Joseph H. Smith

This thread is just out of curiosity. I bought my truck brand new in November 1997 after ordering it in the end of June of 1997. I bought the manuals for $100.00 from Chrysler with the $100.00 coupon in the owners manual. I have used the manuals for many things but what I want to discuss is the death wobble attributed to the track bar. I bought the tools necessary to measure the play in the ball joint end of the track bar until it reached its limit which according to the manual is 0.80. The first time mine reached that was at 95,000 miles as I was checking it at every oil change and grease job which I did at 5,000 mile intervals. I have been lacking in checking it as I have been in Afghanistan for the last five years so I am very tired when I get home on break.

I just looked at it today as there was a slight knocking you could feel in the steering wheel turning it slightly from side to side. My son did that while I was under the truck and the track bar ball joint is visually way out. This one lasted over 100,000 miles. Along with a ball joint or 2 and tie rod ends and 2 wheel bearings I have yet to experience the death wobble under any circumstance. The only people I have known with this problem have been on forums but I have yet to meet a 2nd generation owner who had the problem.

With some people on these forums reporting the death wobble with new track bars and mine practically jumping in place and yet not wobbling even at 86mph it seems it might be maybe a manufacture problem with the frame\suspension attach points being out. Just a guess. I was just wondering as I have seen people report the death wobble under the same circumstances that others have not (worn ball joints, worn tie rod ends, worn track bar, bad wheel hub.)

Even with the track bar ball joint as loose as mine is I could not even coax the wobble by quickly rocking the steering wheel back and forth. I of coarse am changing it before I leave again as it is done but was just wondering why some trucks have the death wobble and others do not. Thanks

patdaly

Mine ( trackbar ) was so loose I was afraid it was going to fall off and I didn't have death wobble, changed it and about 15K later, she started ( first DW I had ever experienced..... no likey! ) Anyway, shocks were shot ( 162 K on originals ) Balljoints needed done ( same mileage ), and it was time for tires..... Did the work, no more DW.

Can I say one of the 3 was it? Nope, I think it is a combination of things, unique to each truck, but probably not 1 single one would do it. That is why it is so difficult to tell someone how to fix it. I should have had DW for several years, mine was as loose as any I have ever seen, my tires were shot, I run things until I get the last penny of worth out of them. I personally believe the single best thing you can do is run as much Caster as possible, and then keep an eye on the individual parts.