PLS Help! Death Wobble!???
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
PLS Help! Death Wobble!???
So I've been doing lots of research on the death wobble and I think I may have it... Except one thing; when I get under the truck and do chin ups on all my bars (drag, track and stabilizer) they all seem completely tight with no play what so ever! So if its not the track bar, now what!!??
Symptoms: Always have had very sloppy steering that I eventually gotten use to. Continually had to correct to stay in the lane. AND THEN... one day when doing a traffic circle the truck did not want to return to center and the power steering whined for a moment. NOW... The truck wants to jump left or right depending on what side of the apex i'm on. I do get the wobble at low speeds until about 35mph and then it goes away. I don't have any wobble or steering issues while the vehicle is turning.
The inner tie rod connecting to the pitman seems like the worst of all my connections, a very very miniscule amount of up and down movement when the wife was turning the steering wheel for me.
PLS Help! This is my daily driver and I'm stumped, I'm off till Sunday to figure it out.
STOCK HEIGHT F350, no chassis or suspension mods
Symptoms: Always have had very sloppy steering that I eventually gotten use to. Continually had to correct to stay in the lane. AND THEN... one day when doing a traffic circle the truck did not want to return to center and the power steering whined for a moment. NOW... The truck wants to jump left or right depending on what side of the apex i'm on. I do get the wobble at low speeds until about 35mph and then it goes away. I don't have any wobble or steering issues while the vehicle is turning.
The inner tie rod connecting to the pitman seems like the worst of all my connections, a very very miniscule amount of up and down movement when the wife was turning the steering wheel for me.
PLS Help! This is my daily driver and I'm stumped, I'm off till Sunday to figure it out.
STOCK HEIGHT F350, no chassis or suspension mods
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,667
Likes: 1
From: Glen Rose,Texas
Welcome to FTE.How much play do you have in the steering box?With the motor off,get your wife to move the wheel back and forth while you watch the steering shaft and the tire.See how much play.If you want to tighten the box.On top of the box is a nut with a allen head bolt in the middle.Loosen the nut while holding the allen head.Go through the same sequence as above and tighten the allen head until the steerring feels firm...NOT TOO MUCH THOUGH.When you test drive it and make a turn the steering wheel should come back to center on it's own or it is too tight.This may get you by for a little while but a new box may be needed.
Check your ball joints by lifting one tire off the ground about 2''.Put a pry bar under the tire and pull up to see if there is any play.
Check your stabalizer by taking piston rod end loose and see if it still has pressure.
http://redheadsteeringgears.reachloc...563&kw=5016327
Check your ball joints by lifting one tire off the ground about 2''.Put a pry bar under the tire and pull up to see if there is any play.
Check your stabalizer by taking piston rod end loose and see if it still has pressure.
http://redheadsteeringgears.reachloc...563&kw=5016327
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,797
Likes: 10
+1 For the steering check...
90% of the time death wobble comes from bad track bar bushings or a loose mount. Steering stabilizer are simple cover ups that usually hide the real problem. My advice would be to check you bushings and mounts on your track bar first thing. Then move down to draglinkage.... A loose mount can look tight sitting still, mainly the upper mount, retorque them for peace of mind. Minor play in a track bar bushing is not an uncommon trigger to the problem
I have seen very little movement in linkage, and when compounded with a sloppy steering box and poorly balanced tires throw a vehicle into a DW oscilaton. Tie rod and linkage ends are fairly cheap on these trucks, replace what is worn with good quality parts and keep them lubed up.
I personally had a damaged rod end snap on my rock crawler driving slowly 50- mph down from a trailhead back to the trailer, after having a 42 inch tire lock out the wrong way and almost cause a rollover I will never allow rod ends on any of my vehicles go
90% of the time death wobble comes from bad track bar bushings or a loose mount. Steering stabilizer are simple cover ups that usually hide the real problem. My advice would be to check you bushings and mounts on your track bar first thing. Then move down to draglinkage.... A loose mount can look tight sitting still, mainly the upper mount, retorque them for peace of mind. Minor play in a track bar bushing is not an uncommon trigger to the problem
I have seen very little movement in linkage, and when compounded with a sloppy steering box and poorly balanced tires throw a vehicle into a DW oscilaton. Tie rod and linkage ends are fairly cheap on these trucks, replace what is worn with good quality parts and keep them lubed up.
I personally had a damaged rod end snap on my rock crawler driving slowly 50- mph down from a trailhead back to the trailer, after having a 42 inch tire lock out the wrong way and almost cause a rollover I will never allow rod ends on any of my vehicles go
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,441
Likes: 6
From: Marseilles IL
I had a similar issue and checked things many times and couldn't see anything loose with someone turning the wheel back and forth. I finally put a wrench on the steering box nut that holds the pitman arm on and I was able to tighten the nut 2 turns. Truck drives great now. I can't believe it wasn't noticeable to the eye even with turning the wheel back and forth both on the ground and in the air. May not be your problem butt it's worth checking.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 6
From: Ventura co.
i believe you putting it in 4x4 is covering up the problem. with both front wheels pulling the truck in 4x. it puts pressure on all the front end parts and nothing has a chance to move freely.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,797
Likes: 10
I highly doubt your u joints are solely the issue...locking it out is a cover up. Tighten up your steering box and then let us know if its still there.
Trending Topics
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,667
Likes: 5
your front axle ujoints have to pivot when steering, even in 2wd. my steering got better when replacing froze up ujoint .but I never had death wobble.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalytic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,578
Likes: 1
ill vote for ball joints or hub assembly... Does it do it at any speed until 35mph or do you notice the most at say 30-34mph? Jack up the front end and put a pry par in your rim and see if you have up and down play. Then if you do have someone do that while you look behind the wheel and see if there is play in your ball joints and if not the play is probably in your hub assym.
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,499
Likes: 10
From: Sterling Heights,Mi
Death Wobble, had it twice, once it was hubs, the next it WAS the Front right U joint..I to this day dont know how, considering hubs were unlocked, and 2wd.. but it most certainly went away when I did the u joint..
I still dont understand how..things that make you go hmmmmm
I still dont understand how..things that make you go hmmmmm
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 775
Likes: 0
From: Williamston, MI
Death Wobble, had it twice, once it was hubs, the next it WAS the Front right U joint..I to this day dont know how, considering hubs were unlocked, and 2wd.. but it most certainly went away when I did the u joint..
I still dont understand how..things that make you go hmmmmm
I still dont understand how..things that make you go hmmmmm
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Fixed!!!
Update!!! Followed my guy an swapped out ujoints and everything is as new as can be! Thanks for all the help and tips. I encourage anyone who experiences this problem to not overlook those ujoints even when in 2wd they play a vital role in steering. Cheers!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
superduty4x4
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
4
Dec 15, 2007 08:03 PM
