Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Violent front end shaking!

[JBritton]

I'm at my witts end with this problem and would appreciate any input with my problem. I have a 97 extended cab cummins dually 4x4 with about 70,000 miles and oocasionally when I'm driving down the road and I hit a bump or uneven spot in the road, my truck begins to shake violently! I have to come to a complete stop to get the shaking to subside. It has done it several times in the past few years therefore I have replaced just about every suspension component under the front end and the violent shaking episodes still continue. I've even replaced the end links with the Lukes links. The truck shakes so bad that the washer fluid splashes out of the reservior and the steering stabilizer gets bent into a pretzel each time. I've talked to a few other local guys with Dodge cummins duallies and they also complain of the same problem. Their trucks are also mid to late 90's models. Any help and/or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JScans]

i have a 04. 5 4x4 600 and also had the same problem. i would be cookin down the interstate doing atleast 85 or more and hit a bump and the hole front end would shake extremely bad. scared the hell out of me the first time. that was with the stock tires. i put on pro comp M/T 33/12. 50 with centerline wheels. and i have never had it happen again. this could possible be the problem. i think a wheel was off balance. or tires was bad. hope im some help

 

[JDKammin]

My 96 did this to me about a month ago. I had always heard of the death wobble but up until then, did not experience it. The main culprit of the wobble is the track bar. If you have any play on the ball joint (drivers side) end of the track bar, it needs to be replaced. I also had two tie rod ends that were bad. The truck drives fine after replacing these items.

 

[Kawi600]

Thats death wobble. . I had that on my 95 a few times. From what Ive read the remedies are a dodge steering stabilizer from solidsteel. biz, a better trackbar from thuren or modded with a lukes link and especially setting the caster to 3. 5 degrees. I think there are a set of optimal alignment specs out there, I just dont know them offhand. If you have adjustable shocks like the rancho 9000x you can stiffen the damping a bit up front that seems to help.

Im waiting on my thuren trackbar at the moment. Soon as that and the DSS is in Im going to set the alignment up and hopefully never experience the DW again

 

[Matthug]

Thats tires out of balance. Had an 85' G30 van do it too me, almost pooped my pants! Re-balanced the tires, no more!

 

[K Bradbury]

I had the same problem with my 97 4x4 the problem ended up being the front tires that were wore out.

 

[JoshPeters]

I'd check the track bar for any kind of play. If there is some... replace it. I'd be willing to bet that's the issue.



Out of balance tires... . not so much. I can see a shake running down the road but so violent that it ruins the steering stablizer... . no.



Next time it happens try hitting the brakes really hard, then ease into the throttle. That's what I found got rid of the death wobble on mine, till I replaced the track bar.



Josh

 

[Matthug]

Out of balance tires... . not so much. I can see a shake running down the road but so violent that it ruins the steering stablizer... . no.

Trust me man, when it happened in this van it was VERY scary. It practically ripped the steering wheel out of my hands and I just had to slam on the brakes there was no steering happening. Balanced the tires, never happened again. No steering component was replaced, just balancing. I was totally shocked myself that tires out of balance would do that, I have proof!

 

[JBritton]

Thanks everybody for the great input. This is what makes TDR so great!

 

[LBrazdys]

Death Wobble... ... ... ... ... ... ME TOO... ... ... ..... replaced track bar, drag links and sway bar components... ... ... ... . next, the steering box and shaft... ... ... ..... I have 320K on a 96... ... ... ..... I **** in my pants about a year ago when it happened to me.

 

[biggy238]

CASTER CASTER CASTER CASTER... ... . IF the Inclination is wrong on the axle, the tires can rock back and forth without changing vehicle direction... sometimes it's hard to get enough caster but caster (and non-worn out parts) is the ultimate solution.



To check your trac bars integrity, have someone slowly (I mean slowly) turn the steering wheel with the engine running and in park. If the truck body moves side to side before the wheels try to turn, it needs replaced. Same with tie rods, if they move much if any at all before the tires/steering knuckles try to move, they are worn.

 

[Jesselee]

i just bought centramatics i hope this helps me a bit

 

[Jesselee]

centramatics did not help :{

 

[Turbo Thom]

They helped the vender. They did work.

 

[EXSTROKER]

happened to me today yup scarry :{

 

[JPittinger]

I'm also a survivor... MINIMUM E-RATED TIRES. Track bar, control arm bushings, caster, and stabilizer. They all helped, but guess which one made the biggest difference.

 

[Kawi600]

The trackbar is a main culprit, as is the wheel hubs and control arms. You may want to get the DSS from solidsteel. biz to help keep the pitman shaft from wiggling on the gearbox.

Death wobble can also be helped by adding a little caster to the front end.

Try having the alignment setup like:

Setting Left Wheel Right Wheel

Caster 3. 2° 3. 5°

Camber -0. 10° -0. 10°

Cross Caster -0. 3°

Cross Camber 0. 0°

Toe Standard specs



some trucks may require as much as 5 degrees of caster supposedly.