Violent Shaking on Front of Full Size Jimmy

[buff_dog70]

I just upgraded my axles on my Jimmy from 10 bolt front to the mighty Dana 60. I also put a 14 bolt in the rear. The guy I bought them from said they were formally CUCV axles, and that there was a Gov-Lock Locker in the 14 bolt.
1. Is the CUCV Gov-Lock Locker actually a Eaton Locker? I have a detroit locker new in the box on my shelf, should I upgrade? The one installed does work.

Some things I noticed is that the Dana 60 had the steering shock mount removed.

2. Should I weld on a new mount and install a shock?

Also while installing the axles I removed the sway bar completely for more articulation.

3. Should I leave the sway bar installed for around the town driving?


I also took the Jimmy out right after getting the axles installed and might of bent the front bar the connects both wheels while going over some rocks. The front end now shakes violently when I brake, and sometimes when I accelerate. Not sure if its a resonate frequency that the stabilizer bar and the steering stablizer need to be installed to eliminate, or if the bending of the bar has made the front wheels duck footed (toe inned toward each other) and are fighting each other for friction.

4. Should I stry to bend the bar back, or adjust the wheel alignment? Is there a good way to check/adjust the wheel alignment without going to a shop?

 

[BulldogK5]

Welcome to the infamous Death Wobble (DW for short). One day you will get lucky and figure it out. I have heard of it being caused by worn kingpin springs to misaligned rims to worn shackle bolts. I had one caused by the driveshaft being slightly out of true. Didn't find that till after all the most common fixes were done.

Basically, go back to the way it would have been and reinstall any parts you did not use.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

I just upgraded my axles on my Jimmy from 10 bolt front to the mighty Dana 60. I also put a 14 bolt in the rear. The guy I bought them from said they were formally CUCV axles, and that there was a Gov-Lock Locker in the 14 bolt.

He's wrong. Genuine 14FF's out of CUCV pickups all had real Detroit Lockers in them. They did NOT get the Eaton G80 Grenade Lock, only the M1009 Blazers did.

1. Is the CUCV Gov-Lock Locker actually a Eaton Locker? I have a detroit locker new in the box on my shelf, should I upgrade? The one installed does work.

It's it's own "spesh-ul" product but it is from Eaton originally.

Some things I noticed is that the Dana 60 had the steering shock mount removed.

2. Should I weld on a new mount and install a shock?

Won't hurt but it won't fix any problems either.

Also while installing the axles I removed the sway bar completely for more articulation.

3. Should I leave the sway bar installed for around the town driving?

The general consensus around here is drive it with the bar off and see how you like it. Most of us took ours off and tossed them but it's an individual thing. I just got a bone stock '89 K5 and I might just leave the bar on...I dunno yet. Its a DD and not a wheeler.

I also took the Jimmy out right after getting the axles installed and might of bent the front bar the connects both wheels while going over some rocks. The front end now shakes violently when I brake, and sometimes when I accelerate. Not sure if its a resonate frequency that the stabilizer bar and the steering stablizer need to be installed to eliminate, or if the bending of the bar has made the front wheels duck footed (toe inned toward each other) and are fighting each other for friction.

4. Should I stry to bend the bar back, or adjust the wheel alignment? Is there a good way to check/adjust the wheel alignment without going to a shop?

See post above. Steering stabilizers don't do anything but eliminate/dampen sharp impacts in the steering system. They aren't meant to fix anything.

 

[Desert Yeti]

Not much to add to AJMBlazer's great response, but I'll chime in with:

I sheared the steering stablizer bracket off my axle a while back and have been driving around without with no problem... it just helps when the wheels are trying jerk the steering back and forth for whatever reason.

Most guys who do any wheeling at all ditch the sway bar, but as stated, it's a matter of personal preference.

If your tie rod is bent, fix it. Even if that's not the cause of your death wobble, it will cause a host of other problems eventually.

You can do a VERY basic alignment check by just measuring the distance from the centerline of one front tire across the vehicle to the center line of the other front tire. Take this measurement at the middle front of the tire, then at the middle back of the tire and compare the distances. If there's too much toe-in (which is what bending the tie rod will do to you) these numbers will be significantly different. The number measured across the front of the tires obviously being smaller than that measured across the rear of the tires.

One last note, if the 14b is a Gov-Loc rather than a Detroit, you can't put a Detroit in without swapping the carrier out (something you normally don't have to do with a 14b). The the Detroit installs right into an open carrier, but not a Gov-Loc one.