What The Hell Happened???
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Senior User
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From: Long Island
What The Hell Happened???
Was Driving At About 60 Mph And I Hit A Bump And The Front Wheels And Steering Wheel Shook Back And Forth Real Hard Until I Slowed Down To About 30mph!!!!! Never Happened Before. F350 Dually Crew Cab With 4wd...not In 4wd At Time
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Joined: Aug 2002
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From: BC, Canada
It still has a track arm or track bar that locates the axle side to side. When the bushings wear out it can cause the front end to shake violently.
Bad ball joints can also cause it but I've seen it caused more often by the track arm.
Bad ball joints can also cause it but I've seen it caused more often by the track arm.
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The "Death Wobble". My buddy had this happen all the time in his Suzuki Sammy. Turns out it's caster was way off. Is it lifted?
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From: MA
When I had my '94 Dodge I had the same problem, but it wasn't the front end. Before I bought it, the rear end was replaced. Turns out the U-bolts weren't put on tight enough!!! Hit a bump on the Mass. Turnpike at 70, the truck shook violently and the whole rear axle shifted sideways. Screwed up the steering alignment too. Drove the truck with a crooked rear end for many months until I decided to have it checked out! Probably not the smartest choice to wait so long!
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Fleet Mechanic
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From: River Valley AR
Our box van does that in mild turns and when crossing RR tracks at certain speeds. It feels like the wheels are "toeing" in and out rapidly, I never considered the steering box as the culprit though.....
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From: Long Island
Where is the track arm/Bushings?? Is it In front of the axle near engine or behind it? How long is it??? I see various connectors under the front with zirc fittings but not sure which is track arm... THANKS
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Originally Posted by DUALLYNOTED
Where is the track arm/Bushings?? Is it In front of the axle near engine or behind it? How long is it??? I see various connectors under the front with zirc fittings but not sure which is track arm... THANKS
If you look under the truck from the back side of the axle you will see the bar, and a bushinged links coming straight down from the frame on either side.
One other thought would be to check that the tires are ballanced. I changed everything imaginable on a van I once had........and it turned out being unballanced tires bouncing. Just something else to check.
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Joined: Aug 2003
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From: SOUTHEAST OHIO
If it has a steering damper, steering shock, or whatever you want to call it it is that. The solid front axles will do this. I have two seprate vehichle that done the same thing. Both time it was related to the steering damper. On one it was the brackets that we loose, on the other the shock was just wore out. Neither were lifted.
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Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Colorado
My "03 250 4x4 does that about every 15 to 20 kmiles. Replace ball joints and good to go. Ford says nothing wrong with frontend......They are full of S!!!. 
I also had similar problems with the original Firestone tires from factory. 
I also had similar problems with the original Firestone tires from factory.
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From: LAKE FORK TEXAS
I had a 82 GMC 4x4 with a straight axle that developed a death wobble and it turned out to be the tie rod ends. Then on my 93 F250 and again on my 96 F250 i got the death wobble, again it was the tie rod ends. Front end shop i used to use told me that on 4x4's,regardless on model or manufacture that a very good Steering damper was important due to the higher lift on the 4x4's put a lot of pressure on the tie rod ends, they might have been full of it but Once i had the new tie rod ends and a good stabilizer shock i never had another problem.