mhuppertz

Remembering all the issues with the old guy, making me address them finally (which is good).
Found out of you lose a sway bar end link you can get death wobble even on a leaf spring front end!
Needs a flex plate (so, clutch) but that will have to wait.
High Beam relay...
Gotta splice in a replacement harness at the bulkhead after catching it on fire welding in firewall gussets, stupid mistake on my part.
Lots of play in the front end, could be the PS adapter is cracked (although the last one I put on was much heavier) so probably the frame again. Time to box that dude.
Gotta weld in the crank case evac bung so I can pull a vacuum and get rid of the blowby mess.
Run the valves.
452k miles, needs love. Gets better mileage than my 2002 Grand Cherokee!

NJTman

I drove my brick around without a sway bar in place for months.

It made almost no appreciable difference in handling, shaking, drivability, or anything else. Ollie said to me that I probably wouldn't even know it wasn't there, and he was right. If you have death wobble, then you have something else going on.

mhuppertz

I know I have front end issues, soon as all the snow melts, I will power wash and start diagnosing. Pretty sure the frame is cracked again by the feel, maybe leaf spring issue too. Been putting off working on it trying to keep the daily drivers together, but driving it again every day is building a file under my butt. Incidentally, the death wobble is only at very low forward motion, maybe 10 mph. It's fine the rest of the time.

cougar

Look closely at the front left leaf spring mount. I've had them come lose at the frame and shift back and forth introducing a steering wobble. You can see it move if you have someone rock the wheel as you watch the bracket.

mhuppertz

Thanks for the tip, will do.

thrashingcows

Have someone rock the steering wheel back and forth and look for play in the intermediate shaft to steering box coupler, drag link, pitman arm, tie rods...bet you have some slop in it somewhere. I started to get a slow speed wobble a couple years ago and it turned out my intermediate shaft steering coupler (the OEM one) was worn and the drag link was starting to wear...new rebuild kit on the coupler and a new drag link and all has been well since.

mhuppertz

I will be doing that. Went Borgeson years ago because I hated the slop in the factory rag joint.

u2slow

Between spring sag and twice the bushings at the aft end of the spring to collapse, that's enough to erase the precious little caster that keeps these front ends stable.

I removed the swaybar 10 years ago and drove until the steering box plate was cracked, steering box and drag link completely shot, and still no death wobble.... because I'd added axtra caster angle with my lift.

mhuppertz

You win brother!

mhuppertz

So now the question is, are these frames heat treated like semi truck frames or can they be welded to?
Another question, drill out or grind off the rivets, fix it and bolt back on or weld on?
What would y'all do (besides stean clean my frame!)?

u2slow

Can you weld the hanger back together in place?
Can you weld it back together after you take it off the truck?
Can you replace it with another one off another truck?

If you have plans to lift, there are lift-hanger kits that require you to take off the old hangers anyways. (i.e. Jungle @ ramchargercentral)

mhuppertz

Might be able to weld in place if I take the front of the leaf spring loose and back way up by the frame.

NJTman

Maybe Ollie can cut you one off of his heaps, and you can bolt the new (used vermont) one in place.

I'm not a fan of welding anything on our frames, but that's just me.

oliver foster

There are several companies selling upgraded versions of that cracked bracket.
Jungle over at RCC is one.
Archive Garage is another.
Hogback Fab is another.
Or just weld it up.
Or buy a good used one.
Lots of good options.

I have seen that exact damage on several 1st gen before on trucks I have owned. One truck I drive was welded up before I bought it. The weld job lasted 8[ish] years, before cracking again in the same place. Even though it lasted for years, it was less than 10,000 miles before I needed repair again.
I plan on swapping it out for an unbroken one....After I get my 2wd Cummins swapped Ramcharger on the road finally.

cougar

Glad to be of help. None of mine broke like that, the rivets just came loose. That was enough though to induce the death wobble. A cracked steering gear plate is another place to keep an eye on as most of us know. The steering geometry on these trucks is literally old school. It worked fine with the lighter gas engines, but the added weight of the Cummins put a lot of additional stress on components. I've gone through a number of steering gears due to sector shaft wear. Still a lot better than my 2nd gen though.