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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Maintenance and Repair / March 2006

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Odd Vibration 2002 Expedition

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tom_murphy@comcast.net - 02 Feb 2006 14:22 GMT
Greetings all,

I have a very strange "shudder" or vibration during normal acceleration
on my 2002 2WD Expedition. It has been a very solid vehicle and now has
70k miles on it. The vibration has been happening for quite a while and
I didn't notice it for two reasons. One, it's primarily my wife's car
and I only drive it once in a while. Two, the vibration feels EXACTLY
like crossing over the lane marker strip or other intential road
surface warning pattern. Another way to describe it would be like
driving over a cattle guard. It only lasts for a second, and there's no
noise.

I thought I had finally nailed this down to being associated only with
the shift into overdrive, but last night it happened on the 2-3 shift.
The trans seems to work perfectly otherwise. A post on another topic
got me thinking that it might be a loose mount or trans to engine bolts
that are allowing movement somewhere in the drivetrain. I could also be
an internal transmission problem, but it seems that there would be
noise in that case.

Any ideas???

Tom
C. E. White - 02 Feb 2006 16:48 GMT
> Greetings all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> Any ideas???

If was my vehicle, I would have the transmission fluid changed (but not
flushed). A 2002 should still have a drain plug on the torque converter, so
I would make sure they drained but the main transmission pan and the torque
converter. I'd also want to be sure they used the correct fluid. Depending
on the engine and drive type (2WD or 4WD) you could have with a 4R70W or a
4R100 transmission. They do not use the same fluid and filling either with
the other type of fluid can cause the sort of shuttering you are describing.
The transmission dip stick should list the correct fluid.

I suggest you join the Expedition Owners Group mailing list. See
http://mail.xpog.com/mailman/listinfo/expedition .

Regards,

Ed White
April - 02 Feb 2006 23:31 GMT
Ok this may or may not help and you REALLY won't like my answer.
I have a bravada and was doing VERY similiar thing, any thumping noise
when you make a turn? I just had shift defferential done in my suv and
spoke with at least 4 mechanics who all told me the SAME thing
unfortunately and these were their words all SUVS were done with piss
poor design and upper and lower ball joints need to be replaced every
30 to 40 thousand miles! My "shudder / Vibration" only lasted a few
seconds also and was with increased speed I didn't think my car was
even shifting! It was watching the RPMs that I realized it was. Wasn't
my tranny at all! Just a thought not sure if you have ever had to
replace any of these  and the cost is all labor.
Good luck.....
April - 03 Feb 2006 00:05 GMT
Just reread how you descibed it and YES that is how it felt crossing
one of those markers in the road to wake up truckers if fallen alseep.
Mine was front left and I felt it under my foot also......with shift
defferential upper lower ball joints ( bought those parts myself guy
was nice and said I could get them cheaper and I did) and outer tie
rods damage was $1240 plus the front end allignment after.
tom_murphy@comcast.net - 04 Mar 2006 23:39 GMT
> Just reread how you descibed it and YES that is how it felt crossing
> one of those markers in the road to wake up truckers if fallen alseep.
> Mine was front left and I felt it under my foot also......with shift
> defferential upper lower ball joints ( bought those parts myself guy
> was nice and said I could get them cheaper and I did) and outer tie
> rods damage was $1240 plus the front end allignment after.

No such luck for me. I lost a converter clutch. Complete overhaul
required.

Bummer...
C. E. White - 03 Feb 2006 16:56 GMT
> Ok this may or may not help and you REALLY won't like my answer.
> I have a bravada and was doing VERY similiar thing, any thumping noise
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> replace any of these  and the cost is all labor.
> Good luck.....

I have been driving for over 35 years and have owned over 25 cars myself,
and been associated with another 15 or so owned by my immeadiate family, and
in all that time and all those miles (well over a million miles by myself) I
have needed to replace one and only one ball joint (1974 Jensen-Healey
becasue of a torn boot). I hate thinking that front end shops are crokked,
but I believe many of them sell a lot more suspension parts than are needed.
Certainly there are exceptions. Ford has had some trouble with ball joints
on Expeditions (there is a TSB) and recent model Toyota Trucks have
experienced a horrendous ball joint failure rate (there is a recall for
this).  But in general suspension parts last a lot longer than front end
shops like to claim. I have seen shops set cars up to demonstrate a failure
by purposely (or out of ignorance) loading the suspension in an incorrect
manner, or by misquoting the manufacturer's specs. So, whenever you are told
you need the front end rebuilt, beware!

Ed
April - 03 Feb 2006 17:06 GMT
Well I would agree with you except my own grandfather a retired
mechanic was one of my sources and these suvs most all have recalls on
the ball joints and the replacements weren't any better than the
originals. Mine for one were already replaced and I was not talking
about cars in general. I myself have owned 9 vechiles from a mustang to
bronco to dynasty and NEVER had any front end trouble til I bought this
suv.and I want to point out the bravada is awd which I am sure makes a
difference. I also bought the parts myself AND asked for the old ones
as proof (grandpa taught me that one) and the guy was great actually
let me watch as he stripped car so I DO KNOW FOR ME IT WAS NEEDED.....
tom_murphy@comcast.net - 06 Feb 2006 16:05 GMT
> I have been driving for over 35 years and have owned over 25 cars myself,
> and been associated with another 15 or so owned by my immeadiate family, and
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> manner, or by misquoting the manufacturer's specs. So, whenever you are told
> you need the front end rebuilt, beware!

Anyway, the info about the particular problem with the Expedition is
very helpful.

Thanks to all!
Tom

> Ed

Yes, I agree in general. I did have an upper ball joint fail on a '75
3/4 tom Chevy pickup. I had just finished a 60 mile highway run towing
my boat and the joint completely let go in the driveway at slow speed!
LUCKY! It's funny there was no indication of an unhealthy ball joint,
but I suspect there may have been collision damage/weakness.
 
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