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Damn it!

88trailblazer

88trailblazer

1/2 ton status
Joined
Apr 11, 2004
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Location
Miami, Florida
I installed a used Rough Country 6 inch lift from a k5 on my k10 recently. The front was sitting slightly lower than the rear and my 38.5x14.50 TSL/SXs were rubbing. I installed a set of EZ-Inch blocks up front with 4* shims (because the springs were missing the original front shims). I also moved the axle foward 1 inch. I still have death wobble. It was there before the EZ Inch and shims were installed. It happens around 20mph and when i start to brake.

Does any one know how many degrees i would need to shim the front to get the correct castor? I installed a set of aluminum shims just cuz i had them laying around but before i spend money on steel shims, i want to be sure that they will work. How can i check the castor on a front D44.

I'm also running crossover with no steering stabalizer. I know that the stabalizer will help cover the problem but i want to get this fixed before i add one. I'm also going to change out the front tires with a set of 35's tomorrow to see if that helps.

I'll get some pics up soon.
 
Have you checked your alignment after the lift? What kind of shape are ALL your tierod ends in? More often than not its one of the two especially after changing lifts. I know nothing seems to change but the springs but there is a difference. Hope it works out.
 
I haven't taken it to check the alignment yet. I was going to wait until after i try another set of tires. The tie rod probably has 500 miles on it and is still in good shape.

I don't think that it's the tires though cuz i'm pretty sure that i had the death wobble after the lift but before the tires were installed.

I believe that my castor is off, but i don't know how to check it other than comparing it to another rig. Problem is i have a D44 and my neighbor has a 10-bolt so i can't go by the abgle of the diff housing since they are slightly different.
 
Death wobble just sucks! The only time ive seen it has been with used fatigued springs. sure it could other part of your steering but im guessing weak springs. good luck.
 
I think that part of the problem is that to start these 6 inch springs came with 4* shims, then moving the axle foward one inch moved the axle further into the front arch which mow requires more degrees to correct. Does that make sense? Here's a ghetto pic of what i mean.

spring.jpg
 
Check balljoints, wheel bearings and draglink ends.

Misadjusted toe can cause DW too. You don't need an alignment shop to set the toe, its easy to do. Search under my username, I've explained how to do it a few times.
 
chevyridinhigh79 said:
if the axle is moved further forward into the arch wouldn't that turn the pinion of the axle down, not up?
Click to expand...

that's what I'm saying. Because the ez inch moved the axle forward (into the arch), the positive caster has increased thus moving the pinion down. The springs already came with 4* shims built in which I replaced with a new set of 4* shims. This did not compensate for the ez inch.


Now how can I find out the degrees needed to correct this? The d44 has flat tops so I could use that + my iphone's degree finder to find my current settings then adjust accordingly. I believe the stock set up should have 4-6* positive. Is that correct?
 
i always did mine off of the axle housing where the pinion exits the housing. if you put the shim in between the spring and the ez inch, that wouldn't change anything would it?
 
88trailblazer said:
that's what I'm saying. Because the ez inch moved the axle forward (into the arch), the positive caster has increased thus moving the pinion down. The springs already came with 4* shims built in which I replaced with a new set of 4* shims. This did not compensate for the ez inch.


Now how can I find out the degrees needed to correct this? The d44 has flat tops so I could use that + my iphone's degree finder to find my current settings then adjust accordingly. I believe the stock set up should have 4-6* positive. Is that correct?
Click to expand...

Yes you are on the right track. I just had a thread about this a week or two ago. I was about 10* off so I had my zero rate milled into the shape of a shim and that helped 10 fold. My caster is somewhere around 4* which I think is not enough but i works. I have been upto about 50mph a couple of times now and my death wobble hasn't been bad yet. More like a headache wobble or a runny nose wobble. I am going to put my GPS in it soon so I know how fast I'm really going.
 
GsxrMike said:
Yes you are on the right track. I just had a thread about this a week or two ago. I was about 10* off so I had my zero rate milled into the shape of a shim and that helped 10 fold. My caster is somewhere around 4* which I think is not enough but i works. I have been upto about 50mph a couple of times now and my death wobble hasn't been bad yet. More like a headache wobble or a runny nose wobble. I am going to put my GPS in it soon so I know how fast I'm really going.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. Could you post a pick of the milled zero rate. Also how did you get it milled? Also could you get me your angles off the flat top knuckle and pinion just to compare with mine.

Here is how it sits right now. I know that if i get the blocks milled it will lower the front 1/2 inch which i can deal with later.
photo006.jpg

photo009.jpg


Here is my current pinion angle. The pictures is slightly off angle so it's a little missleading.
photo010.jpg


Here is my TEMPORARY aluminum 4* shim under the EZ Inch
photo005.jpg
 
You should really use an angle finder.

Truck looks good, BTW.
 
Does anyone know if, or what the solution to this death wobble was?
 
looks to be that the pinion is pointed down too low to the ground.mine is at least 4 degrees pointed up more than that.with bigger tires you need some kind of stabilizer to help with wabble.i only run a single rancho and it is all i need because the rest of the components are tight and adjusted correctly.maybe he will chime in but thats what i did.
 
chulisohombre;2596970with bigger tires you need some kind of stabilizer to help with wabble.i only run a single rancho and it is all i need because the rest of the components are tight and adjusted correctly.maybe he will chime in but thats what i did.[/quote said:
This is not true. You do not need a stabilizer. I ran my truck with 39.5 boggers, and 38.5 sx's no stabilizer. Only time I ever had death wooble was when the tire pressure was different between the two front tires. Once I got them matching it would go away.
Click to expand...
 
My guess would have been to remove the shim, although I dont know how much the zero rate was affecting angle. The shim in the picture is subtracting caster.
 
cegusman said:
This is not true. You do not need a stabilizer. I ran my truck with 39.5 boggers, and 38.5 sx's no stabilizer. Only time I ever had death wooble was when the tire pressure was different between the two front tires. Once I got them matching it would go away.
Click to expand...
i really didnt have wabble.i just didnt want the steering wheel to jump outa my hands on every bump.it slows down the jumpyness on a stock system.i tried it with and without the stabilizer and it made a big difference in the way it felt going down the road.i wouldnt run it without one given the choice,unless i had some kind of assist or ram setup.a lot of people will say the stabilizer is just a band aid but i didnt like the way it drove without it.
 
I never had death wobble before my highsteer installation. I though the same thing; that bump steer was what everyone was talking about. IT IS NOT! Death wobble is an entirely different thing and will make a believer out of you when you experience it.

My highsteer mod is my favorite upgrade and because of the death wobble my least favorite upgrade.
 
NV_K5 said:
Does anyone know if, or what the solution to this death wobble was?
Click to expand...


Sorry, haven't been on in a while...

I was able to reduce some of the whobble just by tightening the ubolts down with more leverage and muscle... i also bought a pair of stabalizers from someone here, but I never got to install them cuz...(THIS IS PROBABLY BLASPHEMY ON THIS SITE) I'm putting my entire Chevy drivetrain in a Jeep.:doah:

Don't worry guys, there won't be much left of the Jeep after i'm done with it.
 
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