New front end, still wobbles

[Rotket]

I have replaced EVERY component on the front end of my truck. Tie rod ends, DOR track bar, shocks, springs, ball joints, steering box, and u joints. 

How is it remotely possible that I still have death wobble when going over certain over passes and bumps on the expressway?

[NIsaacs]

Are you running stock wheels? These front ends don't like non oem offset. I would make real sure you have a slight tow in on the alignment, about 1/16-1/8. Towed out, will assure death wobble.

[Mopar1973Man]

Lift kits and over sized wheels will cause death wobble for sure. When you get the geometry of the front axles messed up you'll create a good death wobble. 

 

 

[JAG1]

Worn or tired out steering stabilizer?

[Rotket]

I have stock wheels and a 2.5 inch level. Adjustable track bar that centers the axle.  Even of the steering stabilizer is worn out, I was always under the impression that that little shock didn't matter much if everything else was in order.

Should I go get a toed in alignment? Should I buy one of those fox 2.0 stabilizers?

[JAG1]

I had the 2 inch level kit on my 02 truck with just a hundred thousand miles. I measured it and compared it to my stock 01 truck. The level kit was more around 2.5 inches like yours. Nothing worn steered okay, but not as good as the 01. However, after getting new tires and giving them a chance to break in The leveling kit had to go. Made me work twice as hard driving it. For some reason new tires made the problem show up. I replaced it with a 1 inch level spacer. It is a lot better, not perfect like the 01 is. I must say though that I have all the things that go along with the level kit, i.e. adjustable track bar, longer end links, realignment, shocks, everything. I had to go with a 1 inch spacer because by this time I have air bags in the rear and did not want to be starring at the road. My 01 is staying stock and is easy to drive.

 

BTW, both have 4wd

[Rotket]

Yea that's what sucks, is that I didn't cheap out on anything as I slowly rebuilt the front end. I did everything right, including longer control arms when thr bushings failed on those.

I don't really want to go back to stock, as I have so much money into the front end and I would have to get new tires to because they would rub.

The death wobble is very rare, but or scares me enough to not have my 6 uear old with me in the truck.

 

[JAG1]

I think some of the excessive steering you are experiencing is in the frame where the steering box is mounted. It's not as solid as you'd think and you can see the frame flexing a little bit. with the vehicle sitting still, have someone run the wheel left to right back and forth in rapid motion. Also watch the shaft coming out of the steering box. It might be moving side to side a little also. Look everywhere for any looseness or clicking motion.

Edited June 27, 2020 by JAG1

[ColoradoColt]

I just fixed the death wobble on my truck. Not sure if it was sway bar links or bushings but I replaced both. 

[JAG1]

3 hours ago, ColoradoColt said:

I just fixed the death wobble on my truck. Not sure if it was sway bar links or bushings but I replaced both. 

So you are saying everything you did was only associated with the sway bar?

[ColoradoColt]

Yes. Only replaced bushings and links. Haven’t had a problem since, and I had the death wobble probably 5-6 times a day.

Had the sway bar off for a day first just to see if it was problem. Didn’t death wobble so I replaced bushings and links. Bushings had probably 3/4 inch of play in each one...very stretched out.

[Rotket]

Interesting. My trucks has no steering problems and drives straight, right up until it tries to murder me.

I'm going to look into a steering box stabilizer or damper... Maybe both. Literally the only things I haven't done.

[dripley]

How are your tires? Not so much size but condition. I went thru a bout of DW a few years back. My tires were about gone and I replaced them. And it stopped but was not quite right. I discovered the track was loose and replaced it and the problem was cured and still is. My tires are smaller at 265 75 16's.

By the way, how is your caster angle?

[Haggar]

 

A damper is NOT the difference between non wobble and wobbly.   You are just masking a problem.

 

You mention fixing all kinds of stuff except the control arms.  Did you replace those bushings?  Also what orientation are your cam bolts?  

 

When you push the front axle down with the lift kit, you make the lower control arms even "shorter".  Our fixed caster front axles do not like this.  (If you think about it when you pushed the axle down (relative to the frame) because it is on a radius, you rotated the front axle forward.  This made the caster worse.  Try a longer lower control arm, or at LEAST make sure the cam bolts are turned so that the lower control arm is as long as possible.  (if they are not set at longest possible now, adjust them and see if it changes your wobble.  It should.  Given the lift, it may not fix it totally, but many guys get away with basically a leveling lift, so it might get you back closer.)

 

I suggest trying an adjustable lower control arm rather than a steering damper.

 

HTH

Hag

[Rotket]

12 hours ago, Haggar said:

 

A damper is NOT the difference between non wobble and wobbly.   You are just masking a problem.

 

You mention fixing all kinds of stuff except the control arms.  Did you replace those bushings?  Also what orientation are your cam bolts?  

 

When you push the front axle down with the lift kit, you make the lower control arms even "shorter".  Our fixed caster front axles do not like this.  (If you think about it when you pushed the axle down (relative to the frame) because it is on a radius, you rotated the front axle forward.  This made the caster worse.  Try a longer lower control arm, or at LEAST make sure the cam bolts are turned so that the lower control arm is as long as possible.  (if they are not set at longest possible now, adjust them and see if it changes your wobble.  It should.  Given the lift, it may not fix it totally, but many guys get away with basically a leveling lift, so it might get you back closer.)

 

I suggest trying an adjustable lower control arm rather than a steering damper.

 

HTH

Hag

No I have new stock control arms but they're probably not long enough. I maxed the adjustment bolts on both sides.

My tires are around 50 percent tread, and my castor is set to whatever the guys at the tire shop set it at when I took it in after doing front end work 6 months ago.

[Haggar]

Ahhh...  Castor is in the front axle.  The only way to get more or less is to rotate the axle.  That is what the cam bolts do.  Just take a quick peek and make sure the cam bolts are offset to the rear of the truck (the thicker part of the cam washer to the front of the vehicle.)

 

Death wobble is so weird.  It happens so fast, it is hard to determine who started it....

 

Whose control arms did you use?  I noticed a couple vendors selling 14mm bolt diameter lower control arms for our trucks, but 16mm is the correct bolt size.  Did you notice anything funny like that when you put yours in?

 

Good luck!   I feel your pain.  That is not fun!!

 

Hag

[Rotket]

16 hours ago, Haggar said:

Ahhh...  Castor is in the front axle.  The only way to get more or less is to rotate the axle.  That is what the cam bolts do.  Just take a quick peek and make sure the cam bolts are offset to the rear of the truck (the thicker part of the cam washer to the front of the vehicle.)

 

Death wobble is so weird.  It happens so fast, it is hard to determine who started it....

 

Whose control arms did you use?  I noticed a couple vendors selling 14mm bolt diameter lower control arms for our trucks, but 16mm is the correct bolt size.  Did you notice anything funny like that when you put yours in?

 

Good luck!   I feel your pain.  That is not fun!!

 

Hag

So the hole on the washer should point towards the rear of the truck?

[Haggar]

Yes, that will give you the "longest" control arm you can have with what you have.  (the bolt is pushed in its slot furthest to the rear.)

 

HTH
 

Hag

[BennyGGG]

The only time I’ve experienced death wobble was on the 99 Jeep TJ. Similar front steering setup as or 2nd gens. Replaced everything in the front end. New HD steering, adjustable control arms, adjustable track bar. I would still get occasional death wobble. I found that it was triggered when I was braking above 55. One day I got it during an abrupt slowdown on the highway. After the wobble the jeep was pulling hard to the right. Found the brake caliper was stuck. Replaced the calipers and have never had it since. Just wanted to share my experience. ??

[Mopar1973Man]

Wobbly steering is typically cause from lift kits. As you lift the axle the caster goes more neutral. This causes the steering to wander. Now you need to add more caster and then get adjustable track bar to center the thrust line again.