2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Repairs for the DEATH WOBBLE

[JSmith]

I bought a 96 CTD 4x4 ecab. Soon there after it got a violent shake to it. I replaced the track bar and that helped for a while. Then the death wobble came back and I became affraid to drive the truck because the DW would come back if I hit a pothole or ran over a bump. Two weeks ago I took the truck to a front end shop for repairs. Replace both f-hubs,rotors,f-brakes,tierod,drag link,bought dual steering stabilizer(4 months ago) and Today had front end shop install the (LukesLink). Will post results in a few days.



P. S. I emailed Chrysler about the Death Wobble and got back Corp ya da ya da ya .....

 

[Strick-9]

Good luck!

I too had the Death Wobble. Mine was getting all to frequent. I also had a hard left pull while braking.



I replaced all four shocks and that didn't help.

I then replaced the front brake rotors and pads for the brake pull. Believe it or not, that dramatically reduced it.



I then replaced the steering stabalizer. It was worn out in the center, but didn't help the wobble.



I then balanced the tires and replaced the sway bar bushings. That cured it.



Washboard roads still scare me. I don't know if I'll ever completely trust the truck again.



I'm confident you'll knock it out with all the work you have mentioned. Good luck.



-Chris

 

[HEMI®Dart]

You should be good to go now JSmith. Were the upper & lower ball joints ok?

 

[JSmith]

Death Wobble con`t

I spoke with the front end shop about the ball joints and wwas told that they are tight. I asked if I should replace them and was answered with a no. The truck drives very nice. I hope that I never experence the DEATH WOBBLE again.

 

[jkh]

WOW!! for a while I thought I was the only one with the "death wobble" and I didn't know how to explain it,but you guy's hit the nail right on the head. When I would hit a bump it would just take off. Today I put 4 brand new Dunlop's on thinking the problem was a front tire that had a band slip and was way out of balance,now you guys are talking about all these other possibilities,I guess I better still be on the lookout for it to happen again.

Is this a common problem,is it more common with 4x4's,has dodge ever said anything about it?

I guess I'll just keep driving on the "edge" till I see if the new tires took it away.

 

[FBFISH]

Folks, when I posted my message about what is now being described as " the death wobble" I did not get much of a response. The few that responded suggested that I change the track bar and steering stabalizer. I did both and have not had the problem return. After reading the latest posts on this subject I am concerned that the ball joints are now suspect. Could the worn ball joints be a RESULT of an unrepaired "death wobble" problem, and not a cause?

 

[BigBadDodge]

Track Bar

It's the POS stock track bar, they wear out to fast with the extra load of the Cummins.



Here is what fixed my Death Wobble haven't had it sense



http://dodgeram.org/tech/mods/steering/trackbar/dt_install.html



Scott

 

[BillGotthelf]

Strick-9 you said the magic word-tire balance. My 96 had the wobble from about 10,000 miles on-changed EVERYTHING in front end and it still continued. I drive alot of washboard dirt roads that abuse the truck. I noticed that after a fresh balance job I could not get the death wobble to come back-I have a friend (I built his house) that is the manager for a local tire dealer. We took the front wheels and experimented with tire balance. We started out perfect-no wobble-off 1 ounce on both sides almost wobble after hitting test pothole at 40mph. Got wobble at 2 ounces out and 40 mph. Two ounces out the truck rode pretty good and if I had not drove it 2 hours before correctly balanced I would not have Known the difference.

 

[pedalpwr]

Death wobble too!

I too have the death wobble on my 2000 QC 4X4. I can reproduce it at the same spot everytime. Spokane river bridge I-90 west bound inside lane. First time, I thought I'd blown the front tire. But after pulling over and checking, I remembered reading about it here some months ago. I have a feeling that Bill G. is right and its a tire balance problem. Mine have intermittant flat spots from a smoker emergency stop some weeks ago and I suspect that they are far out of balance. I am in need of some new tires anyway so I'll try that first.

 

[Rude Ram]

I had the Death wobble 100,000 miles ago,50,000 miles ago and in the last two weeks it's happen again. The last two times I replaced the worn out tires with new ones and the wobble went a way.

 

[Ted Constantine]

Hey Guys,



Death Wobble is a VERY common problem with lifted Jeeps like Grands, Cherokees, and coil sprung Wranglers. Death Wobble on trucks with a coil sprung front is very easily fixed. It has everything to do with the Trac-Bar or warn suspension bushings. Check your tracbar either the bushings are warn or the bolts are not tight. you want to get that bolt as tight as you can and/or press in new bushings. it has nothing to with tires/brakes/shocks. another big issue is the steering stabilizer. all stock stabilizers are weak. if you replace that with a aftermarket one you will be much happier. when you replace the shocks or swaybar link bushings you are just able to control the problem easier but it does not fix the initial problem. Hope this helps, it always does on Jeeps.

 

[sonorakitch]

I will never forget the death wobble. Driving 70 down the local 202 freeway here in Phoenix when hit a bump the wrong way... . drink ended up in my lap, and everywhere else. Tried the steering stabilizer, 2 wheel balancings, and finally ball joints. The latter worked for me.



~Chris

 

[pcorssmit]

The death wobble is a result of Dodge's piss-poor front suspension and steering design. It took me ball-joints, stabilizer, and track bar to get rid of it, all at 76k miles. It still doesn't feel solid when you hit a bump w/the left front. It has new shocks, too. Mine did it 3 times violently at 65-70 mph, since it has done it a couple times at slower (~45) speeds, not as violent.



Pete

 

[BigBadDodge]

Death Wobble

I said it before and I will say it again 95% of the Death Wobble is the TRACK BAR espacilly after installing a lift it makes it even worse my ball joints where fine, my tires where balanced, aligned, and properly inflated. I put a new trac bar in and it away for good. If you have lifted your truck or have slapped on larger tires I would highly recomend upgrading your stock trac bar with a much more solid after market one I chose the DT Bar and couldn't be more happy it is well designed and heavy duty.





Hey Ted, what's going on bro ? How's things in the south I hear those New England guy's have some pretty hot weather !!!

 

[Ted Constantine]

Scott, I just dropped you an email. How is CA, MONTANA IS ON FIRE



TED

 

[Ted Jannetty]

Death wobble

Somthing that no one has covered here is alignment or positve caster to be more specific.

The lower ball joints must lead the upper ball joints much like the forks on a motorcycle.

When lifting the truck you lose Positive caster, depending on how high you lift the truck you may need longer lower control arms to gain back what you lost.

I have also noticed over the years the most front end shops have a MOTTO, Set the Toe and let it go!!

Setting the caster to max positive with in the limits of the ecsentric will always stop the Death Wobble.

Another area of concern it the rubber bushings in the control arms, they deteriorate and get soft making things worse.

We offer either replacement urathane bushings or replacement control arms that come with urathane bushings.

This will further enhance steering response, control, braking, as well as reduce the chances of Death wobble.





Ted Jannetty

 

[DieselTim]

First time post. I have been following tdr for about a yr now. The ? I have is. Has anyone had this problem of wobbling in a 2500, 2wheel drive? Mine seems too!

 

[Ted Jannetty]

ttt

 

[EFielding]

Repairs for Death Wobble

JSmith,



I'd be interested in any feedback you'd be willing to give re: the Lukeslink install and longevity. I'm interested in trying this fix, but would like some additional input.



Let the board members know what you think.

 

[MUDDY]

dodges with the coils are not the only rigs with the death wobble problem.



on a 95 f-350 i used to own, i had a 4 inch lift with 36 inch buckshots. all was ok. then i slapped on some half worn 255 bfg m/t s on for summer and promptly found i have a death wobble. of course i thought it was the tires. put some other similar tires on that came off another rig i had sold that previously gave me no problems and had the death wobble again with the ford. with wide tires or some 235 all seasons it had a good contact with the road. with the skinny mud tires it had a small contact patch. with good contact patch i had no wobble.



i put on a double steering stabilizer that only masked the problem.



later on i discovered that the trackbar was the problem. it had a drop down bracket for the lift kit and the leverage would loosen the bracket up. when i tightened it up and removed the stabilizer shocks temporarily for a test, i found that the problem was fixed.



the older fords relied on a trackbar because of the front shackle rear anchor design such as the jeep cj and yj have.



having a trackbar in good shape is important with that system and with the coil system of our late model dodges, and jeeps.



on my 98 dodge i just had a small wandering problem at 40,000 miles. a new track bar remedied that problem. fortunatly no death wobble with this rig even with the 255 bfg mud tires.







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