My 2006 Has the Dreaded "Death Wobble"
 

Like some of you guys, my 2006 Dodge CTD CR 4X4, QC, Auto also has developed the dreaded "Death Wobble." The truck has 40,000 miles on it.

I first experienced the truck doing it right before Christmas on a road real close to my house. I was accelerating and got up to about 75 MPH when all of a sudden it started and got REAL BAD!!:o It was MUCH worse than it was on Johnners 2004. Fortunately, my great dealership (National Dodge) in Jacksonville, N.C. is taking care of it under warranty. I want to thank Cris Sonnichsen (masonic_dodge) for all of his help with the most recent threads and TSB's posted here on DTR about this bad problem. I knew this existed on all of the Dodge CTD Pickups, but NEVER thought my truck would get it!

Because of Cris's recommendations,I had the new TSB and front steering linkage installed on my truck with the exception of the steering damper, which has not come in yet. I have also installed a new set of "Michelin" OEM Tires. This has stopped the "wobble" on smooth roads, but I am still getting if I hit a bump or uneven road surface at speeds between 65-80 MPH. My dealership should have the new steering damper in this coming Monday, so I will report back to all of you when they get that installed. All of the work on my truck was done under my extended Chrysler "Max Care" Warranty. I was told that if I would have had to pay for it, it would have cost over $900.00 with dealer warranty included.

I gotta tell all of you, I am disappointed in this truck! I have NEVER had this problem with ANY of my previous three Dodge CTD Pickups, including my
1992, 1996 and a 2002.[verymad] My Son Johnner had this problem on his 2004, but he is running the larger 35" "B.F. Goodrich Radial All-Terrain Tires." One of the Front End Dodge Technicians has told me "that this problem has come back with a vengance lately" and they are seeing alot of customers reporting this "Death Wobble" on the newer 2007-2008's.

Anyway,....wanted to let you guys know about this, especially the ones here with the Dodge CTD CR Pickups. Again, my thanks to Cris S. for the help too.
Thanks Cris. I can now be added to the "NCDTR #18 Death Wobble List" which already had our following Members on it: Johnner (banshee), Cris S. (masonic_dodge) and Dan (zuki-dan).

I will keep you all posted on the progress of this problem.

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John_P

john spend the 160 and get the steering brace and never worry about the death wobble again. and you know you should not be going 75 mph in your wheelchair.

any warning signs?does it start slowly or just get bad all at once?

That's wrong. Funny, but wrong.

I hope I look as good as Dr. P when I am his age. (not that he's an old timer or anything)

we have a LONG time to wait before we are his age[laugh]

Take it easy on John, now. He's a heck of a guy, we don't need to heckle him too much.

I still care about you, John. :)

I found that my '06 track bar bolt was CROSSTHREADED FROM THE FACTORY. You'd put it in and tighten it down like a normal bolt, but I kept getting that stupid deathwobble. So I pulled the bolt out to install thurens bushings and just happened to notice that it was messed up looking. Sure enough, it was crossthreaded about 8 full turns before it would just stop completely which wasn't getting completely tight. I went ahead and put the new bushings in and got a new bolt and nut. Fixed everything. I need to locktight all my trackbar bolts, cuz they loosen up alot with the big tires and thuren steering. But when its tight, its right. [laugh]

My truck has only done the death wobble once. That was after I hit the brakes at the end of the dragstrip and it scared the snot out of me. I never thought a truck as big as mine could ever shake like that.

John P thanks for the info about my warranty but I'm pretty sure I have an aftermarket warranty through my bank that financed me. I will be taking my truck in for the upgrade when I get the chance.

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Robert:

As always, thanks for your input buddy. I have had the steering brace on my 2006 almost since new.

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John_P

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Thanks Keegan! I will have my Tech check that on Monday. IF the parts from the TSB DO NOT solve this, my next step is to change the Pitman Arm (as per another Dodge TSB) and install one of those Thruen Track Bars. My thanks to Mike D. for the tips and info on the Thruen Track Bar.
Thanks Mike!;)

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You are welcome Dan! Let me know if I can help you with that other warranty from the bank. And your right, the "shaking" that comes from this is TERRIBLE! [verymad] Honestly,.....I am surprised my dash or something else hasn't been cracked.

DW has existed since 1994 on these trucks. At least my '07 tracks down the highway. I spent a fortune on my '99 trying to correct Dodge's inherent chronic wandering to no avail.:(

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Jess:

On my truck there is/was no "warning sign(s)" of any kind. It just starts shaking and gets progressively worse until you begin slowing down. Mine was shaking so bad, the truck felt like it wanted to "walk" towards the ditch!:o

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John_P

John

As I told you on the phone, it will all come together. I had it, and it got fixed and so will yours[coffee]

My 05 was goin psycho like that, then I put the lift on....[laugh]