97 2500 front end issue
 

I bought this truck, and was told that it just needed a brake job (which it did) but after driving it home i found out that whenever you hit the brake pedal the left side feels like its on a square tire it jumps so much, and wont stop until you come to a stop, and wont do it again until you hit the brake. It's not the brake rotor because I've already replaced that, could it be the hub assembly or maybe what?? :argh: Any help is appreciated!! :rocking:

well for starters jack up the truck and grab the front tires and jerk em back and forth to see how much play is in them. if there is excessive play then the hub assembly is shot. IF it is shot I highly recomend buying moog parts...good luck

Thanks, I will try that when I get home today!!

If it's the hub, which I doubt, I highly recommend Detroit Axle. 1/4 the cost of anywhere else, and you won't find a better unit. I've used OEM, NAPA, Moog, two different grades at my local Big A, Advanced Auto, and nothing is anywhere near as nice as the Detroit Axle piece. OH! And it was $100 shipped.

It's weird, because it really sounds like a rotor. Does the truck have ABS? I'm not sure if the 97's had it. I can't think of anything else that would do that with only one side.

That is called death wobble! You need to check your entire front end, most of the time it is the track-bar, if you sit in the truck and look out the window while turning the wheel look to see if the body is moving instead of the tires turning. Also could be wheel bearings or rarely ball-joints, and several other things. Just so you know these front ends love to eat these components you will be doing them every 50K give or take depending on what parts you use. The brakes are only part of the problem these trucks have problems with front calipers and hoses. good luck

I've had death wobble nearly send me into the woods more times than I can remember, I've never had it happen to only one wheel.

Have a buddy in the cab, Put your truck on drive up ramps, have your friend rock the wheel with engine off ...

if you see no movement , try starting the engine and rocking the wheel just a bit ( dont get carried away, as you may comeoff the ramps ) .. dont it manny times ... and track bars are most common as stated, but have seen manny things add up to the same like issue ..

Yes it will happen to one wheel, I just fixed a truck with almost the exact same problem. Had a bad track bar and the upper and lower ball joints on the drivers side were bad, by the way if your doing ball joints do all 4 at the same time unless you are really broke and have no choice. As for parts please do not use moog (except for maybe the track bar) Timken makes the best wheel bearing assemblies, spicer for u-joints and ball joints I believe quad 4x4 sells a kit for these trucks. Just lay on the ground have somebody sit in the truck with it running and start with rocking the play in the wheel and then go a little farther you will see the track bar and any steering issues, as for ball joints and wheel bearings jack up one wheel at a time a couple inches off the ground shove a bar under the tire and lift on the bar while pulling or pushing on the top of the tire.

Anything ??