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what is death wobble?

I have heard that everytime you go into your cap you should replace your springs and bushings. It's only 15-20$
 
where exactly are you putting the washers? are you just removing the steering arms off the axle and than putting washers under them? pictures would be great maybe a write up or a link to a write up on this problema nd how to correct it with pics would be great.

atleast some details of how many and where to put the washers...and when you say fender washers would you happen to have a part number for those? :D
 
First of all the shim washers i used are called " 1/2" fender washers " and i found them at home depot. They are 2" in diameter with a 1/2" hole in the middle. They are 1/16" thick. I used two per side.

Unbalanced tires can contribute to DW, as can many things. When I installed my D60 it was a very low mile front end and in excellent condition...yet the first bump I hit at 25 mph I near crapped myself.

I installed the washers which just adds a little more pre-load. I jacked up each side, removed the king pin cap (or steering arm) and added the washers on top of the spring, then bolted everything back up.

FWIW I run unbalanced 39.5" x 15" TSL's currently, plus a single stock stabilizer. I have not even a hint of DW even when the tires hit their worst 'speed' for shake. When I first installed the washers I took it for a drive with no stabilizer at all and very worn 39.5's and had no hint of DW then either.

Rene
 
How common is this Death Wobble? The way you guys talk about it, it makes me NOT want a Dana 60 anymore. It sounds like a big hassle.
 
This is a classic case of "If you have to ask, you don't want to know."
 
guido666 said:
How common is this Death Wobble? The way you guys talk about it, it makes me NOT want a Dana 60 anymore. It sounds like a big hassle.
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So you'd turn down a bomb proof front end over a minor issue that takes 30 minutes and $3 to fix? :screwy:

Mmmmkay, I'll just swap my crappy D44 back in I guess. Those ball joints and puny u-joints/shafts/carrier are calling to me. :haha:

Rene
 
MrArmyAnt said:
if it is so bomb proof why does it wobble? also sounds like the problem keeps happening after 3 dollar repar anyway.
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Because it is a solid axle that steers. All of them have the "problem" (just a matter of how bad) which is one of the reasons for IFS.
 
tRustyK5 said:
So you'd turn down a bomb proof front end over a minor issue that takes 30 minutes and $3 to fix? :screwy:

Mmmmkay, I'll just swap my crappy D44 back in I guess. Those ball joints and puny u-joints/shafts/carrier are calling to me. :haha:

Rene
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You guys made it sound like it was a PINA to fix, and hard to diagnose what exactly was causing it. The way it's described it sounds like a nightmare. :eek1:
 
Triaged said:
Because it is a solid axle that steers. All of them have the "problem" (just a matter of how bad) which is one of the reasons for IFS.
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What exactly causes the oscillation? Something has to be driving the harmonic motion. What does it exactly?
 
guido666 said:
How common is this Death Wobble? The way you guys talk about it, it makes me NOT want a Dana 60 anymore. It sounds like a big hassle.
Click to expand...


ive seen brand new trucks with Death wobble

DW isnt all that bad.. the washer trick works great... add some Hydro assist steering, and youll never hear from the DW demon again

sure they are bandaids, but they work.. so who cares..

hell, me and a buddy sometimes go out in his truck and get it wobbling really really bad, Just for ****s and giggles.. Seeing peoples faces, when it looks like your front end is about jump out from underneath your rig, is priceless.
 
MrArmyAnt said:
if it is so bomb proof why does it wobble? also sounds like the problem keeps happening after 3 dollar repar anyway.
Click to expand...

Well, i made the $3 repair 2 1/2 years ago and 20,000+ miles ago and have yet to have DW recur...

Not my definition of a big deal to fix, and not my definition of something that needs my constant attention. Had DW, installed washers, DW gone. BFD.

Rene
 
sweet a total of 2 washers one on each side 1/4" thick each and DW is gone but I need to put my steering assist in cause I need some kind of stabilizer with 44's LMFAO I was wondering on the road without it. but the DW is gone for sure and that is all I care about. :D

Thanks for the help and tips. :bow:
 
If it's wandering you might have too thick of washers in there. You just want to add a little pre-load, you don't want to cause the springs to be coil bound. When it's coil bound it'll not return to center easily enough, which will make your steering feel kinda weird.

The cool thing with the fender washers is that they're only 1/16" thick...so you can add one and see how things are, then add a second one if needed.

Rene
 
I've got it too...

ya don't really wanna crap yourself until you're driving down a city street, hit the bump hidden under a puddle of water, and bounce off the curb two or three times trying to avoid the telephone poles... that was my first experience with it... I don't think it would've been that bad had my g/f not been screaming at the top of her lungs...

but yeah, it is there on my 84 'burb... waits until I forget about it completely and sticks it's ugly little head out again...
 
tRustyK5 said:
If it's wandering you might have too thick of washers in there. You just want to add a little pre-load, you don't want to cause the springs to be coil bound. When it's coil bound it'll not return to center easily enough, which will make your steering feel kinda weird.

The cool thing with the fender washers is that they're only 1/16" thick...so you can add one and see how things are, then add a second one if needed.

Rene
Click to expand...

My mistake they were 1/8" washers not 1/4" washers damn those would have been REALLY thick for a shim hahaha.

Wandering has always been alittle part of my rig with the 44's, I didn't really notice it to much with the D44 frontend cause i had dual stabilzers.....but I have not put one on the D60 yet, I am putting on hydro assist so it should make the wandering go away completly.

yes I used a 1/8" washer but if I used (2) 1/16 inch washer it would still be 1/8" worth of washers.

My steering does not drag or bind up it is not stiff it just grabs the ruts in the roads without a stabilzer of somekind.
 
Looking for some suggestions on where to start first:

1990 Suburban D60 & 14bolt, with 44 boggers, ORD x-over steering with Rock Ram, everything on the front has less than 500 miles. Burb drove great on the boggers, like awesome, would have driven it anywhere.... Swapped to 49 Iroks, got MAJOR DW in the 20-30 mph range, can drive out of it by speeding up or slow by braking and it's ok but the DW is Scary beyond belief at that speed, just wondering where you would start.... I know the tires are hugh and are a bit much for a D60 but you know for a Daily driver it'll have to do....

Do you think the Washer trick is the first place to start?
 
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