Shoock to death
08-05-2005, 01:05 AM
#31
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Originally posted by Cowhand
A steering stablizer will not cure the death wobble....all it does is mask the problem. I hate to break this to ya, but you wasted your money.
Conrad
A steering stablizer will not cure the death wobble....all it does is mask the problem. I hate to break this to ya, but you wasted your money.
Conrad
Randy
08-05-2005, 09:07 AM
#32
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Re: DW
Originally posted by ironman
Everytime I think the DW is fixed it shows up again. I am still looking for a fix.
For review I have used Lukes link on track bar which wore out. Replaced track bar with lynstadt track bar. DSS installed. New shocks. New steering stabilizers. Caster adjustments 3.2 L 3/5 R. Ball joints replaced.
The convsation is interesting because all these items seem to mask the problem. As the death wobble seems to always return. The caster adjustments made a big improvement but they only mask a problem in the front end. I can speak with authority as there is no death wobble when disconnected from my large boat trailer. As the front end is lifted by the trailer the alignment changes and allows the DW to return. A previous poster hit the nail on the head, when turning the truck to the right the steering feels tight and no DW occurs. WHen turning to the left the steering feels slightly loose and a very small metal to metal contact can be felt through the steering wheel, and the DW can occur. Making a fast stop on a corner or hitting a bump can both start the death wobble.
Everytime I think the DW is fixed it shows up again. I am still looking for a fix.
For review I have used Lukes link on track bar which wore out. Replaced track bar with lynstadt track bar. DSS installed. New shocks. New steering stabilizers. Caster adjustments 3.2 L 3/5 R. Ball joints replaced.
The convsation is interesting because all these items seem to mask the problem. As the death wobble seems to always return. The caster adjustments made a big improvement but they only mask a problem in the front end. I can speak with authority as there is no death wobble when disconnected from my large boat trailer. As the front end is lifted by the trailer the alignment changes and allows the DW to return. A previous poster hit the nail on the head, when turning the truck to the right the steering feels tight and no DW occurs. WHen turning to the left the steering feels slightly loose and a very small metal to metal contact can be felt through the steering wheel, and the DW can occur. Making a fast stop on a corner or hitting a bump can both start the death wobble.
Try cranking a little MORE caster into the front and set the toe dead neutral (0*) when unloaded, so that you end up with a slight toe in condition when loaded. This *should* clear up your problem.
At 0* toe, your steering will feel a little "twitchy" unloaded and have a tendency to follow the crown in the road, lines in the pavement, etc., but it should straighten out the DW when you're hooked up to a trailer.
08-05-2005, 08:18 PM
#33
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Try checking all the bolts that connect the front suspension.
I ran into a problem on a ford ttb front end. It would do the same thing, but it was so bad that the steering wheel would jerk back and forth a full turn each way when it was doing it...on it's own.
After having it in the repair shop 2 times, and supposedly fixing it, it was still there, but not quite as bad.
I looked under it while someone cycled the steering back and forth. Yep, all the ball joints and tie rod ends were tight, but the bolts that held the ttb's to the frame were so loose, I could almost take them out by hand.
once the shop fixed that,. the probelm was solved.
This was on a work truck I had to drive...not my own truck BTW.
I ran into a problem on a ford ttb front end. It would do the same thing, but it was so bad that the steering wheel would jerk back and forth a full turn each way when it was doing it...on it's own.
After having it in the repair shop 2 times, and supposedly fixing it, it was still there, but not quite as bad.
I looked under it while someone cycled the steering back and forth. Yep, all the ball joints and tie rod ends were tight, but the bolts that held the ttb's to the frame were so loose, I could almost take them out by hand.
once the shop fixed that,. the probelm was solved.
This was on a work truck I had to drive...not my own truck BTW.
08-06-2005, 09:22 PM
#35
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cowman
Cranked all the caster possible, will check and set the toe to 0 Deg. Even if these changes work, the concern remains that if you load my 27' boat on a new truck, the front end lifts changing the alignment but drives without DW.
Replacing the tires every 30,000 miles will fix it, or new shocks or new track bar, lukes link. new stabilizers, DSS. My point is that all these things that work for a while, mask some worn component that has not been identified yet.
My friend who hauls new truck Campers with new tagalong trailers behind had the same problem when the truck was loaded. Stepping on the brake could set it off, or hitting some bump would set the DW off. He ended up trading for a new pickup, because we were unable to stop the DW which seemed to eventually return.
Replacing the tires every 30,000 miles will fix it, or new shocks or new track bar, lukes link. new stabilizers, DSS. My point is that all these things that work for a while, mask some worn component that has not been identified yet.
My friend who hauls new truck Campers with new tagalong trailers behind had the same problem when the truck was loaded. Stepping on the brake could set it off, or hitting some bump would set the DW off. He ended up trading for a new pickup, because we were unable to stop the DW which seemed to eventually return.
08-07-2005, 01:59 PM
#36
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Look at your steering set up....is it the inverted "Y" or "T"?
Inverted "T" has a solid tie rod that goes from knuckle to knuckle, drag link attaches to the tie rod near the right TRE. Inverted "Y" has a link that goes from the pitman arm to the right knuckle and the left side goes from the center of the tie rod/drag link to the left knuckle.
The "Y" set up causes the front tires to toe in when the front end lifts.....
That's why I went to x-over steering.
Inverted "T" has a solid tie rod that goes from knuckle to knuckle, drag link attaches to the tie rod near the right TRE. Inverted "Y" has a link that goes from the pitman arm to the right knuckle and the left side goes from the center of the tie rod/drag link to the left knuckle.
The "Y" set up causes the front tires to toe in when the front end lifts.....
That's why I went to x-over steering.
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