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death wobble

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Old 10-01-2011, 07:00 PM
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Default death wobble

i was going down the road and hit a bump and the whole front end went into a death wobble does this mean the steering stabilizer is shot or could it be something else?
 
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Old 10-01-2011, 07:04 PM
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Most commonly it's the track bar..But it could also be the ball joints in the knuckles, or the unit bearing.

Try having someone lay under the truck while someone inside the cab shakes the steering wheel back and forth as you inspect those spots for play. There should be no play at all.
 
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Old 10-01-2011, 07:56 PM
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everything is new trac bar ball joints everything butttttt the stabilizer does look a lil onn the near death side could it beee the stabilizer?
 
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Old 10-01-2011, 08:30 PM
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check your sway bar bushing as well. have someone turn the wheel back and forth and look at the bushings on your sway bar and trac bar. I had a 78 bronco that would pick the front end up doin 60 down the road and lay rubber with the front end because the bushings where shot in my sway bar. Then again i dont know much of dodges
 
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Old 10-01-2011, 08:39 PM
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every thing is new on the front end complete front end overhaul except for the stabilizer its the only thing left i just don't know if this will cause the problem ik for sure trac bar problems cause it as i experienced first hand but as i said everything is new
 
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Old 10-01-2011, 08:46 PM
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double check all the parts anyways wouldn't hurt especially the bushings I would think your stabilizer would just make your truck seem more like a boat than cause a death wobble but then again im not sure good luck though
 
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Old 10-01-2011, 08:57 PM
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ahh thanks for the voice i will check as you said it couldnt hurt im goin to buy a new stabilizer as the steering has been getting noticably looser if i dont see anything or find anything and if the stabilizer dosnt solve the problem i guess its back to drawing bored thanks BOSS FOR ALL THE IMPUT!!
 
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Old 10-01-2011, 09:00 PM
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Yes check over everything again, it happens more than one would like that new parts can go to **** real quick. The stabilizer wont cause death wobble, even if you took the stabilizer off, you SHOULD NOT get death wobble. Its only there to dampen the steering from jerks or anything like that. and Im almost certain the sway bar bushing wont cause it, I ran my truck without a sway bar for 7 months and had no problem what so ever.

So just check all the bushing and joints, lift the front axle up and try moving the wheel in and out, if it moves at all, either bad ball joints or unit bearing...
 
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Old 10-01-2011, 09:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Sudia247
Yes check over everything again, it happens more than one would like that new parts can go to **** real quick. The stabilizer wont cause death wobble, even if you took the stabilizer off, you SHOULD NOT get death wobble. Its only there to dampen the steering from jerks or anything like that. and Im almost certain the sway bar bushing wont cause it, I ran my truck without a sway bar for 7 months and had no problem what so ever.

So just check all the bushing and joints, lift the front axle up and try moving the wheel in and out, if it moves at all, either bad ball joints or unit bearing...

Not questioning your knowledge but when my bushings where shot on my sway bar the bar would vibrate then pop over the bushing causing it to bind up in ether which direction causing it to "crow hop" but also that was on a 78 bronco with 36"s. i replaced those and presto no more hop. Then again it was 3 years ago and it could of been my tie rod bushings not sure
 
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Old 10-01-2011, 11:01 PM
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Originally Posted by NeedinMoPWR
Not questioning your knowledge but when my bushings where shot on my sway bar the bar would vibrate then pop over the bushing causing it to bind up in ether which direction causing it to "crow hop" but also that was on a 78 bronco with 36"s. i replaced those and presto no more hop. Then again it was 3 years ago and it could of been my tie rod bushings not sure
Ouch that doesnt sound very fun! atleast you became more aware of future possible problems! Yea it could have been the problem in your case. I havent seen every dodge, and every truck has its own problems so what I'm saying I know this 100% the way it might be. But I have driven with mine off with no problems, and I know many other dodges out there that have horrible rotted out sway bar bushing and they never had death wobble because of it.

Is usually starts out with a small amounts of play, but with a thousand pound engine thrashing about with the death wobble, it puts so much more strain on everything else.

Hopefully this problem is figured out soon!
 


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