I've got a 79 F150 4x4... I have a serious death wobble issue and I think I need to have the front end redone. I've already done new steering stabilizer (Rancho), new front shocks (Rancho) and new poly bushings. I am thinking I also need to have all the ball joints redone and go with softer springs. The ones on there currently give about 4" of lift and are so friggin stiff I cant get the truck to flex.

Any suggestions on new front springs and rear leafs to match? I've got helpers on the rear too and they aren't helping me any either. Really way too stiff also. Need to soften up the truck a bit and I think that will help the around-town ride. Who makes a good suspension kit for about 4" of lift (running 33's right now, may go up to 35's) that has a good set of matched front springs and leafs?

When the front is all taken apart for the death wobble issue, id like to also get the front diff checked over, new wheel bearings, new rotors.... a good one-over on everything.

I've searched and come up with a decent list of what to look for when problem solving the death wobble, anything else I should look for? The current front suspension lift has a pos drop bracket for the track bar and I've supported that and thru bolted with grade-8, so not sure that is the problem, but Ill have it checked out.

Thanks!

 

Have you checked the tracbar bolt and bushings? That made a big difference on mine. I didnt have the wobble but it was " right full rudder and wait" going down the road. If you crank the truck and turn the wheel while stopped and the body moves before the tires, your bushings are wore out or the bolt is. Or look under it while someone turns the wheel and look for movement at the tracbar and tierods Check your steering coupler too, mine was slap wore out.

 

WILD HORSES 4X4 Off-Road Parts and Accessories 66-79 Ford Broncos

seems like a great spring.

Rock Crawler Coil Springs (66-79 F100-150) - WILD HORSES Full Size Ford Bronco Parts

 

Thanks for the info...
Anyone ever used these on the front
Super Flex Coil Springs, 4 Inch Lift CSH57
or these on the rear?
Super-Flex Leaf Pack, 4in. 10 Leaf H57

BroncoGraveyard looks to have decent selection and price.

 

Ended up buying the Super Flex ones from JBGY. They are back ordered, thats fine. Got the truck at the shop sorting out the front end anyway. New ball joints, wheel bearings, bushings, etc... hope that gets the death wobble fixed and I can actually drive the truck down the street without fear of the death wobble.

Rear Suspension question.... My truck has helper springs on there now. I did find them useful when I brought home a few thousand pounds of rocks for landscaping, but I just don't see that happening anytime soon again. AND I'd like to get the truck to ride a little softer and flex more offroad. Will I achieve this by removing the helpers? Or do i need a softer leaf pack?

Right now my 4" lift is done with blocks. Would it be better to get a softer leaf pack that is set for 4" lift or just remove the helpers and see where that goes. The rear shocks are relatively new Ranchos.

The rear end is so damn stiff it feels like its rattling the bolts loose that hold the bed down (its not, but that's how it feels).

Thanks!

 

Heres a pic

 

here it's loaded with the rocks.

 

Guy at the shop said 3 hours each side for ball joints. Have to torch them off. Holy F! Is that a legit claim that it will take that long to get the ball joints off and install new ones on each side for both upper and lowers?

 

I don't like those stacked blocks, lots of stress on those U-bolts. I'ld either have taller single blocks or arched springs or both, but not stacked blocks.

About helpers, if they are against the top of the U-bolts, they are limiting flex. I don't think you need them but suit yourself. I have the same 5 leaf 3" wide springs under mine and I've hauled over a ton many times and she's just "level" then .... but then I do load towards the front to distribute weight some better. Oversized tires, extra blocks, and those helpers all add to "unsprung weight" which will make a harsher ride.

4 inch lift coil springs? Did you ever drop the rear of the radius arms or install poly C-bushings with added caster?

If not, I may know why she wobbles .....

I have a 4 degree C-Bushing kit under mine that I put there in 1986, and mine is stock height. Made her steer better, track better on the road.

14 pieces in complete kit adds poly to track bar, radius arms at rear, and new C-Bushings. With 4" lift you want a 7 degree C-Bushing kit to restore good positive caster. If you just put springs under it, the radius arms caused the axle to "roll" forwards and go way towards negative caster. Negative caster in small amounts makes light steering, good when you have big bias ply tires and manual steering. Radials and power steering like some positive caster for straight line tracking. 1967-79 Full Size Truck/bronco - Bushings/polyurethane - C Bushing Kits,radius Arm, Track Bar

Seems to me the kits were cheaper in '87, but they do last well.



Mine is red too, black is good though!

 

and the saga continues.... 4 months later I FINALLY got my truck back. This is what has been done and replaced.

Reman starter installed
New upper ball joints both sides
New Lower ball joints both sides
New Drag Link
New Inner Tie rod
New Outer Tie rod
New Tie rod connecting sleeve
New Front hub/rotor both sides
Front brake pads
Front wheel bearings inner
Front wheel bearings outer
Steering stabilizer/dampner
New Rear drums
Rear brake shoes
Rear Brake rebuild with new cylinders
New rear brake line on drivers side
New U-joints on the front driveshaft
New WARN hubs and inner workings
Removed the rear helper springs
Removed and balanced rear driveshaft
New tires 35x12.5x15 Pro Comp Mud Terrain
Tires balanced
Everything tightened up!

AND I STILL HAVE THE F-ing DEATH WOBBLE!!!

I still have to get the bushings kit installed with the castor corrected radius arm bushings. And I also have to put the new springs on.

But I am at my whits end with this thing. The whole front end will be new. Do the bushings to THAT much to the steering/suspension dynamic that it could affect the death wobble. I mean its only a bit of polymer?! ugh, this is frustrating!!!

 

Holy crap. All that work (and $$)and NO NEW BUSHINGS?? Yer not done eliminating the possibilities.

 

Yes the bushings can make a big diffrence if the old ones are worn. Have you checked your caster on the front axle? You need to know to order the right degree C bushings. JBG has the info on thier catalog. I went woth a radius arm drop bracket when I did my 4 inch lift.

 

Im having the same issue with my 78 bronco with 9" lift. Whole front end is new. Same as your list, but adding steering box, steering pump, rag joint and all new bushings!!! Has brand new tie rods and new adjustable track bar with new bolt! No cracks in frame! Tried to different sets of tires. Sometimes i get up to 50 and it is fine and then the death wobble comes. Feels like the tires are fallng off. Ive owned 73 trucks and this is the worst!! Im stumped! I did a straight axle conversion in my 96 f150 with no issues! I would do 1100 mile round trips from Nj to Nc with no issues running 75mph!

 

I am REALLY hoping that bushings is the silver bullet to kill the death wobble.

I dont even want to think what it could be if the bushings and springs dont fix it.

4" lift, I got the 7-deg castor correcting bushing set.

 

Well ..... "YEAH!" Should have put the bushings in 4 months ago.

The material isn't the whole deal. Those C bushings rotate the front axle in the radius arms to change / add back caster. Your truck came with positive caster which means a line drawn up through the ball joints leans backwards at the top. The line .... if drawn to the roadway, hits the roadway ahead of the tire contact patch so the wheels want to follow like "casters" and you steer them with the steering mechanism.

It didn't come with a lot however, and when it was raised 4" the axle was rolled "forwards" as the radius arms dropped in front in relation to the frame, that rolled the ball joints forwards and killed positive caster, likely even created negative caster.

The 7 degrees will be a big step towards curing it, restore the caster youi lost when you raised it and those radius rods ("radius" like in "1/2 diameter of a circle) swing down in the arc they prescribe from the rear bushings.

Think of that Wall Mart Buggy, those wheels in front are called "casters" and for the same reason that the angle we talk about here is caster. Positive casters they are as their contact patch with the tile floor or parking lot is also behind their pivot point or axis. Pull that cart backwards and the casters will turn around won't they? Well, that's about what your front wheels are trying to do with that death wobble you have to fight.

I hope you did go for the whole 14 piece kit as I didn't see the track bar or radius arm rear bushings in your list either?

Think you'll have them in by Spring?