klrmark

Sounds like a Ford

mymaur

I had a second gen truck that did it after 40,000 miles. First time it happened I thought a tire had gone flat it was so violent. TH eonly thing wrong was the linkage on the tracking bar.

At least DC is willing to try and fix it. The old 2nd gen trucks were notorious for this and DC denied it was a problem for years. Actually, some people were killed after loosing control, the shaking was so violent.

Striper

Had it happen twice when the truck was only a few months old. Tires were pretty low. Now I run at 60#'s. Hasn't happened since.

gregweld

Here's a list of everything the dealer did -- in steps to fix the DEATH WOBBLE -- just as stated verbatim on the work order.... Trust me the TRUCK FEELS MUCH DIFFERENT NOW! MUCH BETTER!!!!
Customer states vehicle shakes in front end very hard after hitting a bump at hight speeds.
Check and advise.

Test Drive, was unable to verify concern.
Spoke to Customer dertermined needed to further research issue. Checked Tech connect. Found no TSB's.

Checked Star-Online. Found No issues.

Faxed Star. Received information to inspect for anti-tilt washers- and seals on the tie rod ends (present).

To reset toe +0.15 degrees on both sides with +0.30 degrees total. Performed. Was able to verify customer concern on this test drive.

Next Step. Reset tire pressures to 50 psi front & 40 psi rear. Balance tires to 0.00. Problem Still Present.

Next Step. Dissasemble outer tie-rods from knukles and inspect holes for grease, corrosion & smooth surface. Correct.

Installed new Tie-Rod ends Per STAR and Torque to 50 lbs + 90-120 degrees.

Inspect all engine and trans mounts for damage/looseness. None.

Next Step. Loosen and re-torque adjusting sleave bolts to 40-45 lbs. Outer tie-rod nuts to 90-95 lbs. Ball joint to pitman arm 70-75 lbs. Drag Link to tie rod nut 60-65 lbs, Track Bar 160 lbs. and inspect all front end bushings. Good and intact. Cross switched front tires. Problem still present.


Remove front shocks to inspect and test bounce / rebound. Proper. Checked front spring part numbers. Correct.

Next Step. Remove steering dampner and stroke side to side - after full travel in both directions many times an air/gas bubble formed and created a freeplay of 1 -2 inches! replaced dampner and test drive.

Found steering feel much improved and was unable to recreate concern.

END QUOTE

It's too bad that I had to play rough with the dealership to get them to do a little "research" on this safety issue! But I will give them credit for going the extra mile once they knew I was dead serious (no pun intended - thank you!) and got on the ball. The front end always had a little extra "jounce" side to side - and I chocked this up to big heavy tire and wheels and stiff truck suspension.... That extra 'jounce' in now completely gone -- so I know the tech fixed "something"... and I sure hope it also curred the Death Wobble!! I drove 75 and 80 mph for a few miles looking for things to hit along the way --- and all I got in return was dead quiet suspension. EEEEEEHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAA. Next step - Bilstein shocks. As we all know the OEM stuff is most likely junk.[FONT=arial][COLOR=darkblue][COLOR=darkblue]

kingofdodge7131

This is my only fear with my truck.. Ive had a few second gens, , Never had a dw, but the steering wasnt as nice as i would appreciate, This thing is great. But almost makes me afraid to use it because i dont want it to get that bad!.

Hannibal

The stock shocks are so soft they're almost useless past the test drive. I hit a rough railroad track with my '05 a couple of weeks ago and it almost caused me to change lanes it bounced me around so bad. I tightened up on the steering wheel anticipating a rough crossing and slowed to 50mph. I wasn't expecting what I felt. It scared me. I thought something broke and I was headed for the weeds. My '03 was bad about it too but I'd never crossed this particular set of tracks with it. I think I knocked the front end out of alignment just a tad. I put Monroe Reflex shocks on our Durango a while back and it took all the bounce and axle oscillation out of the ride. It was bad too but not as bad. My work buddy put a set on his '03 2500 Ram and it took care of his lane changing bounce. Mine will be getting a set real soon along with a front end alignment. I don't know if shocks would have saved the alignment but the violent uncontrollable bouncing can't be good for it. Then yesterday while sitting at a left turn light in Tampa at a well worn 8 lane intersection, I watched a 3rd gen white 2500 4X4 coming the opposite direction toward us. When he hit the worn ruts in the blacktop from cross traffic as he blazed through the intersection, I saw alot of daylight "under" his tires as his axles lost all control as he was trying to keep it in a straight line. The other vehicles were no more than a good thumpity thump as they crossed the ruts. That's the first time I'd ever seen it happen to someone else and wittnessed it from the other perspective. The stock shocks are very soft and give a good cushy ride around the block during the test drive but they're almost dangerous out on the roads. Monroe Reflex, Bilsteins or Ranchos, anything that controls the violent bounce should solve the problem. It doesn't take much to get it started either. That's assuming everything else is in good mechanical order.

gregweld

The problem with the "soft shocks" theory - is that if you read these threads - other people have changed all that stuff out already and STILL HAVE the dreaded DW!!

So while I agree with your assesment of the lousy made in Messyko <grin> shocks -- I'm not sure that's the "fix". My truck feels as though it's now different after the extensive front end check by the dealer. It settles down quicker after hitting irregularities in the road - and feels generally "tighter". So if you have this issue - print out the service report I included in this thread and take it to your dealer and tell them THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE --- WRITE THAT ON THE WORK ORDER -- and have them do all the service shown on my list.

No the REAL problem to me is - why this "design" would have such close tolerances that this situation would set itself up in the first place. Nothing in our front ends should be this "sensitive". You should be able to have a slight out of balance situation and not notice it as a DW - You should be able to drive with shot shocks without that causing DW - You should be able to have slight out of tolerance front end alignment without that causing DW... I've had lots and lots of cars and trucks. I've replaced lots and lots of parts over the years. Rarely if ever did any of the worn out parts cause me to be concerned for my life! The DW at highway speeds - heck - any speed - will cause you to reconsider your opinions of heaven and hell!

J.DAVY

My 03 long box did it when I put some aftermarket rims on with more offset than stock, only happened above 80 miles a hour and hitting a small bump or crack in the road,Scary as hell when it would do it .Went away when I went back to the stock rims.Some guys were saying it is more prone to do this in a long box as well.

bluepp

Too much positive caster will cause a death wobble. Positive caster is what brings any ft end back to strieght ahead after a turn. To much and it overcorrects, going into the dw. New tight parts cover it up ,loose parts allow it to happen easier.
Wheel ballance can cause it too ,but not so violent . Theres two actions you ballance out of wheels .1- Static ballance ( up and down bounce) 2 Dynamic ballance ( sideways wobble.) You can have perfect static ballance with all weights hanging on one side of wheel. All wts. hanging on one side of wheel CAN cause dynamic OUT of ballance, (wobble) even with perfect static bal.
This happends many times when people want to hide wheel wt. and put them all on inside of wheel. Smaller car wheels ( anything over 1 oz wt should be devided to inside and out of wheel) Larger truck wheels( anything over 2 oz. should be devided between inside and out).
The dodge stabalizer shock on stearing tie rods 100% duty is to avoid the DW. As mentioned air pockets in the stabalizer and its not working right. However If static AND dynamic bal. is perfect and caster is correct, there wont be any DW . But the more load you have on your rig ( Rear of truck weighted down) in other words back of truck DOWN , makes MORE POSITIVE CASTER. So this caster angle can change as we drive. Thus it can happen. Gregwells dealer went through most everything. But I noticed no mention of castor or camber correction during ft end allignment.
GOOD shocks and a GOOD stabalizer, are vary critical, as are ALL ft end parts. But a tight ft end covers up or resists the DW action. Its caused by caster angle and dynamic wheel ballance.

gregweld

Bluepp --

I'm sure the dealer went over this front end with a fine tooth comb. They had the truck for 2 full days - and checked the alignment. You're right there is no mention of the caster/camber in the STAR service suggestions. I assume it is set up for whatever the factory specs call for.

I purposely drove over a nasty expansion joint dip today at around 75 mph - the dip is on a curve - and is preceeded with deep ruts. The front end barely noticed the bump. It just did what I would expect - NOTHING. Before the serviced front end - it would have at least "shimmied" a lot and tried to go into the DW dance...

I'm sure the front end would be even better now with after market shocks and stabilzer. The tire pressure also feels "good" at 50 front 40 rear.

Cheers!

kingofdodge7131

whats the diffrence between Caster and Camber?

gregweld

CASTER is a line drawn vertically from the top ball joint - through the center of the "hub/king pin/spindle" and down through the bottom ball joint.... think of a "chopper" as having MAX CASTER..... top of the wheel way behind the bottom of the tire on the ground... if that's a "visual" for you. Old cars used to run "0" Caster because they had no power assist and a wheel with zero caster turns easier... modern suspension and power steering like lots of "caster" = which helps them track straight - and the turning is assisted so you don't care.

CAMBER - is the amount the wheel "tilts" in or out at the top. As viewed from the "tread" side.

Toe in -- think pigeon footed

Toe out -- would be the opposite of the above "picture"

bluepp

CASTER--On vehicle fitted with ball joints ,you have a upper ball and a lower ball. If the upper ball is directly above the lower ball you have 0 degree caster. If the upper ball is to the rear of the lower ball , you have positive caster, if the upper ball is to the front of lower ball you got negative caster. These angles are measured in degrees.
CAMBER-- is when upper ball is directly over lower ball you have o degree camber, if upper ball is to the OUTSIDE of lower ball you got positive camber( top of wheel is leaning out). if upper ball is to the inside of lower ball you got negative camber ( top of wheel leaning in) These angles are measured in degrees also.
TOESETTING-- is the difference in measurment in width from tire to tire, from the rear of the ft tires, to the measurment in width from tire to tire , at the front of the front tires. toe setting is mearured in inches. TOEIN is when the ft wheels are closer together in front then in rear . TOEOUT is when the ft wheels are farther apart in front then in the rear.Like 1/8 th in. toe in
CASTER , CAMBER , AND TOEIN , are the three settings involved in a front end lineup.
On old solid axle trucks ,with leaf springs you adjusted caster with taypered shimes between springs and axle. on these solid axle units you adjusted caster by (bending or CORRECTING) ft axle . If the camber is off ,then the saying was it was already BENT and one put it back to specks by CORRECTING it.
You adjust toe with tierods, screw them out or in .
I hope that was clear enough., and helped

bluepp

Right on Gregweld , You beat me to it.

gregweld

Sorry Blue - should let the Senior members have a little extra time??