QuestionHello, I have a 2000 Ford F-150. I have a 6" suspention lift and a 3" Body lift. I am currently running 39" Pitbull tires. I lifted the truck about three years ago and the problem started about four months ago. I have a steady on/off bounce between 35 - 45mph. Everyone says that it happens when you lift a truck but I say it did not for the first 2 1/2 years. I have recently replaced the pitman arm, idler arm, inner tie rods, and upper and lower ball joints! The bounce is a little better but is still there! I have even had the tires trued. I have taken it to an alignment shop and they saind the front is perfectly straight and the bearings were still tight. Can you please help me, I'm all out of ideas.
AnswerAdam,
You have found the magic problem with large tires. Anytime you run 33" or larger tires, they are extremely hard to balance, especially after they get some wear. It's simply due to the weight, and size of the tire. You've done all of the right things to correct the problem.
I've heard of people trying a multitude of tricks to try to correct this problem, including putting a half dozen golf balls in the tires. The idea of this, is that when the tire starts bouncing/shimmying, they go to the side that needs the weight, therefore balancing the tire on the go. I haven't tried this myself, but some people swear by it.
My suggestion, is to see if you can find a shop that will spin balance your size tire, and have them balanced again. If this doesn't work, you can put on a double set of heavy duty steering stabilizers, and double shock the Ford.
Carl
