Update: Death Wobble...Fixed!

[PGiannetto]

Update: Death Wobble... Fixed! So far so good.

Awhile back I reported that my 2005 4x4 2500 Quadcab (fully stock) had the death wobble. It started when the local dealership lowered my tire pressure. I then raised the pressure back up to 60 psi. Now I only had the death wobble when pulling a trailer. I got some good info here, but one day I ran into a guy here locally. He had just installed a leveling kit and got the wobble. He stated he put new shocks on his truck and it fixed it. My dealer wanted to try a new stock stabilizer. I decided to go with new shocks (Monroe Reflex) & a new heavy duty stabilizer (Rancho). After they were installed I went and hooked up my 5th wheel and drove it 50 miles over some bad stuff. No Death Wobble! The next day I hooked up the tractor trailer and pulled a tractor around. No Death Wobble! I am keeping my fingers crossed! I think it is cured.

 

[PGiannetto]

3 months later and still no death wobble! I changed my shocks to Ranch 9000 at a 5 setting. Remember my truck is completely stock w/ load range E tires. The new heavy duty shocks fixed my problem.

 

[Kry226]

Glad to hear all is well. However, from the discussions I have read on here between some very knowledgeable people, the general concensus was that shocks/steering stabilizer was kind of a band-aid that tends to cover up the real problem. Most attributed fixes to proper tires (which you have) and proper caster (positive five degrees) in the allignment. I have KORE, 315s (max pressure in front) and stock stabilizer and never a hint of DW. Again, glad all is well, but please keep your eyes peeled for any other foolishness under that heavy front end.

 

[Big Sur]

Glad to hear there's still no wobble.



I "fixed" my wobble by going from half worn and well balanced "E" tires (Mastercraft) to new "D" tires (Liberator). So far, so good.



That's what makes these trucks so frustrating: what works for one doesn't for another.

 

[DPelletier]

I agree with the previous poster: Shocks don't "fix" DW, they simply close the "path of least resistance" until they wear out. I still think DW is inherent in the design and manifests itself with improper caster settings combined with "looseness" in the system. Eliminate the "looseness" and most times the DW will go into remission so to speak. When wear increases, I would expect DW to potentially come back. Shocks and a new steering stabilizer "fixed" DW on our TJ, which shares the same general design with our Rams, but without any other changes, I expect it to rear it's ugly head when these shocks and stabilizer wear out.



Cheers,

Dave

 

[GAllen]

Do the Ford trucks suffer from this problem as the front is basically the same? I don't here of the Ford guys talking about it much.

 

[Big Sur]

No, the Ford suffers from, well, being a Ford.

 

[goose1029]

Basically its this inverted y steering setup. This whole front link suspension on these trucks are basically the 84 cherokee design. From there it went to the grand cherokee in 93 and then to the ram in, what, 94 For the second gens? the wrangler has had it since 97. In 99 when Jeep did the new grand they did it right and took out the inverted y setup.

The whole problem is when your driving down the road and the supension cycles, it pulls and pushes the toe as the suspension moves up and down its vertical axis. At the same time, the trac bar is pushing/ pulling the whole axle assemboly right and left as the vertical movement cycles. That combined with these heavy trucks, puts a beating on the tie rod ends and balljoints and eventually it cascades into trac bar and control arm bushing problems etc. ( not always the same order of failure. ) With a fixed wheel to wheel tie rod, the tires continue to track straight. If I remember correctly, its supposed to help the tires steer with the crown of the roads as the vehicle weight shifts. Like I said, I dont think its a system for heavy duty use. ( tis/ twas the bain of my cherokees existance... . have it solved this time. )

BTW, speaking of my jeep, I drove my 7" lifted cherokee without swaybars attached and with no front steering stabilizer for a year after I had done a thorough front end job (hubs, ball joints, tierods, HD trac bar, etc. and had no death wobble.

So anyone wants to make a new knuckle and mill some dom tubing for stock tie rod ends and sell it, Id consider it. Alot of this wear would go away.

This is whats going on my jeep.

http://www.teraflx.com/pages/jeepbuilder.php?jeepID=32&prodID=126&subID=22