2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission death wobble again

[Hootguy]

I am getting a wild up and down violent shaking at speeds again,,,,whenever i hit something rough in the road,,

Like last time,i changed to track bar ,,used a Napa lifetime warranty one,,,had to recenter the steering wheel since it was almost half a revolution off...

ball joints seem ok,,

tires are pretty worn though. .

Anyone have any ideas as to check what next,,

the truck does have about 200,000 miles on it.

Thanks

 

[B.G. Smith]

Wobble

Check the front shocks, sounds like one maybe worn put. bg

 

[dresslered]

I realize that it shouldn't, but you'll be amazed what a new set of balanced tires will do.

 

[DHRA]

I think I experienced the death wobble last Wednesday at the track. After I made it through the traps @ 105mph I was decelerating, once I was around 80 mph the truck started shaking so bad that it threw everything in the truck onto the floorboard. Once I got it down to 20 mph it stopped, but it scared me BAD



The reason is under investigation as we speak. I am not going to risk it so I took it to the local experts to check over the steering. u-joints, etc. My steering box has needed a rebuild for sometime now. I don't want to do that again! I will let everyone know what it is.

 

[BPINE]

TIRES are the biggest problem IMO, every time I put new tires on my truck the DEATH WOBBLE is gone. I now have 01 Michelin tires on and the are 3/4 worn out and no problems so far. I replaced everything on my front end and it did not help in my case.

 

[KYOUNG]

DEATH WOBBLE

#@$%! I would change tires and front shocks

 

[Hootguy]

my Michelins are pretty worn,,

i only get the shake from the left side

i do have Rancho RS9000' shocks on,,so idoubt ti would be those. . they're only about a year odl.

thanks for all the helpfull suggestions

 

[KCJackson]

My dealer tech (who has a 97 2500, so he compares his problems to mine and vice versa often) said it's almost always the tires. Anytime I get the death wobble, I know I need new sneakers on the baby semi, and soon.

 

[DHRA]

Brand new race tires... I will take them in tomorrow and have the balance and wear checked. They have three burnouts and quite a few runs, but they still have the full tread.

 

[fritzbo29]

shocks

I had the death wobble bad on my '94, and it almost crashed me more than once. I first changed the shocks and got all the wheels balanced, and that stopped it, but there were times when I felt like it was coming on, so I'd get off the gas. After that I did the trackbar and I never felt it coming back for the 40K i put on it after that. Then I got my 2001. 5. The combination of shocks, balance, and trackbar together should fix it.



But, you never know... ... Hope it goes away---



Fritz

 

[Posm]

I too had to have my steering wheel straightened after installing a Moog track bar. When I went to get the front end lined up the tech asks how it got off. He sid that it is very hard to get on off and he thought the track bar might be too short. I have got to looking and the front end is now skewed to the drivers side about an inch. I can see this in the amount the wheels stick outside the wheel wells as well as the sway bar connecting rods are tilted. I can not imagine that this could do anything to help the suspension perform. I believe that Moog may be useing "a one size fits all" bar that is not long enough on some trucks. before I pay for an OEM bar that fits I will invest in a DT adjustable bar. I do not know if this could cause the death wobble. I do not get the death wobble when I have new tires or a new track bar. When either gets worn I need to be on railroad track allert. It seems that the wobble is set up by hitting an uneven bump like angle railroad tracks or a severe bridge joint that does not run square with the road.

 

[dseabaugh]

A friend of mine has owned an alignment shop for 30 years. he told me there are 2 different lengths of track bars. 1/2 ton is shorter???? I don't remember why but he told me to always be sure and see that they are giving me the right one. Wrong one and you will dog track down the road. I know that will mess up the wheel and make your ride drive like $&!#.

 

[JMarkos]

If I am thimking this is what it sounds like I would, unless it has already been done,look into the caster . If you loose or gain from what it should be the wheel won't return and stay where it should. Could even be the bushings in the link bars going bad. The caster is what returns the steering wheel to staight, I went though this with a solid axle conersion I did awhile ago.



Just a thought.

 

[marksmith]

I might be totally wrong here but had an 82 chebby 4x4 that if you hit a bump just right the 'ol steering wheel would dance right out of your hands and just about make you soil yer shorts (if you get my drift) I threw everything at the ol chebby and an guy told me to put a new steering stabilizer on it. I did it and it worked like a charm. Just a thought, and it probably just covers up the problem, but it worked for me.

 

[LRamey]

I guess I'm not so sure the tires have anything to do with it. I hadn't had a problem in over a year and the day after I put new tires on it came back. Now when I got to looking at the shocks I noticed that the rear were original (143,000 mi. ) so I replaced both front & rear plus the steering stablizer and haven't had a issue since. Seems like there are so many differant things that can potentially cause the problem that you just start throwing money @ it until it quits. I wonder if this is something Dodge designed into it so they can make extra profit off parts?!

 

[DHRA]

Well, I ordered Bilstein 5100 zinc plated shocks and the Rancho dual steering stablizer. Bilstein doesn't make a steering stabilizer in this series I have cancelled all trips and racing until then. I hope this solves it as it is getting worse. Like Mark said, it'll make you soil yer shorts!

 

[fest3er]

Are all the trucks 4x4?

Is it possible that the trucks experiencing the death wobble have an alignment mis-match? That is, one side has positive camber or caster, and the other side is negative? Thus one wheel 'wants' to turn one way, and the other 'wants' to turn t'other? I could see this creating a harmonic resonance.

Is it possible that the upper balljoint 'setting' is worn (the caster adjuster?)? I seem to recall an article in the magazine some time ago discussing how a plastic part above the top ball joint can wear. Perhaps this is the source of the slop that allows the death wobble to happen.

Front axle u-joint sticking? Warped rotor/caliper/pad and some dirt got in, causing the brake to 'stick' where it shouldn't? A problem with a *rear* brake, that would cause the front end to oscillate sideways?

FWIW, I've never had the death wobble on my truck. .

Fest3er

 

[DHRA]

I forgot to mention that I ordered the shocks after going through the front end with a fine toothed comb. The front end has been rebuilt. Shockingly, the u-joints look great! After all of the off-roading I do and the 4wd launches at the track.

 

[SBradshaw]

I had the same problem on my truck... but not anymore. I replaced the track bar with a Moog unit, front shocks and factory steering stabilizer, new tires and alignment, and a left lower balljoint. Seems like alot but everything was worn out with almost 200,000 miles on some of the parts. The front end feels solid now without the hint of a wobble... . very reassuring! Nothing worse than worring about if the next bump you hit will cause you to end up in the ditch.

 

[baby.driver]

Interesting.....

That the death wobble just hit me today for the first time. I logged on just to look up this thread. Now to go dive under and see what it looks like.



Jay