Troubleshooting A Shaky Truck

It's normal for all trucks to experience minor shakes and rumbles now and then, especially when travelling over rough roads. Yet if your truck is starting to feel more like a vibrating bed, chances are something more serious is going on. If you would like to learn more about troubleshooting the cause of your shaking, read on. This article will present two of the most common causes of the shakes.

Shaky steering wheel

A shaky steering wheel is a fairly common problem, one that often manifests especially when you are accelerating. If allowed to persist long enough, this problem can present a serious threat to both you and your truck. A shaky wheel makes it more difficult to retain control of the vehicle, especially should you find yourself in an accident or emergency scenario. It will also lead to premature wear and tear on everything from your tires to your transmission.

Shaky steering wheels can be caused by a wide variety of underlying conditions. For one thing, it can mean that your wheel balance is off. Fortunately, this is a fairly easy thing to fix if you catch it soon enough. The problem can also be caused by worn out struts or shock absorbers. Likewise, worn out ball joints can lead to a shaky wheel by increasing the amount of play in your suspension.

Truck shaky when idling

If your entire truck seems to start shaking whenever you come to a stop light or put it in neutral, chances are you've got a much different problem on your hands. Whereas a shaky steering wheel is usually caused by problems with the wheels or the suspension, shaking while at idle can usually be traced to a problem in the engine.

This problem is often caused by a motor mount that has become worn or broken. When this happens, the engine will not be held in position tightly enough. This often leads to an excessive shaking--especially when idling, or in other scenarios where the RPM is low.

Shaky idling can also be caused by problems with the fuel system. Dirty fuel injectors, for instance, can make it difficult for your engine to receive the fuel it needs for smooth combustion. This problem tends to be hidden somewhat at higher speeds or when accelerating, because the pressure of the fuel rushing into your engine is great enough to compensate for any sluggishness caused by dirt of grime. When at idle, however, the problem tends to manifest to a much larger degree.

For more information, contact a business like Color Country Diesel Inc.