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2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Severe stability problem

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Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) 94 12v questions

Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Fuel Pressure Guage

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Guys, after my rear axle swap (put 3rd gen axles front and back out of a 03), I am having some issues that I cant figure out. The front axle has been under my truck for months, and hasnt given me any issues. The rear has only been under the truck for 4k miles (3k of it pulling a trailer from MN to SC and back) I had the mentioned issues with the trailer, but MUCH less prominent) Here is a list of what I am dealing with.



1. ) Rear tires are slighty wearing funny, but nothing to bad. Still even wear, just a little feathered if you know what I mean. Fronts are perfectly worn.



2. ) Truck feels unstable. It almost feels like the rear is "floating" when going down the freeway. Put the plow on, and it makes it almost scary. To the point it seriously feels like the rear is off the ground!



3. ) When I hit wavey pavement, the truck teeter-totters front to back almost to the point of making you sick. The shocks are brand new, not even 4k miles on them.



What I dont get is that the u-bolts are all tight (i'll check them again tomorrow, but I re-torqued them the day after I installed them, and they are torqued to 160ftlbs) The perches we welded on are the ones whe cut off the D80. They are welded right to the side of the AAM factory ones and to the tube. They are flat with the OEM ones, and are very very close to the same front to rear. (one is just slightly forward, but not more than 1/8" and even if that was slightly off, I would think the most I would be dealing with would be a slight dog track. ) Brakes are fine, not dragging. Wheels seems to spin freely and wheels are tight and dont seem to be loose. I did however notice that when standing behind the truck, the rear wheels look almost like they are tipping out at the tops. I measured between the bottom of the rims, and the tops, the bottom is 3/8" closer together than the tops. But, i couldnt really get the tape straight at the top (shocks/cables in the way). i hope this axle isnt bent. Been meaning to try and pull the axle shafts to see if they come out, I know if they dont come out, its bent, but its been cold and snowy here the past couple days, and I dont fit in the garage.



Guys, I need your help, I am completely lost here!
 
Them tires have a bad rep for stability and death wobble for sure but I think an alignment rack would be where I would go next that way you could see your camber and be able to measure your wheel base side to side to check for variation. That rear axle could've taken a hard blow to the side and bent a spindle.
 
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Maybe you could swap tires with someone for a couple hundred miles to see if that is the problem. But, I agree with ebung, It's time to get the alignment checked. I the rear tires are feathered, that means the axle is not tracking straight. An alignment rack will tell you exactly what it is doing.
 
could the metal in the rear housing have moved from the welding of the brackets? i would think if one was not careful enough heat could be had to warp the tubes?
 
could the metal in the rear housing have moved from the welding of the brackets? i would think if one was not careful enough heat could be had to warp the tubes?



I am kinda wondering that too, I sure hope not. The guy I had weld them is a very good welder, and use to build race cars, so I know he knows what he is doing, but ya never know I guess.
 
put the rear axle up on jack stands, block the front tires, put the truck in drive and look at the rear wheels as they are turning. Should help you zero in on the problem. Make sure the two axles are parallel to each other
 
A tire that is feathered is usally a sign of toe-in; the rear should be perfectly parallel and wear flat. How are the tires feathering? Are they opposite each other or in the same direction? If the rear was out of line (center bolt) it should dog track. It's possible that the axle is bent. Welding the mounts on should not bend the axle. An alignment shop would be my next stop.

Keep us informed.



Tim
 
put the rear axle up on jack stands, block the front tires, put the truck in drive and look at the rear wheels as they are turning. Should help you zero in on the problem. Make sure the two axles are parallel to each other



I did do that, both rear wheels rotate perfectly straight (one tire does have a flat spot, but not that bad, it was up front, and I locked up the brakes to miss a deer)



Now that I think about it, I sold the wheels that were on the axles when i bought them, and the guy that took them didnt complain about them being bent, you would think if the axle is bent, the wheels would have been.



Now, I just need to find an alignment shop around here that I can trust???
 
What air pressure are you running? A lot of people run too low air pressure thinking it will give a smooth ride. What kind of shocks do you have? An adjustable shock can cure the bucking on a rough road.
 
Well, I think I found it. Have no idea how I missed this, but the Pitman arm nut on the steering box was loose. So loose that it took 3 turns to get it tight! :eek: The reason I missed it is most likely because of the DSS. Tightened it up and also upped the tire pressure from 36psi to 50psi (50 is what the tire is rated for, so why not) Still feels a little like it might dog track slightly to the right, but it doesnt "wiggle" anymore. I have NO idea how I missed that Pitman Arm!
 
Talked to Don Thuren @ Thurenfabrication as I still was having issues. He suggested I change the rear fluid and see if that makes a difference.



Well, Don's a freaking Genius! After changing the fluid, and I got some miles on it today, it is GONE. Who would have thought that it was wornout fluid in the rear.



Guys, Don Thuren is a great guy, and friend! He has helped me through many issues with this truck, and all over the phone thousands of miles away, at no charge! I owe the guy big time, thanks alot Don!
 
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