2002 4x4 Death Wobble
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,215
Likes: 8
From: WV
2002 4x4 Death Wobble
Hello from the Super Duty forum! I usually hang out over there mostly, but my wife's having trouble with her '02 Explorer 4x4 V8 XLT.
Today I experienced a violent steering wheel shudder that I would describe as the old "death wobble" you hear about on solid axle trucks, Early Broncos, Jeeps, etc.
At 55mph, in a slight right hand turn, a little bit of a bump in the road triggered it. I held on to it as the steering wheel was rotating left and right a few degrees (maybe ~10deg) and it wouldn't stop until I slowed down to around 35mph.
I crawled underneath and didn't see anything obviously bad (tie rod ends, ball joints, etc).
Then I noticed when turning the steering wheel (with the engine running, but parked) I could feel it shuddering slightly as I turned it.
The PS pump makes quite a bit of noise so I wonder if its on the way out.
Anybody else ever experience this?
Thanks in advance!
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Today I experienced a violent steering wheel shudder that I would describe as the old "death wobble" you hear about on solid axle trucks, Early Broncos, Jeeps, etc.
At 55mph, in a slight right hand turn, a little bit of a bump in the road triggered it. I held on to it as the steering wheel was rotating left and right a few degrees (maybe ~10deg) and it wouldn't stop until I slowed down to around 35mph.
I crawled underneath and didn't see anything obviously bad (tie rod ends, ball joints, etc).
Then I noticed when turning the steering wheel (with the engine running, but parked) I could feel it shuddering slightly as I turned it.
The PS pump makes quite a bit of noise so I wonder if its on the way out.
Anybody else ever experience this?
Thanks in advance!
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,215
Likes: 8
From: WV
Do you mean a steering stabilizer? Its fairly tight quarters under there but I could only see the rack & pinion and two tie rods.
Or are you talking about a stabilizer bar or something?
Thanks!
Or are you talking about a stabilizer bar or something?
Thanks!
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,931
Likes: 180
I guess it could be the steering pump. setting in the driveway, you can turn the wheel stop to stop and have someone feel for movement of the tires relative to smooth operation. You can also feel something in the steering wheel ? Also look at the tires and see if they are wearing abnormal on the edges. It would be much more common for a ball joint to be bad and be causing the vibration problem, and you will see that in the tire wear also.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,215
Likes: 8
From: WV
Thanks for the replies guys 
1975 390 -- I haven't done any work on this truck in a long time. I did jack it up when I got home after it happened to check ball joints and such.
steve(ill) -- when sitting in the driveway, I could feel a little bit of shudder in the steering wheel as I turn it from lock to lock.
critterf1 -- There's no noticeable slop in the tie rod ends. All of that stuff up front seems tight.
I did read somewhere something about getting air into the PS system (similar to what 1975 390 was saying) and that turning the wheel from lock to lock several times can help work the air out of it. I did that and I can't feel any shudder in the driveway, and it hasn't shuddered at speed either. Maybe that was it but I'm suspicious of something else going on. We'll see!
Thanks again for the replies
1975 390 -- I haven't done any work on this truck in a long time. I did jack it up when I got home after it happened to check ball joints and such.
steve(ill) -- when sitting in the driveway, I could feel a little bit of shudder in the steering wheel as I turn it from lock to lock.
critterf1 -- There's no noticeable slop in the tie rod ends. All of that stuff up front seems tight.
I did read somewhere something about getting air into the PS system (similar to what 1975 390 was saying) and that turning the wheel from lock to lock several times can help work the air out of it. I did that and I can't feel any shudder in the driveway, and it hasn't shuddered at speed either. Maybe that was it but I'm suspicious of something else going on. We'll see!
Thanks again for the replies
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,215
Likes: 8
From: WV
Well, I feel kinda silly about this, but the problem was that the PS fluid was too low 
Reason I missed that the first time is that the truck was hot from driving and the PS fluid was really foamy causing it to look like the level was ok through the dirty, cloudy, plastic tank.
Whatever happened to a little dipstick for checking this?
I topped off the fluid and worked the wheel from lock to lock about a dozen times and its been ok since.
Anyway, hopefully it will be this easy for the next person that has this problem. Thanks again to everyone for all the replies
Reason I missed that the first time is that the truck was hot from driving and the PS fluid was really foamy causing it to look like the level was ok through the dirty, cloudy, plastic tank.
Whatever happened to a little dipstick for checking this?
I topped off the fluid and worked the wheel from lock to lock about a dozen times and its been ok since.
Anyway, hopefully it will be this easy for the next person that has this problem. Thanks again to everyone for all the replies
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