Archived Shack Rattle & Roll

[ModTop]

The 95 5spd 4x4 I have has developed a SEVERE!!! vibration that I can't figure out. Any place above 35mph if a bump is hit right the truck trys to shake itself apart. I figure I've done a weld test on every body weld and bolt connection. The vibration will litterally rattle the windows and the front end bounces all over. Once I slow down to under 40 the truck re-stabilizes and will drive right until I hit another bump just right and off we go again.



The truck has 97K miles and just had the brakes serviced with new rotors and new load bearing tires on the front. I'm not sure if its a stabilizer bar, shocks, or what. This is so severe that I wont drive it. Helpjavascript:smilie('')

eek!

 

[mopars1]

I would suspect the steering stabilizer is the cause. Good luck.



David

 

[B.G. Smith]

Shaky

For the front end to "shimmy" you have to have slack in the front end suspension/steering components, tie rod ends, drag link, track bar. Get under the front of the truck (with someone in the cab who does not dislike you) and have them sharply turn the steering wheel from side to side about 1/2 turn. You should be able to spot the worn part/parts. bg

 

[Tardog]

I would also check your tires very carefully, you mentioned that you installed new tires, even new tires can have split/separated belts. These can work with normal cetrifigul force but if you hit a bump it could cause belts to shift/move/collapse and then shake the crap out of your truck. It might be along shot but it is possible. just something to look at if the front end search doesn't produce or solve anything. good luck

 

[MidwestMotorman]

sounds like the death wobble...

I do not know if the search is up or not, but this problem sounds exactly like the infamous "death wobble".



Jack up the front end and turn the tires to check for out of roundness. Also check to be sure that the wheel weights are on the tire rim yet. (If you did not balance them, you had better do it. ) That terrible wobble can be set off by an out of balance tire. The true death wobble was greatly enhanced by an out of caster front end (usually any front end that has miles, has sagged, or has soft and worn bushings). Any play in a steering component (steering coupler, tie rod ends, drag link, track bar) attributes too. There was a huge discussion on this last fall.



Good luck.

 

[JHansen]

The Death Wobble is no joke-I have yet to experience it in my Ram but I got a bad dose of it once from my Jeep! Off the top of my head, here's what I can remember as some of the causes:



Lack of front caster

Improper toe setting

Out of balance front tires

Worn out suspension components (see the top 2)

Weak front shock absorbers

Worn out steering stabilizer



I'm sure I'm missing something here-but the point is there can be many causes of it. Usually a good steering stabilizer will make it go away-but a weak one is not usually the underlying cause. On my Jeep it was play in 1 tie rod and mis-set toe and caster that caused it to take off-when I went to change the stock steering stabilizer I found all the fluid had leaked out!



This is one of the reasons I went to twin steering stabilizers on the Silver Cloud-peace of mind.....



Jason

 

[Stmpplr]

That is about the same mileage that the stabilizer on my '95 went south. I replaced it with a dual set up. Also replaced front shocks as the right one was done. Have had no problem since. It will scare the daylights out of ya though. That factory stabilizer is a collectors item POS.