Very bad Death Wobble AFTER Crossover steering. 10 bolt 10b, not d60

[camarossguy2]

So in my searches i found that the D60 is notorious for death wobble, and the fix is usually "fender washers"....unfortunately, there wasn't really any information of 10b(or d44) with crossover steering that had bad death wobble.


I had a near stock steering setup with 8'' lift and 36'' iroks/ The steering geometry was horrible, but from 0-90mph absolutely smooth...

Finally I did crossover steering with new ball joints, new DRE and fully inspected the frame where the steering box mounts, all to fix the geometry and turning radius. In the first test drive, i got my trucks first ever death wobble.

I then spent some time troubleshooting it and found that the wheel bearings were loose on the drivers side. Repacked and properly torqued the hub down and still, bad death wobble.


The wobble doesn't seem to be speed related... i can go 0-70+ with no wobble, but seem if i hit a small bump or something.....WAAMM! The truck shakes violently, almost out of control. The wobble also doesn't dissipate. i would have to slow from whatever speed i was at (usually around 50mph) all the way to about 5mph before it went away. (also it wasn't any less violent at 6mph then at 50+)


What the hell? i almost want to go back to the crappy stock steering. Any ideas? I read many people say check the tires balance, check steering stabilizer etc...but all way working great before crossover.

The only thing that has changed is the crossover.

 

[carolina k5]

Check The Caster And Toe Settings

 

[HarryH3]

Do your front springs have angled shims on them? Some tall lifts use a shim to angle the pinion up slightly. But it also reduces the caster angle, which contributes greatly to death wobble. Switching to crossover steering might have introduced just enough of a variable to make the DW show up.

 

[86haubs]

Do your front springs have angled shims on them? Some tall lifts use a shim to angle the pinion up slightly. But it also reduces the caster angle, which contributes greatly to death wobble. Switching to crossover steering might have introduced just enough of a variable to make the DW show up.

I do not think this has anything to do with his problem. No offense. The reason I say that is this is the same DW I had with stock susp and steering setup.
First I changed wheel bearings, ball joints, turned rotors, and balanced/rotated tires. Still had the DW! I never went away until I got my lift and tires. I have been beating on my burb for about 8 months now and still have yet to get the DW.
The only thing that makes since to me is possibly a busted belt inside of the old tires, No damage was visible from the outside.

Good luck I have not clue what fixed my Burb! Or masked my problem anyways?!?!

 

[camarossguy2]

Do your front springs have angled shims on them? Some tall lifts use a shim to angle the pinion up slightly. But it also reduces the caster angle, which contributes greatly to death wobble. Switching to crossover steering might have introduced just enough of a variable to make the DW show up.

Yes it has shims
I read the angle should be between 4* and 8*?? how do you measure it? kind no flat surfaces to put and angle finder on....maybe the ball joint nut i guess

And for toe....whats normal? i know most cars run toe in for stability, and sports car like a little toe out for quicker turns....whats good for death wobble ?



I guess i could try rotating the tires but if it was the tires...would have done it before. also if it was the tires, i would assmue it would be more constant...like many of the DW trucks have a "zone" of wobbling...such as 30-40mph?

 

[Leper]

You can try to bring the toe in a little to compensate.
Remember this: You are now attached to the passenger knuckle instead of the drivers side. Any play in that knuckle would have probably gone undetected before. You said you put in new balljoints, but do you mean tie rod ends? If a balljoint in the pass side knuckle is bad, a very common thing to happen, then any wobble/misalignment/shaking would be transferred to the other knuckle. Without having the direct connection to the pitman arm, that knuckle will be worse at stopping any shaking once it is started.
If you meant ball joints, check the tie rods.

 

[camarossguy2]

Well i check the toe and caster

The caster seemed to be in thr 5-8* degree range, best i could tell.

The toe was 59.8'' in the front and 62'' in the rear rim to rim...might be the problem since the new kucle on the pass side might have been cast different, messing this up..
I set the tow to about 60.5'' in the front and 60.8'' in the rear. took it for a short test drive and no death wobble. HOPEfull that fixed it, but like i said before, it didn't do it every time, but when it did, it was bad. Fingers crossed

 

[86dieselburb]

The typical method for measuring toe-in is to measure center of the tires front and back. Think this gives you a more accurate reading. I've been told with bigger tires you need more toe-in. Stock is something like 1/8 inch. I just added x-over and did all new ball joints, tie rod ends and axle u-joints on mine and set the toe-in to 3/16-1/4 inch and all is great. Has nice wheel return and not heavy on the steering.

The x-over should not be your problem. Something else in the suspension is causing it. How are your bushings in your springs? On a 10bolt or 44, the culprit of DW from my experience revolves around ball joints. But I had heard somebody say their leaf spring bushings were so bad they caused DW. Something to look at.

One other thought. Did you adjust the spanner nut for the lower ball joint? Not the ball joint castle nut. If that spanner nut didnt get torgued down it could result in a loose lower ball joint.

 

[BUDDY]

Well i check the toe and caster

The caster seemed to be in thr 5-8* degree range, best i could tell.

The toe was 59.8'' in the front and 62'' in the rear rim to rim...might be the problem since the new kucle on the pass side might have been cast different, messing this up..
I set the tow to about 60.5'' in the front and 60.8'' in the rear. took it for a short test drive and no death wobble. HOPEfull that fixed it, but like i said before, it didn't do it every time, but when it did, it was bad. Fingers crossed

The original toe was WAY too much, I think you've nailed it with that adjustment. Should be much better now.

I don't think it would be a bad idea to take it to a good alignment shop & have it professionally aligned. Only about $70, well worth your piece of mind.

Later,
Buddy

 

[sled_dog]

toe can cause a nasty "death wobble" like situation. I bent my tierod once after a little fender bender in which I crushed a car with my K5(whole nother story), anyway the ride home was hell. Truck would wonder back and forth trying to go left, right, left, right, left, right, because one wheel would lead then the other, then the other, and so on.

Taking it and having it aligned isn't a bad thought, but don't let them rape you for a 4 wheel alignment or anything. The only adjustments they are going to make on a rig like a lifted K5 is toe. Caster is determined by your springs and shims, camber could only be adjusted with upper balljoint adjustments, and I don't know of any alignment shops around that would bother.