Truck shaking?

TMFGO45 · Aug 20, 2011

It's me again. With yet another problem.

Our truck is vibrating/shaking what feels like side to side to me. What could be the cause of something like this, shocks....king pins....alignment? Is the side to side feeling a specific indicator? Easy/cheap to diagnose?

We are delivering a load to Toledo Ohio, so if anyone know a really good, and non costly location to have this checked, please let me know.

Thanks everyone.

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EASYTRADER · Aug 20, 2011

Cuped tires does that. Also out of balanced tires. Muddy rims. Bubbled tire treads loose tie rods worn suspension shackles.

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TeamCaffee · Aug 20, 2011

Does you shaking happen at a certain speed? While braking? Does the shaking happen all over the truck, through the seat of the truck, or through the steering wheel?

paullud · Aug 20, 2011

I just had the same problem in the van, it just happened all of a sudden, it turned out the steel belts shifted in one of the tires.

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ttruck · Aug 20, 2011

sounds like a belt has let go in a tire.

greg334 · Aug 20, 2011

There are a few places that you can to in Toledo.

Scotts off of Alexis on the north side and there is a tire shop south of the turnpike on the road that turns into I280 on the south east side.

Sounds like a bad tire.

JUST to add to it, if you had brake work done recently, you may have a warped drum which will do the same thing when you apply the brakes.

FREE TO FAIL · Aug 20, 2011

toledo spring at the pilot exit. Have also had that problem when inner wheel weight comes off. Befor you spend any big money spin balance the tires see how much they are out. Had a driver spend 560 dollars on front end work when the whole time it was the unbalanced tire.

movercash · Aug 20, 2011

I was just suffering from shaky truck syndrome too. Had to have bent tierod replaced then front tires switched from side to side.

TMFGO45 · Aug 20, 2011

The shaking happens the most at speeds of around 45 to 55. But noticeable at other speeds.
It also seems to be worse sometimes, and then get better at others. The shaking is felt through the whole truck, seats, and through the wheel. It actually makes a rattling sound in the steering wheel when it is bad.
I'm just going to have to have it checked asap.

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Desperado · Aug 20, 2011

could also be a bad u joint

greg334 · Aug 20, 2011

Desperado, I thought about too.

I discovered when my truck was towed, they put the drive shaft back on I had a really odd vibration. I had to take the driveshaft off and put in back on 180 degrees.

RETIDEPXE · Aug 20, 2011

As noted could be a lot of things, but try the cheaper stuff first. My Mich steers w/ 160k miles started bouncing after hitting bumps and shaking the wheel. Turns out the weights were gone on one side and the Centramatics couldn't overcome it. Had them rotated side to side (directional tires so dismount and mount) and balanced, six ounces on each wheel, rides smooth now.

If ever you roll a steer aluminum off a large enough curb without intermittently stopping on the way off the curb to avoid all the weight of the truck transferring to that wheel, chances are the wheel is bent. If hub pilot, most are, try sliding a business card between each hub finger and the wheel to check.

I read on some tire manufacturer site to center a wheel on a hub pilot, about half tighten a couple lug nuts side by side at top, rotate wheel 180 degrees and then tighten all. Not perfect and I have never seen a tech do it this way. I purchased some lug nuts, 3 each side with raised lips on the inside that center the wheel on the hub. Like true balance sleeves but cheaper. Valley Tire Co., Belle Vernon, PA. One of the best $106 installed I've ever spent.

TMFGO45 · Nov 8, 2011

I forgot to close out this thread with what the problem was. Left steer tire just went bad. Case closed. Go figure.

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Slacktide · Nov 8, 2011

RETIDEPXE said:
directional tires so dismount and mount) and balanced, six ounces on each wheel, rides smooth now.
.

Just a note on directional steers. Steer tires are only directional for the first 20-30k mi. After that they can be rotated side to side without dismount - mount.

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RETIDEPXE · Nov 8, 2011

Thanks Slacktide, good to know. I heard Kevin Rutherford say the same thing. Will save me some dollars rotating these new Michies.

davekc · Nov 8, 2011

Could be a tire or just a alignment issue. If the whole truck shakes, could be that the back end is out of alignment. If it is just the steering wheel, it is the front end.
If all else fails, go to a dealer that has a vis-check machine. They put probes all over the truck and run it. It picks up the source of vibration. One guy is driving the truck on the rack and the other is looking at a computer screen.
A whole lot cheaper than throwing money everywhere and not even knowing if you are fixing the problem.