Why do so many trucks "crab walk" down the road?
Comments
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Fix or repair daily
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Yeah, it's not just Fords, you're just more likely to see Fords doing it because there's more Ford trucks and vans on the road than any other brand. But what do I know?
Anyway, crabbing can be an alignment issue or worn leaf bushings or even a broken leaf or two.
But more often it's due to an accident/impact.
The leaf springs are typically located via a perch that is held on with u-bolts that squeeze the spring between the perch and the bolt plate. If the truck/van slides sideways, like around a turn in icy/wet conditions, and the wheels impact a curb or something, they can cause the axle to slide in the u-bolts. That affects how the wheels line up.
An impact can also cause everything from the mounting points for the springs on the frame to the frame to actually bend too, though. Bent frames are often a total loss in accident terms. But spring perches on an otherwise straight frame and fairly inexpensive to do, comparatively. My brother has his replaced on his 1997 Ranger for about $750 total in parts and labor.
I noticed this one time at a shop I was working at part time where a guy brought his van in and said that another shop wanted $6500 to replace the rear part of the frame to fix a crabbing problem. He wanted a second opinion. I was standing outside on the phone with the amorous interest of mine at the time while taking a break and noticed while the van was on the lift that the rear springs appeared to be canted to the driver's side which was the direction that the the van was crabbing. I shouted to my boss to come and take a gander and I pointed it out. Sure enough, the rear spring mounting brackets were really bent and causing the passenger's side spring to bind up when loaded down. Which caused the noises and bucking over bumps he was complaining about too.
We dropped the axle out and while doing that we noticed the u-bolts shifted about 2-3 inches to the passenger's side. So we got the impact hammer, busted out the rivets and spots weld for the old brackets, got new ones, welded them in and then remounted in the u-bolts in the original spots according to the dirt marks. Bolted it all back up with new spring end bushings and sent it for alignment. My boss asked the guy if he had hit anything like a curb or parking guard recently. He said no but he did notice the steering wheel was out of whack and the van road funny with more road noise since the last time his kid drove it. When he came to pick it up he told us his kid slid into a curb with his buddies in the rain. He was so worried about getting yelled at that he took the van to a coin op wash to clean up the evidence.
The van owner was so happy that we got the work done for about $650 that he sent the kid over with lunch for us all one Saturday to thank us. He made his kid pay for it because his deception almost cost his dad $6500 to not fix the problem.
After that, every truck/van that came in with crabbing problems, the first thing we checked was trueness on mounts and if the u-bolts looked like they slid.
Most newer trucks don't have the problem because a simple nub in the mounting plate now will keep the u-bolts from sliding under all but the heaviest of impacts. You won't see that many newer trucks doing it anymore.
But, I'm just a blow-hard, know-it-all, so what do I know?Expert Moron Extraordinaire
You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you! -
I literally said it could just be my perception. But what do I know?afterburnt wrote: »They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.
Village Idiot of Club Polk -
I literally said it could just be my perception. But what do I know?
You weren't the one making the claims I addressed. You asked a question, I answered it. I'm just gonna get backlash 'cause, y'know, I'm a know-it-all.Expert Moron Extraordinaire
You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you! -
Na, you just repeated what has already been said.
No worries.The best way to predict the future is to invent it.
It is imperative that we recognize that an opinion is not a fact. -
motorhead43026 wrote: »
Na, you just repeated what has already been said.
No worries.
I saw nothing of what I posted before I posted it. All I see in this thread is "HURR DURR, 'CAUSE IT'S A FORD! HURR DURR!"Expert Moron Extraordinaire
You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you! -
^^ I had forgotten the ubolts on the leaf springs as an issue other than the bushings.The best way to predict the future is to invent it.
It is imperative that we recognize that an opinion is not a fact. -
I saw nothing of what I posted before I posted it. All I see in this thread is "HURR DURR, 'CAUSE IT'S A FORD! HURR DURR!"
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Around Memphis I see a lot of trucks that are a mess.
They don't do inspections any more so it's a free for all.
Missing fenders,bumpers,lights, even missing doors.
Dents on every panel. Try not 1, not 2 but 3 mini spares
While out drinking around. And their owners drive like
Demolition derby contestants."The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson -
Sorry some light hearted brand bashing elisiseted such a lengthy response.
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motorhead43026 wrote: »
Na, you just repeated what has already been said.
No worries.
I saw nothing of what I posted before I posted it. All I see in this thread is "HURR DURR, 'CAUSE IT'S A FORD! HURR DURR!"
All I have is Fords, HURR DURR.
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Whew!!! Just caught back up to her... good news, she's straight as an arrow... thankfully the road was, too!mhardy6647 wrote: »mdaudioguy wrote: »
Pretty sure I could drop it into drive and just run behind it. I'll let y'all know how that goes.
This is one of the most amusing things I've ever read on the whole, complete, en-tire interwebz.
Well played, sir. Well played. -
mdaudioguy wrote: »motorhead43026 wrote: »
Na, you just repeated what has already been said.
No worries.
I saw nothing of what I posted before I posted it. All I see in this thread is "HURR DURR, 'CAUSE IT'S A FORD! HURR DURR!"
All I have is Fords, HURR DURR.
me too -
mdaudioguy wrote: »
Whew!!! Just caught back up to her... good news, she's straight as an arrow... thankfully the road was, too!mhardy6647 wrote: »mdaudioguy wrote: »
Pretty sure I could drop it into drive and just run behind it. I'll let y'all know how that goes.
This is one of the most amusing things I've ever read on the whole, complete, en-tire interwebz.
Well played, sir. Well played.
Or you run as crooked as your truck.. -
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“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
FURDSThe best way to predict the future is to invent it.
It is imperative that we recognize that an opinion is not a fact.
