Ford F-150 (2009-2014) :: Slight Vibration Felt In Steering Wheel Only At Idle And In Drive?

5.0L ... I'm having one of those moments, you know after you do a mod to your truck and all of a sudden you notice something about your truck that could have been there all along but now you notice it as something new? Ok earlier in the week I had my exhaust resonator removed and replaced with a straight-pipe by a reputable exhaust shop. IMO the work looks to be pretty good for what it is.

That said I have always been nervous about getting exhaust work on any vehicle because it always seems like tampering with or removing the OEM plumbing for aftermarket or custom work tends to develop a vibration at some point.

So here is what I've noticed over the last couple days, when driving my truck it is extremely smooth, almost like glass. When I come to a complete stop say at a traffic light about 1-2 seconds after making the complete stop I feel this slight harmonic vibration in the steering wheel. For those of you that have an iphone it would be like having your phone bolted to the steering shaft somewhere and it on constant vibration if that makes sense.

Just to prove it only happens when I'm sitting still and idling in (D)rive I sat in my driveway with the truck idling, set the park brake and released the brake pedal holding the truck in place in (D)rive with the parking brake. No vibration, smooth as glass engine idle, as soon as I put my foot back on the brake pedal the vibration comes back. It's as if the extra draw of applying the brakes puts an extra load on some sort of accesory drive or componant under the hood and the result is this harmonic vibration.

Just so everyone knows, the vibration is very noticeable to me because I drive the truck daily, most people wouldn't pick it out if I didn't tell them first. Case in point if my wife drives the truck she can't feel it unless I tell her what to look for. There are going to be some of you that just say my truck doesn't do this and has had a smooth idle for XX,XXX miles I believe you but let me know now that I have explained exactly what to look for. Like I said for all I know it's done this since day one.

I have a feeling that the straight pipe might have been welded in slightly longer than the oem section that was removed thus putting more tention on the exhaust and engine if that makes sense, the end result being a slight vibration?? I know that manufactures put these little rubber bushings along the exhaust system on cars/ truck to absorb harmonic vibrations and for all I know my resonator might have been designed to balance out harmonic vibes in the exhaust system as well as quiet down the exhaust.