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hi steer, hydo assist, death wobble?

camok5

camok5

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So I have the common death wobble problem with my dana 60 crossover and was woundering if hi steer would make things worse or better and is hi steer alot harder on king pins for a daily driver? Also would like to know what companies make a good hydo assist steering kit other than WTO(redneck ram)?
 
As mentioned.....High-Steer or Hydro-Assist are NOT the source of death wobble. It's typically caused by worn kingpins, bushings or the kingpin spring losing spring pressure.


High steer has made no noticeable difference in death wobble for me (ORD version) but the hydro assist I installed (1.5" WTO version) did help to "mask" the death wobble.... the operative word there is MASK. It doesn't really cure death wobble, it simply makes it harder to notice. Even with hydro I can induce bad death wobble if I turn the wheel sharply at low speeds.
 
I already replaced all the king pin parts and I am running dual stabalizers and just about every steering part is new but would still like to know if hi steer will wear out the kings pins faster with a daily driver or if there are any other draw backs? I have just about givin up trying to get rid of the death wobble and will most likely try to "mask" it with hydo assist. One more question, does anyone know if putting a panhard on the front would help with the death wobble because I already plan on putting one on to help with the bump steer?
 
I wouldn't think a panhard would effect death wobble, but maybe somebody else will chime in.

Have you tried shimming the upper kingpin springs with some washers? A lot of people, including myself, used this to correct death wobble issues. The stock springs were never designed to handle big tires!
 
Shimming is my next step, what thickness washers should I use and can this cause any problems?
 
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So i put 1/4'' washers in and now my blazer tracks really bad and is a little scary to drive on the freeway, any other ideas or should I try and use a less thick washer? :confused:
 
camok5 said:
So i put 1/4'' washers in and now my blazer tracks really bad and is a little scary to drive on the freeway, any other ideas or should I try and use a less thick washer? :confused:
Click to expand...

There is absolutely no reason that shimming the upper king pin springs should cause these issues.

Where exactly did you put the washers???

Did you make sure the upper caps are still fully seated against the knuckle?

Kinda' sounds like the steering arm is loose.
 
I put the washers in between the nylon bushing and the spring, the caps are tight and the steering arm is fine. Does anyone else have any ideas? The problem is when I turn the steering wheel a little while driving it doesnt want to return straight as easly and it seems like the steering is actually to tight.
 
You usually put the washers on top of the spring, but not sure if it makes a difference or not. Based on your latest description it sounds like something may be binding (assuming the washers are the only thing you've changed). I would pull the uppers apart and make sure everything still looks okay, and then try a little smaller spacer.
 
Thats my next move, I dont see how the washer being on top would change anything but I have been wrong before. :D
 
Don't mean to hijack the thread, but what should I look for when I tear down my D60 to see how far i should go into the kingpin rebuild? Seems like a full rebuild is a pita, but if necissay I'll do it. I'm deffinately gonna replace the bushings and springs just for the sake of, but that's fairly simple.
 
I would only replace everything if the kingpins themselves looked worn or pitted.
 
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