Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) violent front end shimmy!!!!

[daquilina]

HELP!! Today I drove my Brother-in-laws 12 Valve, I hit a pot hole doing about 50mph and it shook like the space shuttle on re-entry :{ . No kidding, I had to come to a complete stop before it stopped and I thoght I might have lost my fillings in my teeth! Thanks in advance

 

[Johnstra]

It's called DEATH WOBBLE! I didn't know they were a problem on 12 valves, but I remember reading a lot about them on the 3rd gen forum. Search there and you'll find lots to read.

-john

 

[Mundgyver]

You need to check shocks, ball joints, track-bar joints and steering joints for play. They all have an accumlative affect.

 

[Stmpplr]

Check the steering stabilizer also.

 

[JDKammin]

Most of the death wobble will be caused by a bad track bar. Any play in the ball joint end(drivers side) will mean bad track bar. The best track bar is one from Thurenfab.

 

[Ereynolds72]

Is the truck lifted? What kind of tires does it have? Check caster and toe settings along with all other steering components. There's a wealth of information on this subject... mainly a 2nd gen issue though.

 

[WBerry]

check the front shocks lower mounting bolts. mine were worn down a 1/4 inch through. replaced bolts solved the problem.

 

[HLEschenko]

Check the runout on the rims, also. All the my stock rims had a very visible wobble when rotated on a balance machine. They were replaced with a alum rim I haven't had a problem since.