enigma-2 Posted August 4, 2021 Report Share Posted August 4, 2021 (edited) We were on a toll interstate yesterday, doing about 80 and a moderate shimmy started. At first I suspected I threw a wheel weight or a tire had lost air (no instrument warning). No steering wheel shimmy. Pulled into the next available service center, got out and checked all tires. Nothing. Started out again and ... all good. Gone! Came back in about 15 minutes but only just slight. However, as we drove on, there was a thump, thump, thump sound. Then it got louder. A lot louder. Rolled down my window and it definitely sounded like it was coming from the drivers front. (This was now on a limited access highway.) We stopped at a red light, and after driving on green light, it was gone. Dead quiet. Until we hit ~40 mph. Got louder as we went faster. Slowed to another light but the sound persisted but got quieter until we stopped. When we started up again ... gone, until we hit 40-45 mph. (The thump, thump, thump sound is similar to a tire that has a flat spot and is directly related to speed.) Weird how it disappears, get louder and quieter. Nothing under 40 should rule out a tire, and then nothing until after the car went faster than 40 then stays until I come to a stop. Then quiet again. 40-45 triggers the thump, thump, thump. (Mild vibration comes with it, seems to come from rear). Thinking it could be a CV joint, but ??? Any ideas? I just made an appointment at Lincoln dealer for next (not this) Friday. Will post what they find. Edited August 4, 2021 by enigma-2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omar302 Posted August 5, 2021 Report Share Posted August 5, 2021 Maybe a tire tread starting to separate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perblue Posted August 5, 2021 Report Share Posted August 5, 2021 Could also be, depending on what tires you have, the insulation on the inside of the tire let go. Could also be mechanical related odd it didn't come on gradually over time though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enigma-2 Posted August 12, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 Have an appointment on Friday. New tires (<1500 miles). Consistent thimp, thump starting at ~40 mph. Gets louder as speed goes up. No vibration any longer, but definitely drivers front area. Gets very loud. Can't see any problem with tire, but visual only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enigma-2 Posted August 14, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2021 OK, took the car in to Ford today. The mechanic, Todd, took it for a drive and noticed the thump, thump, thump. After two hours (of which I walked around the empty showroom, also known as "the land of the living dead") and finally out to the service desk to learn what they found. Todd checked the tires and couldn't find any problems. No nails, broken tread, loose wheel nuts, etc. No steering parts worn. Only thing he found is my brakes were pulsating. So he decided to rotate the tires andask me to drive it over the weekend to see if the problem changed. No charge. Started to drive home and noticed that it was exactly the same. Coming from drivers front. Went back and this is really a puzzle. Seems to be tire related. Should have changed to passenger rear. So I made another appointment for Tuesday. Went back to the car to drive home and ••hold on•• last month I had replaced an OEM wheel that was slightly bent (curb in drugstore parking lot) with a new one. They left the little green sticker on it. So I did too. (Have I ever mentioned that I'm lazy)? And low and behold, there was the little green sticker, on the same wheel they replaced. The idiot never rotated the tires. (Evil Grin). Back in the service area, "uhhh Chad"? (Using my best "Montreal Burns" voice from The Simpsons)? Got the deer in the headlights look, followed by a "ohhhhhhhhhhh shit". Then as best as I can describe it, a murderous look towards the service bay. So I said that we can look at it on Tuesday and "oh by the way, believe I won't wait, please have a loaner for me". "Like a new Lincoln, if its available. He fell over backwards agreeing. And so it continues...... 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerberus Posted August 14, 2021 Report Share Posted August 14, 2021 10 hours ago, enigma-2 said: The idiot never rotated the tires. and this is why i do not trust dealerships in the slightest, nevermind having worked at one and knowing full well how they operate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CARR142 Posted August 14, 2021 Report Share Posted August 14, 2021 (edited) Dealers or independents, "I" always mark tires and check if rotated. (DAMHIK), don't ask me how I know. Edited August 15, 2021 by CARR142 edit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerberus Posted August 14, 2021 Report Share Posted August 14, 2021 1 hour ago, CARR142 said: Dealers or independents always mark tires and check if rotated. (DAMHIK), don't ask me how I know. Maybe some do. But definitely not always. Go ahead and ask me how i know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enigma-2 Posted August 14, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2021 OK, quiet down everyone. Creberus is going to tell us how he knows. Its killing him no one has asked so far and he's dying to tell us. OK, Creberus, you have the floor. "Just how big is it"? .... .... No, no, no wait. That should have been, "how do you know"? (It's ok, I have an excuse. Its a warm, sunny day and I'm visiting Margaritaville.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerberus Posted August 14, 2021 Report Share Posted August 14, 2021 7 minutes ago, enigma-2 said: OK, quiet down everyone. Creberus is going to tell us how he knows. Its killing him no one has asked so far and he's dying to tell us. OK, Creberus, you have the floor. "Just how big is it"? .... .... No, no, no wait. That should have been, "how do you know"? (It's ok, I have an excuse. Its a warm, sunny day and I'm visiting Margaritaville.) ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CARR142 Posted August 15, 2021 Report Share Posted August 15, 2021 Sorry Folks, I meant to say, That I always mark tires before having them rotated. My bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enigma-2 Posted August 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2021 (edited) At dealer today. Dealer diagnosed problem as related to tire. Pulled, put on balancer and still was in perfect balance. (Rules out missing weight, broken band, blister or inner damage). Tire good. Mechanic drove car and still had thump, thump, thump. Had service manager verify. Rotated tires and thump moved to passenger rear, so definitely tire. Pulled tire again and still balanced as perfect. Dealer broke down tire and voila! Turns out the band that holds the pressure sensor broke. Spot weld at clamp broke. Was spinning around separately from wheel at times, but synchronized when on balancer and sometimes when driving. (Explains no thump, thump after coming to stop. Also nothing at times until I hit a smooth section of road, but not on rough road). Turns out they had used NAPA band (only.on this wheel), knowing that I hate NAPA parts. Parts manager searched midwest for new Motorcraft band and found one (and one only) in southern Kentucky. Said getting parts is getting to be a real challenge. So that's one I wouldn't have guessed. They never had one break before, and they use NAPA all the time as most customers want cheap repairs. Gets fixed next week. Having them look a brakes as well so they'll get me a new Nautilus for the day. Plus a hand wash (standard for Lincoln service). Edited August 17, 2021 by enigma-2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omar302 Posted August 17, 2021 Report Share Posted August 17, 2021 Learn something new. Maybe look if there replacement stem mounted TPMS sensors that replace the band style sensors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enigma-2 Posted August 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2021 Shouldn't have any problems with Motorcraft. Besides the part and labor is on dealer as band was only a month old. What kept confusing me was, the thump, thump was loud at times, completely gone at other times. Definitely a tire but not a tire? ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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