What could be wrong with my dad's truck?

Question

Hey guys. My dad has been having problems with his truck. He has taken it to a few places and they can't figure out what is wrong. It's at a shop now and they have driven it for three days and the problem isn't happening.

He has a 1994 Ford F150 with a V8 engine. When he drives it the truck shimmies or feels like it's wobbly. It's not the alignment. The brakes were checked and they are fine. The shop is thinking it might be the rear axle. It obviously doesn't do it all the time but when it happens it feels like the tires are going to fall off.

Any ideas because none of the mechanics can figure it out. My dad does not want to drive it because he doesn't feel safe driving it and I don't blame him.

Thanks so much for any help!

Answer 1

If the truck has a carrier bearing in the middle of the drive-shaft, that could be a problem.  Or the u-joints could be bad.  Or even the drive-shaft might be out of balance.

Answer 2

Does it only shake at certain speeds? A drive shaft (prop shaft) imbalance can feel quite unnerving at times.

Give it a try. Good luck

Answer 3

check the universal joints in the drive shaft..sometimes it's hard to tell ...but they could be bad...

Answer 4

Have your dad go back to a Ford Dealer and have them check the drive shaft AND the rear axel. Also check the lug nuts on each tire to make sure they're not worn to where it will cause the tire to fall off .

Answer 5

first alignment dont casue shaking much unless there is a real bad part which would  be easy to find or see... tires most likey bad but then you say it dont do it all the time... id bet there is a bad part on the front end some where.. you could try whiching tires a round .. does it happen at one  speed and then all of a suden it start s to shake is in the front end

Answer 6

I think its the drive shaft.

Answer 7

Get it into a good chassis shop, aka alignment shop.  

Starting with the letter "Z", call the alignment shops in the phone book and ask for an appointment.  The one with the longest wait will be the best shop.  Take it to them.  My alignment shop can't schedule an appointment within 30 days, that's how good they are.

They'll be able to tell you if it's an idler busing, a strut bushing, a u-joint, a control arm bushing, a ball joint or some other kind of chassis issue.

If all else fails, you can always replace the blue oval with a black bow-tie.  Works every time!

Answer 8

Honestly it could be the surface or "road" that he is driving on and that may be why the mechanics cannot figure it out. Tell your dad to drive the truck with the mechanic in with him and drive on the roads that the wobbling happens on. It could also be tire pressure, tread wear or all of the above with alignment problems...!

Answer 9

Well my dads minivan had a similar problem to that not long ago:

HIS problem was,

the tires were not balanced correctly on the rims, and past about 50 miles per hour it would make it shake like mad.

I would say to get that checked ASAP, and if thats not the issue, then it may be a bad universal joint or bad bushings in the suspension.

Answer 10

Better take it to another shop that can find the problem>

As your not dreaming the problem>When it happens is steering wheel moving> Or is it coming from the rear of the truck>They don't think it's a problem that why there in business find the issue> Something is warn>