Death Wobble!!!!!!!!
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
Death Wobble!!!!!!!!
Hey guys, I have a '76 4x4 that has the exact same problem. At about 40 mph, it starts real lightly and then increases until you have to stop. The first time it happened to me, I had to get out and see if the front lug-nuts were still there. I changed the stabilizer - no help- shocks - no help - tie rods - nothing. The only way I could get rid of it was to change tire sizes from 33" to 31". The problm there is I don't want the smaller tires on it. All Arguments aside, we need help. I know the joins and wheel bearings are good. I also know it is not a bent rim or seperated tire tread as someone else has told me. My front end has an angled bar (locator bar) that connects to the housing on one side of the truck, and to the frame on the other. The bushings on the ends of this bar need to be replaced. Does anyone think this might cause the problem? Does your truck have this same bar?
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 1,485
Likes: 3
Death Wobble!!!!!!!!
Did you check your old tires for high and low spots? I had some tires do this to me, they had plenty of tread, but wore out of round. It could be the track bar bushings, but I would think you would still have the problem with the new (smaller) tires. I would check out the old tires first. If they are out of round, the bushings may have caused the odd wear pattern.
Nathan
Nathan
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 661
Likes: 1
From: Villa Ridge, MO
Death Wobble!!!!!!!!
If the bushings on the Panhard bar were worn out enough, I could see the posability of it causing a wobble. That bar keeps your Mono-beam axle from moving side to side. If it slighly moved back and forth I could see that causing a problem. It might cause a wonder more than a wobble. BUT i dont have the axle....well yet....Im working on swapping one in. If the busings are bad i would replace them with some poly. ones. Im out....
Dan "Mudinford" MacDonald
Rather be pushing a Ford than driving a Chevy.
Like A Rock......In Water!
Dan "Mudinford" MacDonald
Rather be pushing a Ford than driving a Chevy.
Like A Rock......In Water!
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 898
Likes: 0
From: SF Bay area
Death Wobble!!!!!!!!
there better be a locknut and an adjusting screw in the top of the steering box. e-mail me...
Wayne
Wayne
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Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 380
Likes: 0
Death Wobble!!!!!!!!
I will check that out the adjusting nut. hey my bar bushings are worn too, my buddy at napa told me to have them replaced. the problm is go to somewhere that sells bushings that can be real helpful because there is no part no. for them we just measured them and had to order them by size. i have to wait a few days for them to come in but i want to replace them casue im up to about 4 or 5 people telling me that it could be that. let me know what you find. thanks
-Jacksland
-Jacksland
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 661
Likes: 1
From: Villa Ridge, MO
Death Wobble!!!!!!!!
I am finding out that if you are lookin for off-road stuff in general, Napa isnt the best place. Granted they have alot (98% of the parts we use at our shop is from Napa and my best friend is a counterman) but they have a limited resource of after market products. Like liftkits and such. They can get them but the selection is not worth a darn. What i would do is find your local 4 Wheel Parts store and see what they can do for you. They really didnt bat an eye when i came in for parts that required lots of different stuff from 2 different truck years. They can be high on $ but you can usally debate that a little. Even try the website. I am 100% sure you can get a bushing kit from them or even find the right bushing for the job. I even know that Superlift makes an adjustable Panhard bar for that year truck so i am sure that its not that bad to find. Hope that helps and let us know what you find.
Dan "Mudinford" MacDonald
Rather be pushing a Ford than driving a Chevy.
Like A Rock......In Water!
Dan "Mudinford" MacDonald
Rather be pushing a Ford than driving a Chevy.
Like A Rock......In Water!
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 380
Likes: 0
Death Wobble!!!!!!!!
Breaker one-nine, breaker one-nine,
i wish i knew that before cause i already ordered the part. thanks for the info. but believe me i do not buy anything for my lift from them, the only time i go to napa is for anything thats still stock, we dont have any specialized 4 wheel shops round my parts. anything that breaks gets fabricated here. napa and a dealer is it. thanks again.
Jacksland "Fire Ranger" out.
-channel clear *crackle*
i wish i knew that before cause i already ordered the part. thanks for the info. but believe me i do not buy anything for my lift from them, the only time i go to napa is for anything thats still stock, we dont have any specialized 4 wheel shops round my parts. anything that breaks gets fabricated here. napa and a dealer is it. thanks again.
Jacksland "Fire Ranger" out.
-channel clear *crackle*
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
Death Wobble!!!!!!!!
hey guys, i still believe your problems are in the steering area. i know 33's arn't that big of a tire, but compared to a stock, it put more pressure on the steering system. here are some suggestions.
ball joints- jack up the front end, grab the bottom of the tire, and pull it towards you. if the wheel moves, then your ball joints are bad. sounds simple, but bad ball joints can be a nightmare.
tie rod end ball joints- again, while vehicle is jacked up, wiggle the wheel in and out and watch where they attach to the steering knuckle. if there is any play, new tie rod or tie rod ends are in order. and if you have the twin "I" beam, check all three ball joints, and make sure the rods arn't bent.
i've seen vehicles where a single stabelizer isn't enough, you may consider or try a daul set up.
you may just need an alignment. youd be surprised how easy it is to knock a vehicle out of alignment, especially with any kind of larger tires.
and last, have a buddy or a wife or someone get in the vehicle, start it and have them turn the wheel from lock to lock. while there doing this, watch the front end, and look for exessive play or movement that is not suppose to be there.
ball joints- jack up the front end, grab the bottom of the tire, and pull it towards you. if the wheel moves, then your ball joints are bad. sounds simple, but bad ball joints can be a nightmare.
tie rod end ball joints- again, while vehicle is jacked up, wiggle the wheel in and out and watch where they attach to the steering knuckle. if there is any play, new tie rod or tie rod ends are in order. and if you have the twin "I" beam, check all three ball joints, and make sure the rods arn't bent.
i've seen vehicles where a single stabelizer isn't enough, you may consider or try a daul set up.
you may just need an alignment. youd be surprised how easy it is to knock a vehicle out of alignment, especially with any kind of larger tires.
and last, have a buddy or a wife or someone get in the vehicle, start it and have them turn the wheel from lock to lock. while there doing this, watch the front end, and look for exessive play or movement that is not suppose to be there.
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
Death Wobble!!!!!!!!
I've been 4-wheelin for years and I have never had this happen to me until now. I have heard other people talk about it though. Never heard anything in the way of repairs though. I've already checked everything imaginable on my truck. Of course the first things I checked were the linkages stabilizer, and bearings. All of those things are new. I'll try to find some bushings this weekend and change them. I'll let you know on the results.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 380
Likes: 0
Death Wobble!!!!!!!!
Thanks, i will prob. do the same. i have already replaced and checked all that linkage and i have king pins not ball joints. those were the first tests i did on the truck. thanks for the help though.
-Jacksland
-Jacksland
