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Death Wobble

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Old Nov 12, 2015 | 03:31 PM
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Death Wobble

Just got done with Rancho rs5000s and new tie rid ends , center link and drag link. 1992 f150 5.0 33" pathfinder tires, 3" lift. Still did the wobble so I tried a steering damper, also Rancho, still does it. Does not do it on the highway at all and I have to stop for it to go away for in town driving. I had the hub locks locked in one day and didn't realize it but noticed it didn't do it as bad and the shudders were farther in between. I just did bearings and spindle nut and wheel bearing on the driver side about 2500 miles ago

Any help would be great.
I would reply faster to text thanks!
5074612792
 
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Old Nov 12, 2015 | 06:22 PM
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Also I think it's coming from the driver side and it seems to be when I'm turning right more than when Im turning left
 
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Old Nov 12, 2015 | 07:49 PM
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I just went through this problem..

Turned out to be the axle ujoint was binding up...

Mine occurred more when I turned left and was the left side ujoint..

Yours is probably the right side joint..

Don't know what you drive and I assume it has 3 wheel drive

Here is a you tube video I made..
 
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Old Nov 12, 2015 | 08:08 PM
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It can be anything in the steering system. Unfortunately you need to address it by methodically evaluating every thing. Ball joints and steering connections are often the main source of most issues.
 
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Old Nov 13, 2015 | 03:53 PM
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What confuses me is, how can it be a u-joint in the front end when they are only spinning when four wheel drive is engaged?. I'm reading a lot of things that's a steering box...this intrigues me because I have about a quarter of a turn of play in the steering wheel and I just replaced all the steering arms like I mentioned earlier...I'm so lost and out if ideas other than the steering box..
Originally Posted by donjamer
I just went through this problem..

Turned out to be the axle ujoint was binding up...

Mine occurred more when I turned left and was the left side ujoint..

Yours is probably the right side joint..

Don't know what you drive and I assume it has 3 wheel drive

Here is a you tube video I made..
Ford F350 Death Wobble - YouTube
 
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Old Nov 13, 2015 | 03:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Daniel Garman
What confuses me is, how can it be a u-joint in the front end when they are only spinning when four wheel drive is engaged?. I'm reading a lot of things that's a steering box...this intrigues me because I have about a quarter of a turn of play in the steering wheel and I just replaced all the steering arms like I mentioned earlier...I'm so lost and out if ideas other than the steering box..
I did the same thing.. People told me it was the steering box, ball joints, ujoints etc... and I said how can that be if the front shafts are not engaged...

I put in the redhead steering box.... No change
A mechanic on here said he has replaced the power steering reservoir and that has fixed it on his so I replaced that while doing the steering box... No change

I replaced tie rods, track bar, steering dampener all had no effect..

Finally after running out of things to replace I had the ujoint done and the problem has not come back..

Save yourself some money and start with the ujoints and ball joints
 
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Old Nov 13, 2015 | 04:02 PM
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I'm just gonna get my steering tires balanced today sometime and then I'll do the u joint. Thanks for the info.
Originally Posted by donjamer
I did the same thing.. People told me it was the steering box, ball joints, ujoints etc... and I said how can that be if the front shafts are not engaged...

I put in the redhead steering box.... No change
A mechanic on here said he has replaced the power steering reservoir and that has fixed it on his so I replaced that while doing the steering box... No change

I replaced tie rods, track bar, steering dampener all had no effect..

Finally after running out of things to replace I had the ujoint done and the problem has not come back..

Save yourself some money and start with the ujoints and ball joints
 
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Old Nov 13, 2015 | 04:04 PM
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That's a good place to start..

Just make sure ujoints are next on the list to save yourself some aggravation...LOL
 
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Old Nov 22, 2015 | 12:12 AM
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My '02 is two wheel drive but whenever I get the death wobble, which is rare, I rotate my tires and it disappears for months. I think the front tires start to cup and eventually set up a harmonic type of thing or become synced. Put the rears in the front gives you a new tread profile to ride on.
 
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Old Nov 22, 2015 | 02:10 AM
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SOLVED-ELIMINATE THE RADIUS ARMS/BRACKETS/BUSHINGS FIRST!!!

Figured out it was my radius arm bracket/bushing. I'll attach a picture of what it looked like. I know this is it because I put a 28mm socket on with a breaker bar and wheels on the ground and the radius arm moved up n down about 2" each way 😨


Driver side 👍👌




Passenger side 👎😨💀 <br/>When i took off the nut (twisted off with the bolt ...so i have that to replace now too 😒 ) part of the piece thats closest to the bracket where the gap is, about a tgird of a circle of a piece, fell onto the ground.
 
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Old Nov 28, 2015 | 12:03 AM
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Thanks for posting a result. Too many times people ask a question and get many replies and then do not post the remedy. It helps to know.
 
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Old Dec 6, 2015 | 12:19 AM
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Rotors

Originally Posted by donjamer
That's a good place to start..

Just make sure ujoints are next on the list to save yourself some aggravation...LOL
I should note that when I did the u joints and bearings I noticed where the hub attaches to the rotor on both driver and passenger side there was wiggle room. Meaning I could put the rotor flat and move the hub about a quarter of an inch up and down. Is that supposed to be that way? What is the hub held on by if not the leg nut studs? Are they supposed to be one or two pieces?.... If the radius arms and brackets aren't it that's the next place I'm going...
 
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Old Dec 6, 2015 | 12:23 AM
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Here's the type of "setup" my rotors n hubs are. Only this is one I found on Google for your reference...
 
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Old Dec 6, 2015 | 11:06 PM
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I've heard of a number of rotors that the holes were oversize and would not center themselves on the hub. You can buy small bushings to remedy this situation. Check at a brake shop.
 
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Old Dec 6, 2015 | 11:09 PM
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Originally Posted by fixnair
I've heard of a number of rotors that the holes were oversize and would not center themselves on the hub. You can buy small bushings to remedy this situation. Check at a brake shop.
It was between the rotor and the hub not the left n right of the studs
 
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