Seen a 3G Death Wobble

[kcv67]

Driving home tonight this 3g in front takes off from the light hits about 70 mph and WoW. It looks like the front tires are turning right to left a full turn on the steering wheel. It shook the dust/mud out of the truck. The driver slammed on his brakes got it to quit then took off like it was normal. :--)

Pretty crazy.

 

[SHyans]

It's even crazier if you are the one holding the wheel. Been there, done that.

 

[ACoffel]

CASEY, how do you like the DSS? Do you think this aids in preventing the "DEATH WOBBLE" ? Does anyone know what causes this problem ?

 

[kcv67]

The DSS works really well. It not only tightened up the steering box. It is like adding an additional cross member to the frame. A real good investment for your truck.

 

[jersey diesel]

Dss

hey guys, what is a DSS?

tks. stve

 

[SHyans]

hey guys, what is a DSS?

tks. stve

Dual Steering Stabilizer

 

[IC Smoke]

Darrins Steering Stabilizer

http://www.solidsteel.ca/DSS.htm



I have one on my rig and it helps alot for washboard dirt roads, rough highways etc. well worth the money and a very easy install!! Im not sure how they help prevent the death wobble but it may help



Ian

 

[LOtero]

Death wobble is a freaky little problem in the steering geometry of straight axle trucks. has a lot to do with caster angle. more positive caster less chance of the wobble. I wish I knew where I saw it but there is a video of a mid 70's bronco that got the wobbles. its nasty looking. had my first experience with it in my truck yesterday. If I didn't know about it before it happened I would have had to change my chorts. like in my experience It doesn't take a big bump in the road just a man hole cover triggered mine, and its the same one I drive over every day leaving work. so it goes to tell you it can happen anywhere.

 

[LOtero]

http://www.emotoman.com/videos/dw.mpg



found it Oo.

 

[Boondocker]

Death wobble is a freaky little problem in the steering geometry of straight axle trucks. has a lot to do with caster angle. more positive caster less chance of the wobble.

I think the problem is with straight axles with coil springs. Never heard of it happening on a leaf-sprung front axle. I've had it on my lifted Jeep ZJ - in a word - un-nerving I've done every possible fix to my truck to avoid the problem, so far so good. Keeping fingers crossed and adding a Rock Solid Steering Bushing as soon as I get the gumption to remove my steering column. Also, will not add a lift kit to the truck.



Neil

You must be really fast 'cause you were haulin; a** when I passed you!

 

[ACoffel]

Death wobble can be a problem with leaf sprung trucks as well. I have an 80'

GMC with a king pin Dana 60 that exhibits this phenomena . I believe DSS

stands for Darin's Steering Stabilizer . It is not the kind of apparatus that normally comes to mind when one hears the word steering stabilizer.

It consists of a crossmember with an attached plate for mounting a self

aligning bearing onto an included pinion nut having an integral shaft extension

and thus serves to provide extra bearing support to the steering sector shaft.

If memory serves me corectly , they are manufactured in Canada by Solid

Steel Industries and can be found at SOLIDSTEEL. BIZ. There are U. S. dealers.

 

[PGiannetto]

I replaced my shocks & sterring stablizer. So far so good. I haven't had DW since.

 

[LOtero]

had a one ton with leafs and a dana 60 get some nasty wobble put a stabilizer and 2* caster shims, no more wobble.

 

[TexBamBam]

Mine went away when I took off the BFG's... .

 

[Yo Hoot]

Mine also went away when I took off the BFG's. I can't make it DW no matter what I do. It was the last thing I did and it did the trick.

 

[CDonaldson]

Curiosity has me - Were those BFG's AT's or MT's?



CD

 

[Yo Hoot]

Mine were A/T's

 

[CJ8Rockcrawler]

Other question is were they the H2 take offs or did you get them new from a tire dealer?



I'm fighting with it right now. Mine are the 315 bfg AT H2 takeoffs. I rotated my tires and so far that seems to have done the trick. Right now I'm just trying to figure out what the problem is for sure on my truck since it seems there is a laundry list of potential causes.

 

[Yo Hoot]

They were takeoffs I picked up off ebay with tires for $430 I picked them up local.



Do yourself a favor. Buy new tires and sell the BFGs. I had the same attitude as you and put up with it far too long. It's the tires.

 

[the whale dog]

My 96 got the dw also on a trip to the north east had just changed a tie rod end found out the track bar and the other tie rod were also bad replaced that no more problem. it was definatly a scary experience I thought something major broke could not see anything wrong until it was on the lift.