Hello all, I have a 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 Diesel with about 77,500 miles. This is not the first time I have had the death wobble in this truck, but it keeps returning after 20-25 thousand miles. The Track bar and steering damper keeps going out, and being replaced to fix the issue. My mechanic put a new trackbar and steering damper on there, but it did not fix the issue. He recommended a BD Steering Box Stabilizer, and it really tightened up the front end, and has made it drive better, but the DW still has not gone away. It feels more resistant to DW, but above 70 it will still do it, 65 it feels rock solid. I've heard everything from the tires and wheel weights, to ball joints, to TREs, trackbar, steering damper...

I also found this link (sorry, its on another forum )
http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/94...ses-fixes.html
http://dodgeram.org/tech/troubleshoot/steering.htm

I just wanted to get some input from people that have experienced this and come up with a solution to stop it once and for all...

More info: The truck has a Kelderman airride system on it, but the DW has been going on before I had that, and it stopped for a long time after I had it put on, but it started again.

I have included some pictures for reference, if it helps at all.

Tires: LT285/75R16, ProComp A/T, Load Range D. 265/75R16 was the original size, and the truck is so unstable with those on it, as well as DW happens as slow as 60MPH. The larger tires help. I have checked the pressure, and its at the recommended PSI for the truck.

 

If you are getting your track bar from a parts store, it is probably wearing out. Have you tried a heavy duty track bar, like the one from Thuren Fabrication?

 

I highly recommend upgrading to a 3rd gen style track bar and getting rid of the ball joint bar. im running DT Profabs track bar on my truck and am very happy with it. how do the rest of your ball joints look?

 

I'm onboard with the caster setting, as I didn't experience d/w untill I added 2'' leveling pucks. Any lift essentially changes the caster. When I got my truck, it had wore out 315-75-16's on stock steelies...not the best combo to be sure, but the truck rode and drove beautifully. I could hammer up and down washboard roads at any speed with confidence. Adding the h2 wheels and trires of the same size made the truck drive better yet, likely due to the wider wheel better accomodating the big tire. Added the 2'' lift....d/w that same week. The truck is down for a tranny now and I plan to dial in some positive camber while she's apart.

 

It is due to the style of suspension, and usually a worn track bar. Other factors irritate it. Coil sprung Jeep's have the same issue, and I have ridden in an old coil sprung Land Rover that had horrible DW at 30 mph. Given that you have remedied it with a new track bar and steering stabilizer in the past would indicate what your problem is. I would pony up and buy a newer generation track bar, getting rid of the tie rod end.

 

Cjaiceman:

Our website has as much or more information on "Death Wobble" as any other diesel website. If you will go up to the top of any page, in the gray/black area, there is an area titled: SEARCH. Click on that and then type in DEATH WOBBLE and you will find a bunch of threads on it on every generation of Dodge CTD Pickups. Here is a link to one of the longer ones:

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...t=Death+Wobble

--------
John_P

 

Here is another thread link geared more to your 2002 Dodge CTD 24 Valve:

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...t=Death+Wobble

 

Besides worn parts, over inflated tires (at least 80# on my Geolander ATs) made mine dangerous. I had it on Firestone's rack (lifetime alignment ~ cost of 2 trips to the machine). I'm running ~ 3* of caster & it tracks straight. Trying Redhead box is next. AGR & Cardone are crap. Thuren trackbar is beautiful. Talk to Don before buying.

Edit: Not saying that track bar is cure. I expect that the entire front end needs to be good. Dropping the tire pressure to 65# with new tie rods, ball joints, track bar got rid of the steering danger. It is still imprecise and I'll get back on repair once I fix the crappy cracked dash & replace the heater core.

AGR & Cardone steering boxes are both a waste of $$.

 

I had a 3rd gen 2500 HEMI work truck and I could make the thing death wobble by hitting the same pothole everyday at 40 MPH. So I don't believe the 3rd gen track bar is the total cure. I,m not sure what was the cause in that truck as my company traded it in and I never heard what was replaced or if it ever fixed the problem , my company had 15 of these trucks and there was more than one with this problem . Its still a mystery to me what causes this wobble . I don't think anyone can pin point the problem to one part. Maybe its a combination of many worn parts , FWIW I have never had DW in any of my three 2nd gens to this day. Go figure.

 

Alignment with 5-6 degress of positive CASTER is a good cure, if everything is in good order.

 

My DW problems were gone when I installed an aftermarket trackbar. I used thurens 3rd gen style with a relocation bracket.. but I think any good quality one will work.
I think a lot of this is inherent in the steering geometry of this truck. Something just wasnt designed properly.
Other important things to consider are:
steering box brace
good stabilizer kit (dual dampers?)
tie rod ends, pitman arm, ball joints, wheel hubs all tight.
tires inflated correctly
Stock alignment numbers, more caster probably better.

 

You need a Thuren bar and be done with it.

 

Let me get this straight because im new with this truck.. is your truck a second generation? And you used a 3 generation track bar? What would u need for this?

 

Yep, works like a charm, expensive though.

http://www.solidsteel.biz/

http://solidsteel.biz/install_tbk.htm

 

Toe in a little bit, easy fix after you address everything else, too...