[KevinsOffroad]

Hi Guys:
My truck rides like hell. It seems to studder and shake when I hit bumps in the road, more so in the front than in the rear. It almost seems like I'm bottoming out the suspension but without a loud "bang" due to the "shifty-ness" of the front end. Here's the details:

98k on my 2wd so far. Picked it up with 93k
- Replaced front shocks with Bilsteins
- Replaced rear shocks with MX6
- Running 40psi of pressure f/r
- Swapped out my front sway bar bushings with Energy greasables
- 265/75 Goodyear tires with fair amount of tread left
- No abuse to the truck that I can find underneath (very little dust/dirt collected behind body panels and the tail-lights, so I don't think it's been offroad much, if at all)

I'm wondering if there are some rubber parts on the 2wd that need to be replaced every few years or so. If so, can you guys tell me WHAT you changed out and what made the most difference? I have a shop with a hoist and can handle whatever needs to be done...I just don't know where to start since it just rides so badly. Part numbers? Any suggestions?

Thanks for anything that you can give me!

Very Sincerely,
Kevin

 

[DieselDeaf]

Ball joints are definite wear item. You know how to check them, right?

Also have a look at the mounts under the engine crossmember, where the I-beams attach to. I've seen a few of them come apart, mostly on ranch trucks though.

 

[babyarm]

[ QUOTE ]
Ball joints are definite wear item. You know how to check them, right?



[/ QUOTE ]


OK, I'll ask. How do you check your ball joints.

 

[BigJakeJ1s]

40 psi tire pressure seems a little low, try increasing to 55-60 psi. The door panel on my 2wd says 55 psi front, 70 psi rear, but I run 60 all around. Tires wear fine.

Andy

 

[KevinsOffroad]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Ball joints are definite wear item. You know how to check them, right?



[/ QUOTE ]


OK, I'll ask. How do you check your ball joints.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just jack up the front axle and put a jack stand under it, then "hip-test" it, by putting your hip against all four corners and shaking it slightly. If it's going to come down, much better to do so before you get under it, 'eh? Anyway, you need the tire about 4" off the ground. Grab the wheel at 12 and 6 o'clock and alternate pushing in and out with your left and right hands.

I checked mine when I put the new Bilstein shocks in, so it can't be that one mine.

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[KevinsOffroad]

[ QUOTE ]
40 psi tire pressure seems a little low, try increasing to 55-60 psi. The door panel on my 2wd says 55 psi front, 70 psi rear, but I run 60 all around. Tires wear fine.

Andy

[/ QUOTE ]

On my Excursion, the door sticker reads 38-45 psi. They were at like 70psi and the ride was AWFUL! I took them down to 55psi, and it was better, so I checked the door sticker and found that the factory calls for 38-45. At 40psi, it's WAY better than it was at 55.

Thanks for the suggestion. It really feels like there is just a bunch of loose crap under there moving around, rather than isolating the coil spring and making IT do all the work.

Kevin

 

[KevinsOffroad]

[ QUOTE ]
...Also have a look at the mounts under the engine crossmember, where the I-beams attach to. I've seen a few of them come apart, mostly on ranch trucks though.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll check that out...thanks for the suggestion. That's sort of what I was thinking it would be, frankly. At least that's what it feels like to me...the rubber bushings are shot or something.

Anyone else???

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[redneckmba]

Check your steering box for looseness. The looseness fells like a bad tie-rod end. But you will trace it to the steering box if there is slack in it. You may be able to adjust the pre-load adjustment to get rid of it. I have also had to replace the whole box (on a Bronco)

After running Ford trucks for years, I find that they usually need a pre-load adjustment a couple of time in their life as the steering box wears.

My F-250 had front end looseness at 40,000. Traced it to the box and adjusted it out.

 

[Dubco1]

Sounds like Ford is pulling the same crap on the Excursions as it did on the Explorer. Low recommended tire pressure verses the tires recommended pressure, to help ride quality. Sounds like an accident looking for a place to happen to me. These trucks are just to heavy to run 40 PSI in the front tires. Just my opinion from years of road racing and understanding tire flex verses pressure. Not that we are road racing our trucks, but an emergency lane change is not far from a hard corner on a road course. I will keep mine at 50 PSI and know that I have 4 tires firmly under my truck.

FOMOGO