F250 Super Duty - front end bounces dangerously

We - through my work - purchased 8 Ford F-250 2006 Super Duty trucks. 4 drivers of 3 different trucks have come to me to relate that after hitting successive pot-holes, the front end would hop dangerously until vehicle speed was reduced down to a very slow speed – dangerous on a freeway... One F-250 actually changed lanes after encountering 2 pot-holes in a row, fortunately no one was in the adjacent lane or they would have been sent into the center divider. A second driver stated “they (2006 F-250 Super Duty) all do that”(I took him aside later to confirm this)… not good. A third driver of a 3rd F-250 SD – these are all different vehicles - related the vehicle bounced out of his control to the extent he pulled to the side of the highway and came to a full stop. He was dismayed by the vehicles violent reaction. He at first believed he had a blow-out of a front tire. Not so… there was no visible reason for the vehicles violent reaction to road irregularities. What is going on here? It appears Ford has inadvertently created a dangerous vehicle that needs remedial corrective measures… who at Ford needs to get involved? I personally took the first F-250 SD to the Davis Ford (California) dealership. They could not find anything wrong. They did state that the tire pressure should be 65 psi – front and rear - instead of the values on the door jam
I would be interested in other 2006 F-250 Super Duty Ford owner’s observations.

I also had the same terrible expireince I thought I was going to get killed on the Hiway . I have a 2005 250 super duty. I,m almost affraid to take it on the Hiway again . It only has 11,000 miles on it. But like you said the front end wears fine and everything else is tight.

The truck you have must be gas, I had same problem, Ford said that tire pressure needs to be 75, and that the gas models do not have the weight like the diesel units, when Towing i have not had that problem, also tell your drivers to lsow down under 70 when the hit the potholes

I have a 2005 F250 SD too. I know what you mean by the truck bouncing when hitting a pot hole, it's like the shocks are too stiff for the size truck. Althought... mine isn't really all that bad even when im towing a trailer on the highway doing 75-80. I have had it for a year brand new and thought about why these trucks react this way. A trucking company that I work for had bought brand new trailers and they had a problem with the trailers bouncing and swaying all over the road. They put chepper tires on the trailers and the problem was resolved. Also I drove a brand new tractor that handled like a dream until it got low on fuel then it bounced around until I filled it up. I noticed that with my 250 if I have a full tank it handles a lot better than if it is on 1/4 tank. I think that with the stiff suspention on theses trucks they unfortuntly always need some weight in them.

Go to the dealership. There is a technical service bulletin regarding this. The dealership tweaked my suspension and put on a steering damper. It made a big difference. Also if you put on adjustable shocks and put it on the sotest setting I have heard that this helps.

Yah know this sounds just like the problem I had on my 1950 Ford F1. Every thing was fine untill you hit a hole in the road then the whole front end would shake untill you slowed down or hit the brakes real hard. I just cant't think of why after all these years it is still a problem in Ford trucks.But here is how I solved it. Go to a truck offroad store and have them put on a steering damper on the tie rod. Problem solved. If it worked on my 1950 Ford truck I bet it will work on your new one too. I think Ford should do this at the factory on all trucks but I guess not.

You need to file complaints with the NHTSA. After they have a collection of similar complaints, they can be prompted to conduct a formal invesitgation and force ford to remedy.

NHTSA: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

I have had the same problem with my 2006 f-250 Super Duty. It has happend only once to me but I thought that I was going to crash. I was on the freeway and I had to pull over and come to a complete stop. Ford, of course, says that they know nothing about this problem.

CARL,
MINE DID THE SAME THING, ONCE WHEN I FIRST GOT IT THEN IT BECAME MORE FREQUENT, HAPPENING AT LEATS 8 TIMES SINCE. I HAVE 10,000 ON MINE NOW.
I WAS ON THE FREEWAY ALSO AND HAD TO PULL OVER TO, I DONT THINK ANYONE REALIZES HOW VIOLENTLY IT SHAKES.IT DEFINATLEY SCARES YOU! FORD NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS,START HERE AND THEN WRITE TO FORD.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

Is there a class action suit yet, because I'd like to join it. My 2005 does the same thing and aftrt putting 75 pounds of pressure in the tires I almost hit the car in front of me coming to a quick stop when muy anti-lock brakes kicked in on a rough dry road due to the excessive air pressure for a truck with no load in it.I dont think there is any fix short of a redesigned front end

My brother has a 2005 F250 SuperDuty. He got the violent front end shakes. Took it to the dealer, they replaced the steering damper shock, and that fixed it.

I have 2002 F250 SuperDuty. It is just now starting to shake at 93,000 miles. I am shopping for a new steering damper.

I also have that problem, and of course they can't find anything wrong but a nail in my tire(imagine that, a work truck with a nail causing me to lose control of the front end of my truck.).

although i was looking up leveling kits for my 05 f250 SD, and came across a "superlift technical bullitin 1/31/05"

NOTICE: shimmy problemon stock (2005 4WS F250, F350)- In stock condition, some trucks exhibit a slight steering wheel oscillation (a quick back and forth motion) immediately after the truck impacts a rough spot in the road surface. Ford offers a dealer-performed warranty "fix". Contact your Ford dealer. Using your VIN number, your Ford dealer can determine whether or not your truck is equipped with the new "tighter" steering box.

http://www.rockymountainsusp.com/fd4_05f2_350 ...

This is going to be the info that I bring to the dealership, and hope that once again I will be able to drive my son in his dads bad ass Truck.

hope it helps.

Also had front end shake with my 2002 F-250 4x4 (potholes, manhole covers, etc.., at 30-40 mph, new off of lot. Had no steering stabilizer (why? Dealer could not answer).Dealer installed stabilizer, front end shake stopped. Damaged stabilizer acouple of years later (fluid leaked out),skake started again. Replaced stabilizer, shake stopped.

I own a 06 f250 powerstroke. The day i purchased it I had a leveling kit and 35inch off road tires put on it. it drives and handles very smooth. For the size of the truck I am very impressed with the handeling. Of course its not the same as my 2005 f150 with a 8inch Fabtech lift and 37inch tires. That thing is smoother than a lincoln!! All in all I think fords rock!!! Just lift it and get real tires!!

The company truck (2005 F250 SD/4x4, good tight truck)I'm driving has the same front end shake. It is at the dealer now. The tech. experienced the same violent shaking. I'm wondering how they will fix it.

I have had the same problem with my F 250, I took it to Ford dealer who said my tire pressure was to low. Now I learn that Ford has a fix, ask them to check TSB Front End Oscillation IIRC.

Darrell Kaff wrote:

We - through my work - purchased 8 Ford F-250 2006 Super Duty trucks. 4 drivers of 3 different trucks have come to me to relate that after hitting successive pot-holes, the front end would hop dangerously until vehicle speed was reduced down to a very slow speed – dangerous on a freeway... One F-250 actually changed lanes after encountering 2 pot-holes in a row, fortunately no one was in the adjacent lane or they would have been sent into the center divider. A second driver stated “they (2006 F-250 Super Duty) all do that”(I took him aside later to confirm this)… not good. A third driver of a 3rd F-250 SD – these are all different vehicles - related the vehicle bounced out of his control to the extent he pulled to the side of the highway and came to a full stop. He was dismayed by the vehicles violent reaction. He at first believed he had a blow-out of a front tire. Not so… there was no visible reason for the vehicles violent reaction to road irregularities. What is going on here? It appears Ford has inadvertently created a dangerous vehicle that needs remedial corrective measures… who at Ford needs to get involved? I personally took the first F-250 SD to the Davis Ford (California) dealership. They could not find anything wrong. They did state that the tire pressure should be 65 psi – front and rear - instead of the values on the door jam
I would be interested in other 2006 F-250 Super Duty Ford owner’s observations.

I want to share an experience I had several years ago. This may or may not apply to any of these cases I have read above. Just for information. I had a 1974 Chevy Luv Pick-up. I had some of the white spoke wheels, which was popular at the time, installed on it. Had them balanced & front end aligned. After installation I experienced this same violent shaking when hitting a pot hole or a bump. It was an extremely scary experience. I would have to come to a near stop to make the shaking quit. After all was said and done, it was diagnosed as two of the tires had been installed with the normal rotation reversed. After getting the rotation corrected, I never had another problem. Maybe reversed rotation could be suspect in some of these cases? I don't know, but I just wanted to share this.