I will soon take delivery of a new 2021 F-250 Lariat 4x4, and in late Jan I will take a long road trip, towing a camping trailer (approx 7,000 lbs) and I am paranoid of being on the road, far from home, and encounter the death wobble while towing. I see some folks are installing a dual shock steering stabilizer as a matter of principle for the solid front axle. My real question is if my paranoia is justified. I don't want the "surprise" several thousand miles from home, and I don't want to void any warranty or customer support by making an immediate modification without justification other than my paranoia. My truck will remain factory stock in virtually all aspects, I will not lift it, level it, change wheels or tires.

Do I "wait and see" if/when death wobble would surface or is the risk mitigation value significant enough by adding a dual stabalizer that I just go ahead and to that on a brand new truck (that if properly build has no need for such a change). For those who have installed the dual stabilizer, please share brand preferences and research outcomes from your investigation of the various options. The one I have found the most appealing is made by PMF suspension, I would probably get the bilstein's for a cost effective solution.

https://www.pmfsuspension.com/2005-2...-Kit_p_65.html

Please no turf or brand wars, I'm just looking to benefit from experience and research of others in the forum.

 

They lowered them and improved the steering stabilizer for 2020+ so I dont think you need to worry unless you got the heavier duty higher sitting front springs.

If you have a problem with bump steer start thinking about some modifications.

 

Just drive the truck and enjoy. I am on my 4th SD and have never had the death wobble.

Adjust your tire pressures according to your load and travel.

 

I had a 2017 Lariat F350 4X4 CCLB 6.2L.
Put 28000 miles on it, a fair amount of towing, no death wobble.
I have a 2019 F350 4X4 CCLB 6.7L with 15000 miles on it, a fair amount of towing as well.
No death wobble on this one either.
I believe that the vast majority of Super Duty owners do not experience any problems, most of those without problems do not post here.
I think that the few that do have problems almost always post here.
In other words a casual reader would surmise that the problem is wide spread when in fact it is not.

Buy your truck, tow your rig, and do not worry about it.

 

IT also seems the consensus is that some wear or damage occurs that brings on DW. A new, unmodified truck would not have such problems

Relax.

 

I have 85K on my 2019 F250 work truck. This truck has rail wheels on it so a lot of extra weight to it and I have never had a death wobble with it. Enjoy the truck and don't worry about it.

 

I have 12K on mine and not a hint of bump steer or any signs of looseness in the steering. It tracks much better that my 17 F350 dually did.

 

The break in period before towing is 1000 miles I think. You should know it by then.

 

No wobble on my '17 or my son in law's '17 either.. Really like the steering on my dually..tracks straight as an arrow.

 

OP, we have a 1999 f250 superduty, 230,000 miles plus on it - left bone stock, and we have never had death wobble. Worry about it when / if it happens.

 

I honestly wouldn't worry about it quite yet. If it's going to rear its ugly head it will be after some stuff starts to loosen up/wear or tires start to wear. The OEM trackbar frame side bushing was completely worn out on my 2018 F250 at 42,000 miles, I drove around for 10-15k miles on it with it banging around getting worse and worse and towards the end when on the highway and hitting bumps i could really feel the death wobble wanting to happen. Swapped it out with a PMF HD adjustable trackbar and it completely tightened up the front end again. Since then I've also added dual steering stabilizer setup from Kelderman, Caster bushings, PMF draglink, new tires and the front end feels super solid again, in fact better than when i got the truck (purchased with 40k miles).

 

nope. It doesn’t have to be wear or damage. My business rents trucks from Enterprise, we always get brand new Fords and Rams and we have had several with DW. Most of them never experience it, but it does happen.
Usually we get it to stop by raising air pressure in the front tires, but sometimes that doesn’t do it.
I bought a 2017 F350 Lariat with the heavy duty front springs. It started getting a slight dw at about 20,000 miles. That’s pretty new in my mind.
My 2008 F350 had it and I was able to speak to the original owner. He dealt with it from the day he bought it.
So far, my F450 hasn't done it, but that's a different beast.

 

your 99 has leaf springs. Those dont get death wobble. It’s the 2005 and up trucks with coil springs that get it.

 

Coincidentally, I came across this YouTube video last night. About mid way into the video they experience the Death Wobble while to their RV Trailer. I thought the way she handled the situation was educational and something I'll keep in mind. At 13 minutes in, they get a death wobble.

 

Slowing down is definitely the only way to stop it once it starts.