Here is something new that has started happening on my truck. At speeds around 65mph and up when I hit a rough patch of highway the wheels bounce or chop up and down in an uncontrollable way. This continues until I slow down to around 50mph and then they smooth out. The entire truck is bouncing and rattling. I have 315's on stock rims and a 2" leveling kit that were installed about 8 months ago. This wasn't happening when I first put them on but it started about a month ago. Any ideas on what this could be?

 

You may want to do a search on death wobble for ideas

 

Definately sounds like Death Wobble. A known issue in these trucks. Some think it is magnified by the 315 BFGs.... Quite a few will chime in here.

 

So after reading DW threads should I believe that the Thuren track bar will be the savior from the DW? Let me hear your experiences with this track bar...

 

May also want to look in to some better shocks. The stockers are junk.

 

Call Paul at Defiant Truck Products a call. He'll set you straight. The Thuren track bar will help, but there are other contributors to DW in these trucks.

The BFG 315's only exacerbate the problem. I ran 315's on my '03 w/o issue, but the guy I sold the truck to had problems after 15k more miles. I think it was a combination of being leveled, tires, stock track bar, and worn ball joints.

 

I agree, it is probably a combination of things. However, I've had a buddy with a 2007 with only 3000 miles on it experience the DW. Something about the geometry of the Dodge front end makes them more suceptable to the DW.

 

Look at some good shocks and a steering brace.

With my 315s, I have no DW problems.........

 

Also make sure your wheels are balanced and aren't missing any weights or that your tires didn't spin on the rim while you were aired down. Did you get it aligned after installing the leveling kit?

 

Dodge sent out a Correction Notice/Safety Bulletin to all their dealers years ago - so yeah, it's a known problem. What ticks me off is that its a design flaw and they're still using the same design years after knowing that it does this. Just be glad you found out the 'easy' way- my experience with the death wobble came close to ending in true death. Narrow mountain roads, downhill, at speed- are not good places for this to happen.....

If you find the 'official' bulletin it'll help you understand why it happens and what YOU can do to keep it from happening again.

 

Just wondering...how is it a "design flaw" from Dodge , when it only seems to happen when a leveling kit is installed?

I`ve never heard of it happening to a stock truck.(although it sounds like it did to you....that`s a first)

....as far as a "fix" for the problem ....I don`t think there is a clear cut way to do it , some people have luck with an alignment that compensates for the lift , but shocks , steering stabilizers , etc...won`t fix it.

 

It's usually a caster problem. Sometimes it won't show up until a wheel is out of balance. Steering stabilizers only mask the problem.

 

I had experienced DW in my 04.5 while it was completely STOCK as purchased, stock tires, shocks etc. Replaced the shocks, ball joints, tires and re-aligned it. Can't remember what mileage it had on it at the time but it was probably over 100k. NO DW problem after that.

 

The first Dodge dealer I took it to the Service Manager and I had a long chat. Mostly because the DW had happened to him as well. I can't remember the exact technical reasoning he gave me at that time but a few things were very clear. 1- it is endemic with 3/4 and larger Dodge trucks 2- it happens more frequently when the tires are oversized but not always 3- Dodge is very aware of the problem and 4- it has to do with the design of the front end and is also a problem in Jeeps that have the same front end. He gave me the specifics, I wrote it down somewhere, and if I find it again I'd be happy to post it here.

However I sure came away from that conversation TICKED OFF. I almost lost my life to that flaw. I spent quite a bit of time researching the defect on the net and found many collaborating stories- which made me pretty sure the Service Manager was not pulling my leg and was probably the only honest one in the biz. Add to that the fact that Dodge has actually acknowledged the problem by releasing a safety bulletin with specific things to check and to adjust - in my book adds up to Dodge knows dang well what happens it just hasnt' happened enough or killed someone yet to make them change it.

I'll tell you what- I LOVE my truck but I do NOT drive down the mountain at high speed anymore and if I am unlucky enough to hit a bump or broken pavement at speed I already have my hands tightened on the wheel within a second. Sucks to have to be worried about it.

 

To help cure or prevent death wobble, after you check for worn or damaged front end components and align it properly (maxed out caster) - aftermarket parts such as zero-delection trackbar bushings and a sector shaft stabilizer are a big help.