Iv'e read about the SD "death" wobble for years and never experienced it for myself, but recently I have what can only be described as death wobble. I just installed about 9" of lift and 38" tires, now @ about 20-25 mph the wheels start to gyrate so bad they acctualy come off the ground!! (un-drivable). Seems to shimmy then wants it starts theres no stopping it other than brake slamming (gently pumping..hard), or if conditions are right I may pass the threshhold and make it to 40 or 50 mph...but driving in say a parking lot I can hit bumps, pot holes, turn sharp, quick, and it feels awesome...

Alighnement was just done/by an really good shop
All ball joints and steering arms new/greased regularly
Track bar w/bushings 1 yr. old
Stabalizer new
Wheel bearings 1yr old
wheels tight
ALL components tourqed/including track bar, pitman nut
No bad mounts motor/trans

The wierd part is right after alighnement it seemed to shimmy a tad...but no wobble by any means, it acctually felt good, after a 25min ride or so I went to the gas station, on the way back I got the same ****** again...BAD!!! The alighnment shop told me when I picked it up that there were broken belts in the two front tires, that I can understand but why stop for that breif period (not to mention get me all excited) then start again?

These tires were also used, from ebay. Mainly wanted the rims but was hoping to ride the tires out for a while til' more money rolls in. Gonna switch the tires tomorrow front to back, just looking for other suggestions or similar instances...

 

Also, shocks are new Bilstien 5100's. And I would post in SD forum but as in the past never had much luck there...unless I want cool wiper baldes or a shiny over the top bumper...Tech wise you can't beat the 7.3 guys.

 

Death Wobble is pretty much only on the 05-08 SDs with their coil sprung front ends.


99-04s can get some wobble, but generally that's associated with the trac bar bushings being worn.

I'd swap the tires and let me know if that makes a difference. Or if you have different tires to put on it to test drive (stockers??).

 

Tire swap tomorrow, not stockers but close enough...hoping for bad tire's but what are the chances of TWO tires having blown cords...

 

What kind of tires?
What size tires and what size wheels?

 

PJ's Dirt Grips 38x15.50-16.5 (used) the wheels are the old stone crusher 16.5x12's, And coils I could understand...but strait axle/leafs ther ain't much to wobble. Also track bar makes sense (if it wasn't new) but at low speed? Makes me think something has to get it started out of balance ie;tires/wheels/balance, but wierd that it would stop for awhile...

 

Are the PJs worn evenly?


I had some PJs that would like to ride like a SOB....never got them bad enough to hop though, LOL

Wheels look good?
Careful with them as well if you start to notice that the tires are loosing air. Check where the two pieces of the wheel come together...been known to crack under the weight of a PSD.

Not all of their two piece designs cracked, but it did happen from time to time.....especially on the 12-14" wides.

Never had an issue with any of their one piece wheels though.


If the tires do have broken belts....I could see it hopping pretty good. Could be pretty scary, I'd imagine.

 

That's the answer I'm looking for...I hear death wobble stories and people keep driving!!! This aint the kind of wobble you continue along with, I had each tire shcreeching on the pavement as it came back down @ only 16-20 mph and wouldn't stop til' almost dead stop... at 8+ ft in the air, I didn't keep driving. The two I have on the front oviously came of the back of whatever they were on cause the other two are worn/and scalloped on the inside. Which is the opposite of mine which wor on the outer edge's.

 

I was also wondering how to tell if these wheels are "real" bead locks or not? Not alot of info, out there. If they are not real there a dam good imitation...but real is not good...real=illegal.

 

Fake bead locks.

That faux bead lock ring has been known to click (wheels flex under the weight....faux bead lock ring contacts the outer piece of the wheel). Also, known to collect water, dirt, etc..
Weld warrantied a bunch of Stone Crushers and Mountain Crushers back when they where "the wheel" that everyone ran. You could buy the "clickers" pretty cheap.

 

Sounds good, I think there the Stone Crusher 51's. Noticing a click would be like noticing a "SBD" on a bucking bronco...I'll take the click.

 

DC, were you @ in IL, I come from MO, just south of STL. Friend o' mine used to work @ the Diamond Caboriet in East STL, which most don't know is acctualy IL...

 

Up by Great America/Gurnee Mills area.

Not too far from the WI border.


I bought a set of clicking Stone Crushers maybe 4 yrs ago.....sold them before I ever ran them since I was sick of the PJs and was going to Toyo and they didn't make a 16.5.
Been running one piece Welds ever since....16x10s, 20x10s and now 20x12s.

 

20x 12's would be...pretty dAm cool...

 

Hey man nice to see you back around again, youve missed alot more than you can catch up on, lol. Time to change your signature too!