My 2019 is starting to have some shimmy when hitting expansion joints. At barely3 months and 5000miles. bone stock. I will be visiting the dealership on this.

 

 

I would like to ask for some details about your truck AceRed. How many miles on it? What's the year, model, bed length, 4x4 or not, and engine type. I believe that these details play a role in the potential for Sustained Steering Wheel Oscillation (SSWO) or Death Wobble (DW) to occur. I am convinced that of the late model Super Duty trucks, 4x4 SRW models are the most susceptible to its devastating affects.

I wrote a detailed summary of SSWO/DW and sent it to FORD yesterday. I know that they are aware of the problem as evidenced by the issuance of TSB 18-2268. Unfortunately the TSB is only a guidance recommendation to service advisors and technicians/mechanics; it is not a directive to thoroughly inspect the ENTIRE front suspension on EVERY Super Duty truck in which the owner reports an occurrence of SSWO/DW. Furthermore, it does not mandate replacement of the steering stabilizer in such trucks, nor does it stipulate the caster angles that should be set up. This latter issue is probably because the caster angles are different for various models and setups and are determined at the service department by the VIN number according to the service department at the dealership in Arizona where I purchased my soon-to-be-delivered truck.

Ford Motor Company needs to take a more proactive approach to this problem. The best thing that I've discovered is that SSWO/DW does not affect every Super Duty truck, not by a long shot. But it affects enough trucks, and those owners that do experience it report the event as horrifying at worst and unforgettable at best, that Ford should develop a more definitive maintenance, inspection and repair policy. Thankfully there have yet to be any serious accidents caused by SSWO/DW, but there has been one serious injury, that being a torn shoulder which required surgery. The number of close calls and near misses indicate that it is only a matter of time before an occurrence of SSWO/DW results in a serious accident. This is sufficient reason for Ford to address this problem aggressively.

I am convinced that the problem is both preventable and can be effectively mitigated from re-occurring. I also believe that the cost to do so is relatively minuscule. More importantly, I believe that the solution is not necessarily as simple as some (including Ford) suggest, that being adjustment of caster and replacement of the steering stabilizer, either with an OEM part or a most likely better aftermarket version. As for the magnitude of expense , the cost of the stabilizer from Ford is $105 and that of a Fox ATS 2.0 is about $440, and it only takes about an hour to replace it according to the service department that I spoke to. However, I firmly believe that any Super Duty truck that experiences SSWO/DW should comprehensively have EVERY wear-susceptible part in the front suspension replaced: the tie-rod ends, drag link ends, track bar ends, radius arm bushings, steering stabilizer and even the ball joints.

I believe that the steering stabilizer is a significant part of the problem, either due to defective construction or deterioration with use. It probably should be replaced at least every 15,000 miles. I base this suggestion on the fact that most of the cases of SSWO/DW occur in the 15,000 to 25,000 mile interval in a Super Duty truck. The service advisor I just spoke to volunteered this recommendation, to replace the steering stabilizer, on a regular basis. He said that most of the cases of SSWO/DW that he sees occurs in trucks with more than 15,000 miles on them. After all, the steering stabilizer is a shock absorber, and shocks are regularly replaced in vehicles and trucks because they wear out. Unfortunately, the failure of a steering stabilizer in a Super Duty truck has the potential to result in a much more serious event than worn out shock absorbers. I am confident that maintaining a functional steering stabilizer will significantly reduce the wear and tear on the other parts in the front suspension of a Super Duty truck that are critical to the stability of the steering and suspension.

Lastly, I just called the service department of the dealership where I am taking delivery of my 2019 F-350 Lariat Ultimate CCLB 4x4 6.7L in a couple of weeks and made an appointment to have the alignment checked on my truck before I take delivery. The advisor was very aware of SSWO/DW and willing to discuss it. I liked his attitude which was “it is better to prevent its occurrence than to deal with it after it has reared its ugly head”. He was more than willing to have the alignment on my new truck checked when the truck arrives at the dealership, and we set up an appointment. I am primarily having the alignment checked to determine the caster angles as set at the factory, and to confirm that the alignment is according to specification. I am most interested to see if Ford has increased the caster angles to the values indicated by one owner who reported them after implementation of TSB 18-2268, those being L/F +2.8, R/F +2.4. There are other reports of caster angles that range up to +3.5 degrees. While I now understand caster (after about a month of research), I do not understand why high positive angles should have an affect on the potential for SSWO/DW to not occur.

In regards to SSWO/DW, I am of the opinion that it is better to BE AWARE of it rather than to BEWARE it. I would rather prevent it from occurring than deal with it afterwards. If I have to deal with it, I'd prefer that Ford treat me with the care afforded one's closest loved one. And I would rather have input on the "cards being dealt" than "deal with the cards I'm dealt". CHEERS TO ALL

 

don thuren ( who seemingly is a leading expert on dodge and who aparently has spent quit a number of years sorting out those front end problems ) said that he would never recomend just one stabilizer located at the draglink, but rather at the tie rod /steering knuckle - axle housing. this in itself likely wouldnt be the magic fix but you wonder if it isnt significant, along with the low caster

 

 

Ford dealer has ordered another steering damper for my truck. They told me that the new damper has to be manufactured after May of 2018. If it comes in and it was manufactured before May, they will have to order another one. I guess there is no way to request one manufactured after May.

 

While we are on this subject and the results DOC is posted it should be noted there are 58 owners who have reported experiencing DW: 14 once, 16 twice, 7 three times, 4 owners four times AND 20 yes TWENTY owners who have experienced DW 5 or more times...

My point on this is EVERY SINGLE DW INCIDENT needs to be reported on the NHTSA website https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2017/F...U%25252FCC/4x4 as well as the trucks taken to Ford for inspection/repair.

 

you really think a stabilizer made after may will wash away all your troubles hahaaha

 

nope, but i'll give it a try before more drastic fixes.

 

 

Guessing we can all go look under our trucks and see the manufacture date... and hope it is after May of '18.

 

Thinking you "powersrp" have the right idea!
Now as to the set up you have installed or plan to install; any part #s? I have seen a few setups but as with everything else there are opinions and experiences to listen to and learn from...

 

it's a simple spec change for Ford. They would just have Dana build the axles with more caster by rotating the knuckle ears a bit (more) during manufacturing.
I used to build axles for lifted 4x4's and it's a pretty common thing to consider/adjust.

that being said, Ford will likely never do it for two reasons: more caster means more steering effort, which is a marketing thing to them. Second, Ford's engineering department kinda sucks and their stubborn arrogance is legendary. Remember that these are the same clowns that gave us 7 lug wheels, laughably useless e-coat primer rust protection, cam phasers, and non-replaceable relays in the fuse blocks. Ford would rather give us aluminum trucks that resort to galvanizing, which has been the industry standard for the past 25 years.

Rant being stated, take the truck to a good alignment shop, have then put in some caster sleeves on the front axle, and the problem should go away forever. I can tell you that after 20 years of working on lifted coil sprung solid axle jeeps, that as long as the suspension bushings are all good, it's the caster. It's always the caster. and FYI that wide tires will just make it worse. they like to trammel on pavement which exacerbates the instability.

 

 

Wanted to get some "educated" input/opinions/thoughts on this:

Was poking around under the truck today looking for various things and once in the front took a look at the steering gear. I noticed there is ONLY ABOUT TWO INCHES of travel until the front bumpstops engage; this seems like very little travel prior to the bumpstops making contact.
I will claim ignorance on this as I have NO IDEA if this is normal or not. Would/could this be part of the problem?

Thoughts?