F350 Vibration
 

Fixxxxer - hopefully you can help me out again (or anyone else).

2000 F350 Dually 4x4 7.3. 108k on it.

Had an occasional strange noise in the front end (grinding). Been followed up during my latest 500 miles with some occasional vibration like you are hitting grated road, or the "fall asleep strips".

Research indicates needle bearings in the front hub assembly or possibly the occasional sticking Auto-Hub.

Any thoughts?

I haven't gotten to lift it up yet and shake it around to see if there is any play. To my knowledge there has been no front end work other than one ball joint on the right side.

108k ball joints and wheel hubs. The straight axles are ball joint eating sobs.

agree.. in 05 that changed..

Is it an Automatic?

The noise is the wheel bearing/hub assembly. Ball joints I can not believe they are any good unless they have been replaced.

It is the needle bearings. I just did mine. I had the same problem, felt like you were running over rough road. You can check it by turning your 4wd knob to 4wd while you are going and it is vibrating. It should stop. I replaced the needle bearings in the drivers side and the whole hub on the passenger side. This was done at 110,000 miles. My ball joints are still good.

They are a one piece assembly but you can get just the needle bearings. I got mine at carquest and the hub assembly online, supposedly it has a life time warranty.

Oh yea mine is a 2002.

I had bearings, hubs, and ball joints done on mine around 100K miles.

If this is what you determine is wrong, let me know. My buddy in FL saved me over 50% on the bearings which were the most expensive parts.

Thanks guys....

The Pass ball Joint has been replaced. I won't replace the drivers side until it begins the tell-tale Clunk.

I'll pull it apart next weekend and do the bearings.....

Hey Brian - I think the Needle Bearings are only about 15 bucks a piece......

I think the Hubs are quite a bit more...

yeah, if you are 2wd the bearings are cheap. unless really loose i would not assume intermittent vibrations. are you feeling it in the wheel or in the seat. if its comming and going and you felt it in the seat i would take a look at the carrier bearing.

if you are 4wd the front bearings are not servicable. they must be replaced as a unit. and they are anywhere from $300 to $150 for a assy. obvious that the 300 one is a factory. i would put it up on jackstands and run it in 4wd. set the cruise around your speed that you are hearing the noise and use a mechanic's stethascope and pinpoint the noise. no need to replace what's not broken. also offset wheels and big offroad tires are hard on these bearing sets. there are conversion kits to make them like the old spindle and needle bearing. i would reccomend that if you have aftermarket wheels and tires.

I was going to pull it apart and basically follow this write up:

http://www.guzzle7pt3.com/nblube.php

I just did my f250 for the same reason... It is an 05 250.....parts were outrageous. I beleive it was $1800 something and only like 300 labor, but it drives and turns much better. They redid my whole front end assembly at 138k

Sounds like wheel hub bearings to me. Mine acted similar on my Chevy 2500hd. You could feel the vibration more on smoother roads.

Just jack up the front end up and see if the wheel has any vertical movement. It almost feels like the entire wheel is loose.

BTW, mine were about $600 per side to fix at the dealer.