommodate the2nd gear skip.
I agree that they should be able to find and fix these issues. They need a mechanic not a technician that only reads a computer screen.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Phil,

The only thing that I’ve done to the truck is a bed mat, cover and bug deflector.
The vibration is at highway speeds, no real change between acceleration or deceleration. I’m sure it’s in the driveline, but the “truck is not through a code so we can’t find a problem with your truck” is what the dealership was saying. I had the truck in 3 times before the hesitation started. Took the truck in another 3 times. The last time they just balanced the tires. Keep getting the scripted speech . Mind you me and the sales manager are friends, I’ve known him for years. I had reached out to him and basically told him I’m ready to leave this truck on the lot and walk away!!! He begged me to reach out to Ford and get a ticket going. Because it’s warranty work without a code, Ford has to approve exploratory diagnostics.
Sorry back to the hesitation. This hesitation is all the way through the RPM range. It is really pronounced at above 2500rpm’s. It feels like an injector is not working properly. Kind of like duel carbs not balanced. This is also accentuated by the trans slip, to accommodate the2nd gear skip.
I agree that they should be able to find and fix these issues. They need a mechanic not a technician that only reads a computer screen.

Hi James,

The vibration sounds like driveline. If you are handy, you could drop the rear axle attachment to the companion flange and rotate the driveshaft 90° and see if this makes a change...It likely will not help, but might make a change. There is a backyard way to balance a driveshaft using hose clamps that is time consuming but can be effective. If the dealer is up to it, swap the drivelines between two vehicles and see if the problem moves with the driveshaft or stays with the vehicle as a start Should be paid for under warranty...

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[WhiteBeastRangerNick]

Hi James,

The vibration sounds like driveline. If you are handy, you could drop the rear axle attachment to the companion flange and rotate the driveshaft 90° and see if this makes a change...It likely will not help, but might make a change. There is a backyard way to balance a driveshaft using hose clamps that is time consuming but can be effective. If the dealer is up to it, swap the drivelines between two vehicles and see if the problem moves with the driveshaft or stays with the vehicle as a start Should be paid for under warranty...

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

I have the exact same issue with my truck, and I know another person with the exact same issue. I’ve had it at the dealership about 10 times for the issue and at other shops about 5 times, had my wheels balanced, road force test done, alignment done about 10 times. Ford will no longer work with me or do anything about it and they try to say it’s related to my lift or my aftermarket wheels/tires. Even though there’s a ton of threads with stock vehicles having the same issues. You engineers need to actually do something about this!! Keep ignoring the issue and you will get sued. The vibration is driving people nuts including myself.

 

[WhiteBeastRangerNick]

put it back to stock and see what happens

It had the issue before I lifted it but I no longer have my stock tires and wheels. Also I’m not going to spend the time it takes to swap everything back to stock just for Ford to tell me “It’s a characteristic of the truck” which is what everyone else with stock vehicles are being told with the same issue.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

I have the exact same issue with my truck, and I know another person with the exact same issue. I’ve had it at the dealership about 10 times for the issue and at other shops about 5 times, had my wheels balanced, road force test done, alignment done about 10 times. Ford will no longer work with me or do anything about it and they try to say it’s related to my lift or my aftermarket wheels/tires. Even though there’s a ton of threads with stock vehicles having the same issues. You engineers need to actually do something about this!! Keep ignoring the issue and you will get sued. The vibration is driving people nuts including myself.

It would be my recommendation to find another dealer with the NVH analysis equipment. I get the feeling you pissed off the dealer so might be better to softpedal your approach at the new dealer.

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