2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission front end problems

[THess]

I've just recently noticed that I have a problem in my front end. The front of the truck will hop really bad. It's so rough that it throws stuff off the seats and dash, and it doesn't stop hopping until I come to a complete stop. The truck usually rides fine except when I go around a curve and hit small bumps or washboard; then it hops(sometimes). I just replaced the u-joints, and front brake pads around 5000 miles ago. The tie rod ends were also replaced probably 10-15000 miles ago. Anybody got any suggestions or tests I can do to figure out the problem?

 

[B.G. Smith]

Sounds like you might have a front tire about to come apart. If that is what it is you should be able to feel it driving slow across a flat parking lot. bg

 

[THess]

rear tires are new, front ones are still 80%. thanks

 

[dmhollister]

Sounds like the beginnings of death wobble. Make sure that everything in the front end is tight. link ends track bar etc. I had to have the wife start our jeep and actually hold all joints while she was turning to find the worn joint to replace. If the are worn you will feel a rough spot in the turn and maybe a pop. If everything is tight then possibly rotate the tires to see if happens still. Good luck.

 

[Missouri Mule]

The belts can shift in a old tire or new tire. Jack up you truck and make sure your tires are even, no bulges in the middle or side of the tread.



But does sound like you have a Death Wobble coming on.

 

[Crash_AF]

If it starts when you hit a bump and doesn't stop until the truck stops, that's death wobble... there is something in the front suspension that is worn and allowing the movement. If the tie rod ends are new, check the track bar, it's the bar that goes from the axle to the frame. If it is worn, the only way to fix it is either a Luke's Link or new track bar.

Later,
Joe

 

[THess]

I just crawled under the truck the other day and checked the track bar for being loose. It seemed tight but I found a rod that was REALLY loose. I looked it up in my service manual and it is the drag link. I just wonder if this could cause my trouble. Also if this is the source of my problem would there be a way to use the Lukes Links ends to repair the ends of the drag link?

 

[SRath]

I am going through this on my '96. It is the tires. You have out-of-round tires. This was caused by a worn out front suspension.



I had a set of Coopers that got to the same scary, out-of-control point you describe. I had the wheels and tires checked for roundness and balance. The front ones would no longer balance at all and were egg-shaped. So I had TWO different frame and alignment shops inspect and align my front suspension. Both shops pronounced everything to be in fine shape. This really surprised me since they usually want to sell and install everything whether you really need it or not. (I put in a new track bar anyway after the first aligment and went somewhere else to have it all done again. )



Deciding all was now well, and that it had been an alignment, track bar, and poor quality tire issue, I went back to my favorite (and expensive) BFG Mud Terrain tires feeling confident the front suspension was OK.



It isn't. And now my expensive front BFG's are trashed, cupped, howling, and shaking just like the Coopers. In fact, if you roll along very slowly, it feels as though the tires are actually square. The thunk, thunk, thunk of each lug turns into whomp, whomp, whomp and then into a banshee howl as your speed increases. Just the fronts; the rears are fine and quiet.



Those two front tires are far louder than all 18 tires on my semi combined! My wife and kids can actually hear my tires when I'm still 1/2 mile from home. My 250 watt stereo must've got so depressed at being drowned-out that it quit working, too.



I hate this crappy Dodge front suspension. How the heck can you ruin a Dana 60 so badly? Ball joints, central axle disconnect, coil springs, integral wheel bearings, track bars, etc. is how. Dodge did all they could and did a fine job of turning treasure into trash with their rotten front suspension.



You need your suspension rebuilt and THEN you need new front tires. And, apparently, the Dodge is good at disguising it's frontend woes, so don't believe any shop that says your frontend is good.

 

[San Felipe Bob]

Lukes links

Yes on the lukes links.

Also can be used for the track bar.

Your decription points to the track bar and or the drag link and or the tie rods.

It is possible that the ball joints are bad too but not as likely as the above mentioned items.



SFB



Note: Warped brake rotors will wear out your front end parts real fast.

If you have pulsing when stopping get it fixed ASAP.

 

[BLively]

just something to throw out there, but have you checked your shocks? just thought id throw that out, i had this happen to me a few months ago, and turned out to be the shocks...

 

[fest3er]

(Death wobble description... ) Anybody got any suggestions or tests I can do to figure out the problem?

I think the death wobble is a result of many parts being worn or otherwise loose, allowing the front end to set up a harmonic resonance. You've done the brakes and tie rod ends. Next are tires/pressure, steering gear, track bar, steering dampener shock, suspension bushings, ball joints, stabilizer links and parts, and shock absorbers.



Wore-out sector shaft bearings on the steering gear, tires with soft sidewalls or underinflated, wore-out track bar rod end, non-functional steering dampener, worn suspension bushings, wore-out ball joints, wore-out stabilizer links, as well as brakes and tie rod ends will all contribute to allowing death wobble to start. Cracked/broken steering gear mount could contribute as well. And I wouldn't be surprised to find that rear spring/suspension parts contribute to death wobble.



As worn as my front-end parts have been, I've never had death wobble. I think that is due, in part, to having 19. 5" tires with rock solid sidewalls.



Someone was just telling me the other day that old VWs could also have death wobble if the steering dampener was wore out; when he installed a new one, the problem vanished.

 

[THess]

The steering dampener is the part that looks like a small hydraulic cylinder right? My father-in-law says that my track bar is tight and that the drag link is also good. He says to try the steering dampener. There is also one more thing that I've noticed, don't know if its related or not. There is a squeek in the front at the brakes that sounds like worn out brakes but they are brand new... Could this be rotors? The squeek stops when the brakes are applied. The truck drives perfectly straight and really smooth (smooth for a ton flatbed anyway) most of the time so I think my tires are fine although the fronts are wearing more on the outside. Thanks a bunch for the suggestions. Any more?

 

[BHuebner]

sure sounds like the track bar. had the same symptoms. had to damn near stop on the freeway to make it go away! grabbed the track bar and it was loose at the ball-joint. i replaced the bar and no more death wobble