Violent shaking while running over midget
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Joined: Sep 2006
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Violent shaking while running over midget
OK now that I have your attention...
My 2012 F250 4x4 CrewCab is, under certain circumstances, violently shaking. highway speeds (around 60 mph), while on slight curves, if I hit a little bump or something it starts shaking violently, and sometimes continues for up to 60 seconds, then it stops on its own. 100,000 miles. Here's the things I've already checked:
1. Tires: reasonable tread remaining, no uneven wear
2. U-joints: I've done the standard visual inspection and place in park/drive test, nothing out of the ordinary that I can see
3. Lugs: everything is torqued to spec
4. Obvious damage to suspension: Looking at shocks, springs, etc... I can't see anything obvious, but I may not know what I'm looking at.
Not sure where to start or how to diagnose, any ideas?
Attached a quick 2 second video. The full version is 60 seconds... you get the idea
thanks
My 2012 F250 4x4 CrewCab is, under certain circumstances, violently shaking. highway speeds (around 60 mph), while on slight curves, if I hit a little bump or something it starts shaking violently, and sometimes continues for up to 60 seconds, then it stops on its own. 100,000 miles. Here's the things I've already checked:
1. Tires: reasonable tread remaining, no uneven wear
2. U-joints: I've done the standard visual inspection and place in park/drive test, nothing out of the ordinary that I can see
3. Lugs: everything is torqued to spec
4. Obvious damage to suspension: Looking at shocks, springs, etc... I can't see anything obvious, but I may not know what I'm looking at.
Not sure where to start or how to diagnose, any ideas?
Attached a quick 2 second video. The full version is 60 seconds... you get the idea
thanks
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
From: Aromas, CA
not sure what trim level your truck is, but if its an xlt with steel wheels, you could have a bent rim.. my father in-laws toyota tacoma (steel wheels) had the same thing going on, he spent lots of $$ on new shocks, tires, tie rods, steering column bearing ect... and nothing helped... thousands of dollars later.... turned out to be a bent rim.
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,807
Likes: 125
From: Colorado Springs
You’re describing death wobble, this happens when suspension parts are worn out. Remove the steering stab if you have one. Check Ball Joints, track bar and tie rod ends, drag link fittings, control arm bushings, steering box. Before buying parts unless something is obviously worn start with a tire balance and rotation.
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 286
Likes: 6
Since it only does it sometimes, it won't be related to wheel balance or a bent rim, as both of those would be a constant vibration. It's in the front end suspension and something's loose/worn. My '13 CLB 4WD does the same thing and is slowly getting worse. I haven't yet had it do it in a right turn, but left turns with small bumps will set off fairly routinely. I have to essentially stop the truck to get it to stop shaking. It must be wild enough outside that other vehicles will get way away from me when it does it. I've replaced the trackbar ball joint and bushing without any real improvement. While both were in need of replacement, I think they were bad because of the shimmy, not causing the shimmy. I've heard rumors that the tires will do it when well worn, as mine are. It's apparently a side effect of the coil spring front ends, as you'll find threads for virtually every manufacturer having issues on some of their trucks. When they had leaf springs, then did not do it. I have a well worn '00 4wd that's never done it in 375k miles. The posted "fixes" are "replace everything and it will stop", which is a crap type of fix, imho.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 950
Likes: 20
From: SW Indiana melon fields.
Do a search for "Death Wobble" and you will be reading until the cows come home. There are numerous different "fixes". I think the root cause is insufficient caster. A little wear here and/or there will push it over the edge. I've heard that gassers are worse about it because they are lighter in the front. I can't say for a fact that is the case, but I've owned two gassers and both did it.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 10,126
Likes: 7,925
From: Texas
Trac-bar, trac-bar, trac-bar. Check the connections at each end. Make sure they are damn tight. Get a friend to sit in the seat and turn the steering wheel back and forth while you get under the truck and look and feel all joints for anything loose, any movement of any item anywhere in the steering system.
Did I say the first thing to check would be the trac-bar?
Did I say the first thing to check would be the trac-bar?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 922
Likes: 7
Here is where you start. Take it to an alignment shop. They will check existing alignment. It will be out of alignment. Then they will look at the suspension parts and tell you which ones are bad. A good alignment shop won't charge for that. Either have them fix it, or take the truck home and diy. Then go back and get the actual alignment.
Most likely the balljoints are shot (easy to check), but other areas can be worn as well.
Take the steering stabilizer off to make it easier to see what is broken. Do NOT replace the steering stabilizer , it will just cover up the real issue(s).
Most likely the balljoints are shot (easy to check), but other areas can be worn as well.
Take the steering stabilizer off to make it easier to see what is broken. Do NOT replace the steering stabilizer , it will just cover up the real issue(s).
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Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 1,141
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From: Woodbury CT
After experiencing the death wobble twice I did the reading till the cows came home. I did do up a thread on what other folks have done to resolve the issue - https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...le-thread.html. 1st time for me was when I 1st got my truck. It had 3 different brand of tires on it. Replaced the tires which solved the problem. 50k later it happened again, replaced the trac-bar bushing and ball joint. That seems to have solved the issue this time around.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 248
Likes: 11
We had a front end coil spring 3/4T van we made iinto a MB Road Side Service van years ago that had that same Death Wobble. It had some miles on it so we rebuilt the entire front suspension including steering box to try and eliminate the wobble and no parts helped. It took a good tire balance to correct the problem. Who would have guessed at the time it was that simple!
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 10,126
Likes: 7,925
From: Texas
The second part is excellent. If I have a DW problem, one of the first things I will do (After checking the trac-bar) is to actually REMOVE the steering stabilizer, then find and repair the cause of the DW, then re-install the stabilizer. This way I KNOW I have truly fixed the faulty parts.
Good luck
Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 922
Likes: 7
The first point is OK, but with help being what it is today I don’t know if they will do more than throw parts at it. Better to look myself at what may or may not be worn.
The second part is excellent. If I have a DW problem, one of the first things I will do (After checking the trac-bar) is to actually REMOVE the steering stabilizer, then find and repair the cause of the DW, then re-install the stabilizer. This way I KNOW I have truly fixed the faulty parts.
Good luck
The second part is excellent. If I have a DW problem, one of the first things I will do (After checking the trac-bar) is to actually REMOVE the steering stabilizer, then find and repair the cause of the DW, then re-install the stabilizer. This way I KNOW I have truly fixed the faulty parts.
Good luck
Yeah, I see SO many people add stabilizers. It fixes NOTHING. The truck should drive fine with NO stabilizer on it.Like you said, you can find the actual issue(s) easier without a stabilizer.
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