2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Left front severe hopping on highway

[KPfeiffer]

When I go over a bump or uneven piece of highway my left front hops so bad I have to slow down to 3 to 5 miles per hour to stop it. The truck also pulls to the left when braking and tends to steer left. I did a full brake job 2 months ago and just had the truck aligned since it was steering left and the tires rotated. It just started to do this. The hop is pretty severe it is like being in a minnie earthquake. I have taken the truck to 2 garages that I use for our other cars and everything on the front end is tight and appears good. Anyone with any ideas.

 

[cojhl2]

Don't know for sure what causes the hop to start, but there is no doubt in my mind if you have to slow to 5mph before it stops you have a damper problem.



I would take a good look at that shock. The shock would not cause a left bias steering though. You must have multiple probs.



Time to get it to a steering alignment place!

 

[McLaughlin]

Did the problem start occurring after the tire rotation? If so, you might have a really bad tire coupled with a bad/marginal shock.

 

[JPittinger]

Welcome to the Death Wobble club; unfortunately there are lots of members and lots of causes. Here are a few things that helped mine: track bar with ZERO play (I used Thuren's), max caster regardless of what the alignment shop said, new control arm bushings, new steering stabilizer, and E-rated tires.



As far as braking and steering: Did you remove and grease the caliper pins so it floats left/right easily?



Fill out your signature so we know what you're driving.



-JJ

 

[RChesney]

I haven't experienced any "death wobble or hop", but read plenty of posts about it. A suggestion would be to have the brake job rechecked. I just went through a nightmare with my '98 QC 4x4 after a brake job. Shop replaced calipers, pads and within a week, I stepped on the brakes and the pedal went to the floor. Fortunately, it happened when I was only going about 20mph coming to a stop sign and I managed to jam my foot to the radiator so to speak and get stopped. Brake shop was a block away so back I went. Turned out they installed the left front caliper wrong and it kinked and broke my brake line dumping all the fluid.



They fixed that problem, two new brake lines and fluid (no cost, what a deal). After another week, it started pulling to the left when stopping but not all the time. At freeway speeds it was exciting to say the least since sometimes it pulled left and sometimes not. Back to the shop again and they found one caliper that was bad. Replaced both calipers and new pads again, now it's fine.



Think I'll do mine myself from now on, but it could be something to check. Usually when something is worked on and a problem develops after, it was more than likely caused or amplified by the work done from my experience.

 

[RBrosel]

I had the same problem with a Ford TD, replaced shocks no help. Finally found a good front end guy and he told me the tires were done, bingo, that was it. I thought there was more miles in the tires but I was wrong, first time.

 

[KPfeiffer]

Thanks

Thank You everyone I have received alot of great info and I now have a lot of work to do.



Thanks Keith

 

[TAbbott]

I think your problem could be diagnosed just by jacking up the left front and spinning the wheel/tire assembly. My bet is that the tire is either out of round and unbalanceable (a belt serparation perhaps) or the rim is bent. The shock is probably shot too as a result of overwork from trying to control the above.