Main IndexAuto Repair Home Search Posts SEARCH
POSTS
Who's Online WHO'S
ONLINE
Log in LOG
IN









Search Auto Parts

Steering wheel shake and vehicle bounce - all of a sudden


  Email This Post



Jtrail79
New User

Jul 28, 2016, 2:46 PM

Post #1 of 6 (1729 views)
Steering wheel shake and vehicle bounce - all of a sudden Sign In

Newbie here so take it easy on me. I have an 2002 dodge Dakota, quad cab, 4x4 with the 5.9 with 200k miles. A family member gave me the truck and I drove it 400 miles home yesterday. The truck ran fine. Today I go to the bank and upon my return the steering wheel starts shaking violently. Soon as I exit the highway the steering wheel continues to shake but then my truck started bouncing in the front. I am pulling the wheels off tomorrow to take a look but wanted to see if anyone has experienced this in effort to give me some tips. Thanks in advance.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Jul 28, 2016, 3:50 PM

Post #2 of 6 (1723 views)
Re: Steering wheel shake and vehicle bounce - all of a sudden Sign In

May I suggest not using this truck until it's checked out in full now? 200K or 1/2 that it needs checking out for road worthiness and what it will take or since a gift if you wish to at all or at least know what it would take to put it in order.


Clearly it's not safe for road use right now.


Newbie or not see what you can find or get some help to just report what you find all around. Right now you could (can only guess now) lose total control of if all at once anytime so strongly say don't use it on roads yet again till known,


Tom



Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jul 28, 2016, 4:37 PM

Post #3 of 6 (1721 views)
Re: Steering wheel shake and vehicle bounce - all of a sudden Sign In

Before you go taking anything apart, jack up the front wheels and spin the tire looking for a distortion as it spins. It sounds like you have either a loose wheel or a tire with a belt separation.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Jtrail79
New User

Jul 29, 2016, 8:50 AM

Post #4 of 6 (1706 views)
Re: Steering wheel shake and vehicle bounce - all of a sudden Sign In

Jacked up the front end and checked for play North, South and east and west. No play North to south. 1/4" play East and west. Ball joint boots look old but no tears. Wheel was on tight. Not out of round either. What I believe is the rack and pinion, I am able to twist clockwise and counter clockwise 1/2". Not sure if that is normal or not.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jul 29, 2016, 11:43 AM

Post #5 of 6 (1699 views)
Re: Steering wheel shake and vehicle bounce - all of a sudden Sign In

None of that stuff is what I asked you to do.

With the wheels in the air spin the tire while someone watches it from the front and watches for any section of the tread that is lumpy or jumping while it spins.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Jtrail79
New User

Jul 29, 2016, 1:43 PM

Post #6 of 6 (1695 views)
Re: Steering wheel shake and vehicle bounce - all of a sudden Sign In

My "not out of round" comment, refers exactly to what you asked me to do.






  Email This Post
 
 


Feed Button




Search for (options) Privacy Sitemap