What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

death wobble

I thank you for using the search function.
Ball joints are a regularly replaced item on our trucks. Tie rods are also a thing to look at. With the front tire off of the groung, pull the bottom of the tire out towards you and then push it in towards the engine. Do this fairly quick and repeted. A little play, will be alot when the truck has weight on it. There really shouldn't be any.
To check tie rods, grab the leading edge ond the trailing edge(the part near the ft bumper and the part near the firewall) and try to shake the tire by pushing in out the back and pulling out on the front and watch the steering. If you move the tire and the steering doesn't move the tie rods/ends are bad.
 
I've got a cucv stock worn out front springs "inverted" I run 35" x-terains and I have DW bad. just wanted you to know it can happen on stock springs too! It sounds like you need to relplace just about everything, does a cross over steering set up help eliminate DW??
 
85-m1028 said:
I've got a cucv stock worn out front springs "inverted" I run 35" x-terains and I have DW bad. just wanted you to know it can happen on stock springs too! It sounds like you need to relplace just about everything, does a cross over steering set up help eliminate DW??
Click to expand...

yes it can also happen on stock rigs.....from the research i did crossover does a good part of preventing it
 
BIGBLAZE433 said:
yes it can also happen on stock rigs.....from the research i did crossover does a good part of preventing it
Click to expand...
I disagree. It may hide it some, but a worn out piece is a worn out piece. My DW has scared people in another truck. Alignment can play a factor in DW also, especially in wide tires. Lower air pressures can effect it also.
 
yesssssss!!!! my first success at giving good advice yessssss!!!!!!!
 
I just did the front brakes on my truck, new pads, rebuilt calipers, turned rotors repacked the bearings and new seals, haven't had any DW since:D
 
the DW you talk about can be many things. if everything is good on the front it can still shake with stock tires with little lift. good stabillizers (dual) or a rock ram will make it go away unless you have worn parts. the more flexable your suspension the more likely DW is.(i.e. removal of sway bar or lift)
 
greenwch1 good stabillizers (dual) will make it go away unless you have worn parts. [/quote said:
Welcome to the board.
All they do is controll or hide it better. His problem was fixed by replacing what was bad, not covering it up. I have DW when my tires are at low pressures. I will be checking/replacing parts to solve it because I do not run a stabilizer and don't plan on it. If you have a small problem, it can become a big problem. If you run a dual stabilizer setup, it can hide the problem untill it causes more damage and problems.
Click to expand...
 
OK OK I must confess I did need to get a new steering stabalizer procomp 2000, now my DW are gone "see above post about redoing front brakes"
 
85-m1028 said:
OK OK I must confess I did need to get a new steering stabalizer procomp 2000, now my DW are gone "see above post about redoing front brakes"
Click to expand...

the stabalizer didnt do anything other then hide the problem.

I had a DW that made on comming traffic flee in terror and it was fixed by replacing the tierod ends, or in my case, went high steer :P
 
Loose Nut said:
the stabalizer didnt do anything other then hide the problem.

I had a DW that made on comming traffic flee in terror and it was fixed by replacing the tierod ends, or in my case, went high steer :P
Click to expand...

yea I have noticed some slack in the steering box itself, crossover set and king pin rebuild will be next, where can I get a rebuilt a 2wd steering box, or should I get a used one and just rebuild it myself??
 
Dw

I has DW when I swapped in my 60, we tried all of the tricks and fixes. Nothing worked.
We even took it to an alignment shop and they made it worse.
So sitting in my friends drive way we took the tourque wrench to the
ubolts and presto, no more DW.
That was 4 years ago.
Last month, I replaced my front springs w/52's. Put on some fresh 44's and presto dw was back.
Sat in my driveway took the tq wrench, bam, it's gone.
Sounds like there is a multitude of things that cause DW.
:confused:
 
i had an awful death woble in my 91 jimmy right after i bought it. i was driving down fairly steep grade in traffic, when some idiot decide he must stop compltely before making a right hand turn into the parking lot. Anyways i stepped on the petal pretty hard and the whole front end tossed side to side. i could barely hold the wheel straight.After changing front end parts , i tried the wheel barings and brakes. Took the rotors down to the locals patrs store for turning and they said they couldnt turn them. It turn out some other idiot put 3 out of the 6 wheel studs were a smaller diameter, which you could imagine created a lot of loosness in the front end.Your much better off doing all the work you can yourself. At least then youll know its done right.
 
Death wobble redeaux

Ok, I have an 89 GMC Jimmy with a 6" lift (procomp springs) and a 3/4 ton tie rod, dual shocks etc. I have been reading all of these posting on king pins etc with the deathwobble and not sure eactly what the conclusion had been.

I have replaced the steering box, but thei truck had the broken/cracked frame and the shops when checking the ball joints said it flexes but appears ok. The wheel bearings, breaks and ball joints are all deamed good.
The tie rod ends, drag link joint, stabilizer, front spring bushings, tyres, shocks, etc have all be replaced. It's a 10 bolt that should be replaced with a 14...

What's the word? Which way do I go? It has my shop and his alternate shop (the front end guy) stumped.

Thanks
 
Bolt in Steering box brace.
Weld in Box brace.

Double check and then Triple check every single little thing.
What is the caster?
How well are the tires balanced?
Toe in?

As you can tell there are a bunch of things that we have all found that could fix DW.
Verify everything. Sometimes you will fix it with the most unlikely thing.

Good luck.
 
Ok, no steering brace yet, alignment was deemed ok by 2 different shops including caster. I do have anew stabilizer. Removed dual stabilizers with factory mount pro-comp single same time as the shocks, got better.... of course several other things done at the same time that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom