2012 F-250 DEATH WOBBLE, HELP
#16
04-11-2016, 11:48 AM
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It does exist, I have it.
2008 f250 cc long box v10. 57,000 miles. Stock suspension.
What company would be a good place to get some better parts to rebuild/restore my suspension parts that would be better than the oem ford stuff? No lift desired just want better bushings for example.
I starting getting this wobble two years ago up by the Canadian border. Changed all shocks and steering dampener to rancho's and make sure the tire psi is good. No issues until a week ago. Again those dang Canadians. Still in the USA though. I drive it 65- 70 mph to the airport and all winter at various speeds. Again I realized it has only happened when I drive it north of where I live. The speed limit is 60 mph up there. At 60 mph pretty much any bump will make it do very frequently. I drove at 57 or lower no problems, then at 64 or higher no problems. I have to pull to an almost complete stop to make it stop. It is horrific really. The roads are asphalt as they are down here no real difference other than speed limit.
I use this for dragging trees out of the woods for firewood and backwoods driving mostly, winter driving and haul a 24' camp trailer once or so a year. I have hit some pretty good holes and bumps from time to time.
So I will try some new tires, they are skins now. It could be the balancing issue. Now I realize the problem may have came with the tires and a bad balance job or I lost a weight. I have not had it in to get it re balanced as I thought the problem was gone. There are so many things that can create this problem. Then it will be on to learning how these front suspensions work so I can start rebuilding it. I figured out my 57, maybe I can step up to do this thing. Thanks for the ear. Roy.
What company would be a good place to get some better parts to rebuild/restore my suspension parts that would be better than the oem ford stuff? No lift desired just want better bushings for example.
I starting getting this wobble two years ago up by the Canadian border. Changed all shocks and steering dampener to rancho's and make sure the tire psi is good. No issues until a week ago. Again those dang Canadians. Still in the USA though. I drive it 65- 70 mph to the airport and all winter at various speeds. Again I realized it has only happened when I drive it north of where I live. The speed limit is 60 mph up there. At 60 mph pretty much any bump will make it do very frequently. I drove at 57 or lower no problems, then at 64 or higher no problems. I have to pull to an almost complete stop to make it stop. It is horrific really. The roads are asphalt as they are down here no real difference other than speed limit.
I use this for dragging trees out of the woods for firewood and backwoods driving mostly, winter driving and haul a 24' camp trailer once or so a year. I have hit some pretty good holes and bumps from time to time.
So I will try some new tires, they are skins now. It could be the balancing issue. Now I realize the problem may have came with the tires and a bad balance job or I lost a weight. I have not had it in to get it re balanced as I thought the problem was gone. There are so many things that can create this problem. Then it will be on to learning how these front suspensions work so I can start rebuilding it. I figured out my 57, maybe I can step up to do this thing. Thanks for the ear. Roy.
#17
04-11-2016, 06:09 PM
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#18
04-11-2016, 07:26 PM
Tuned
K I literally just solved this problem. I have an older 03 super with crew cab & full bed, stock set-up minus rough country added shocks.
Problem- Started at higher speeds 55+, would get a serious wobble & would even have a slight sound to it.
As time went on it would start out at even lower speeds.
Solution- Turned out to be worn out steering stabilizer bushings. Firmed right up.
(With a truck as new as yours this may not apply, depends on how aggressive you drive & how bad the roads are you drive.)
1. Check tire pressure you want to have at least 50psi + with our larger trucks.
Anything under & it tends to start to bounce, so to speak going down the road.
2. Check tire wear for bad wear, may indicate bad alignment, my Les Schwab does FREE alignment checks. Yours probably does to. But as noted by someone earlier supers tend to eat tires at odd angles acting like a bad alignment when in fact their fine.
(Forgot to add also check for worn struts, aka shocks, they will sag under-load, )
3. If you have access to a jack.
Lift each front tire just off the ground, press firmly, or with your foot against all sides of the tires. Bad wheel bearings will give your wheel free play in all directions.
4. If its its only from one direction is may be a bad or worn ball joint. If this is the case have someone press against the tire while you crawl underneath and chase down the ball joint.
5. If still nothing, lift the front end with jack stands underneath, have someone turn the wheels & look at your steering rack. Watch for free play indicating bad steering bushings. (Very cheap, simple rubber parts. )
Have a helper turn the wheels slowly & then fast, inspect the front end while they do this watching each ball joint for play. & the front end in general.
6.If still nothing & probably less likely, crawl back & inspect your transmission mount for signs of wear & loose fit. With the car on & idling have someone hit the gas in a little burp, also with the brakes on obviously, have someone put it into gear. If the mounts bad, it will be an obvious movement, & slight clunk depending on how bad.
7. Least likely but still possibly check your rear drive-line carrier bearing, you may not have one if you don't have a long wheelbase.
Cheers mate! With enough time & willingness to look for it, you'll find it.
Hope it helps!
Problem- Started at higher speeds 55+, would get a serious wobble & would even have a slight sound to it.
As time went on it would start out at even lower speeds.
Solution- Turned out to be worn out steering stabilizer bushings. Firmed right up.
(With a truck as new as yours this may not apply, depends on how aggressive you drive & how bad the roads are you drive.)
1. Check tire pressure you want to have at least 50psi + with our larger trucks.
Anything under & it tends to start to bounce, so to speak going down the road.
2. Check tire wear for bad wear, may indicate bad alignment, my Les Schwab does FREE alignment checks. Yours probably does to. But as noted by someone earlier supers tend to eat tires at odd angles acting like a bad alignment when in fact their fine.
(Forgot to add also check for worn struts, aka shocks, they will sag under-load, )
3. If you have access to a jack.
Lift each front tire just off the ground, press firmly, or with your foot against all sides of the tires. Bad wheel bearings will give your wheel free play in all directions.
4. If its its only from one direction is may be a bad or worn ball joint. If this is the case have someone press against the tire while you crawl underneath and chase down the ball joint.
5. If still nothing, lift the front end with jack stands underneath, have someone turn the wheels & look at your steering rack. Watch for free play indicating bad steering bushings. (Very cheap, simple rubber parts. )
Have a helper turn the wheels slowly & then fast, inspect the front end while they do this watching each ball joint for play. & the front end in general.
6.If still nothing & probably less likely, crawl back & inspect your transmission mount for signs of wear & loose fit. With the car on & idling have someone hit the gas in a little burp, also with the brakes on obviously, have someone put it into gear. If the mounts bad, it will be an obvious movement, & slight clunk depending on how bad.
7. Least likely but still possibly check your rear drive-line carrier bearing, you may not have one if you don't have a long wheelbase.
Cheers mate! With enough time & willingness to look for it, you'll find it.
Hope it helps!
#19
06-02-2022, 10:07 AM
Death wobble
I have a 2012 F-250 XLT, Super Crew, short bed, 6.2L & the FX4 package, completely stock. It currently has 45,000 miles on it. Recently I've been having an issue with the "death wobble." When hitting some rough humps or bridges at highway speed (70-80mph), the truck will shake violently & you can't hardly keep control. When you brake to get it to stop, it starts shaking even worse until it finally stops at 30-50mph. One time I even had to completely pull off onto the side of the road. It had been riding rough anyway & I saw where people were complaining about the stock Rancho shocks on the FX4s. I'm not a mechanic & I suck at figuring this stuff out, I know little to nothing about vehicles. I had the shocks replaced today all the way around, the local tire shop put some type of Monroe shocks on there. I'm not sure exactly what model or anything. On the way back from there, it still started the death wobble but it wasn't nearly as violent & I didn't have to pull off the road or slow down. It shook for about 5-6 seconds & quit. Also, I'll throw in that I'm using the stock Michelin tires that came on it. They still have about 5,000 miles worth of tread on them so the tires are fine. I've been looking around the internet for some solution. I've been reading about how installing a dual steering stabilizer has fixed the issue for some people with older Super Dutys. I can't find anything about death wobble on a Super Duty as new as mine. This is getting out of hand. It's doing it nearly EVERY TIME I take it on the interstate & I am getting desperate for a solution. I plan to take it to a dealership soon unless I happen upon a solution. Please help if you can.
UPDATE:
My truck just spent a day at the dealership and they said there's nothing wrong with it and they've never even heard of the death wobble or anything like that. A Ford dealership telling me they've never heard of this problem is nothing but a lie. Especially as common as I've known this to be with older Super Dutys. I guess I'll have to make someone from the dealership ride with me and get it to do it. It does it now literally every time I take it on the interstate. My local diesel shop said there is a bushing or bearing or something like that gone bad with the tie rod. They couldn't get me in to fix it and they went on vacation for 2 weeks. Just when I thought I was getting somewhere, here we are back at square one.
UPDATE:
My truck just spent a day at the dealership and they said there's nothing wrong with it and they've never even heard of the death wobble or anything like that. A Ford dealership telling me they've never heard of this problem is nothing but a lie. Especially as common as I've known this to be with older Super Dutys. I guess I'll have to make someone from the dealership ride with me and get it to do it. It does it now literally every time I take it on the interstate. My local diesel shop said there is a bushing or bearing or something like that gone bad with the tie rod. They couldn't get me in to fix it and they went on vacation for 2 weeks. Just when I thought I was getting somewhere, here we are back at square one.
#20
06-02-2022, 03:27 PM
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I am pretty sure my problem was strictly related to the tires. I had bought some that were taller and narrower than the previous set. During the wobble days I took it in and had the ball joints and a few other front end parts replaced Ford said I should get. Still had the issue. I bought a set of tires that matched the door sticker and have never had the issue again. My issue never happened except on one highway north of here. The way the pavement sunk in a certain ways from the trucks would make it happen every time.
I drove all over the PAC NOR with those tires and never had it happen once. I hit some pretty scary pot holes at speed no problems. Every time I went N of Bonners Ferry it would be guaranteed to happen. Again since I put stock size tires back on it never happens. That was some freaky S*%t.
I drove all over the PAC NOR with those tires and never had it happen once. I hit some pretty scary pot holes at speed no problems. Every time I went N of Bonners Ferry it would be guaranteed to happen. Again since I put stock size tires back on it never happens. That was some freaky S*%t.
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