24 Valve 2nd Gen Dodge Cummins 98.5-02 Discussion of 24 Valve 5.9 Liter Dodge Cummins Diesels with VP44 Injection Pumps
Sponsored by Trailer Plus

Bouncing at 50 MPH...

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 7, 2011 | 02:54 PM
  #1  
Mingle's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Site Sponsor - Mingle Graphics
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 462
Likes: 32
From: Marion, NC
Default Bouncing at 50 MPH...

Read some articles on death wobble, but need to get a fix in over the weekend.. it's starting to snow often and I need this fixed.

Symptoms:
  • Truck starts to "bounce" around 50MPH on up.. I haven't been above around 65 so it doesn't stop as far as I know.
  • I don't feel it in the steering wheel... just the whole front end of the truck seems to bounce, especially around curves.
  • If I let off of it and slow down about 5MPH or so.. it goes away.

I've got two new front tires and balanced.. new wheel bearings..

What else would cause this? Thing is I don't feel it in my steering wheel. Just feels like the whole front end of the truck is bouncing.. it doesn't feel like it's gonna throw me around but it's really annoying and most likely unsafe.
 
Reply
Old Jan 7, 2011 | 04:30 PM
  #2  
Deezel Stink3r's Avatar
Super Moderator

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,611
Likes: 175
From: northern Germany
Default

out of alignment in combination with dead shocks? worn out bushings of the sway bar?
 
Reply
Old Jan 7, 2011 | 04:34 PM
  #3  
Benjamin's Avatar
Bombardier
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 9,655
Likes: 607
From: Da' Dirty South
Default

have you checked the trac bar to see if there is any wear in it? what about shocks?
 
Reply
Old Jan 7, 2011 | 07:10 PM
  #4  
tiremann9669's Avatar
Diesel Bomber
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 4,233
Likes: 434
From: Dansville NY
Default

You need shocks is my guess.
 
Reply
Old Jan 7, 2011 | 07:27 PM
  #5  
Mingle's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Site Sponsor - Mingle Graphics
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 462
Likes: 32
From: Marion, NC
Default

I know it's out of alignment... 37" tires and 6" lift... because the tires wore awful on the front....

Is there any quick way to diagnose shocks other than the push down on the hood test? kinda hard since it's 3 ft up in the air haha. There's no oil / anything or anything that looks wrong with them physically... they're just plain white shocks haha.
 
Reply
Old Jan 7, 2011 | 08:13 PM
  #6  
Deezel Stink3r's Avatar
Super Moderator

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,611
Likes: 175
From: northern Germany
Default

Forget the push on the hood test.
It does not deliver any reliable results because used speed is way to slow. Good shops have a shock tester delivering an arrangement of certain shock waves to the shock assembly. Boge and Bilstein have those testers.

Don't get "shocked"- even new shocks with 60% effectiveness are called "good"

tires also have to be balanced dynamically. Most shops do only the static balancing.(this is the tire and rim only)
good shops can balance the complete axle assembly.
 
Reply
Old Jan 7, 2011 | 09:12 PM
  #7  
diesel pap's Avatar
Site Sponsor - Mighty Diesel
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,184
Likes: 213
From: West Virginia
Default

you will prob find stuff wore on your truck. maybe several things that is causing this mingle.
 
Reply
Old Jan 7, 2011 | 09:22 PM
  #8  
Mingle's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Site Sponsor - Mingle Graphics
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 462
Likes: 32
From: Marion, NC
Default

Yeah I need to clean it up and get under there and look.. just wish it was one thing I could point down to.

Thanks Deezel, but I don't have access to a lot of that at the moment.. and I've always had my wheels + tires static balanced, and this just recently started.. so I don't think anything has come out of balance that wasn't out of balance before..

Gotta be some parts worn... just gotta figure out what it is that's causing it to do what it's doing.
 
Reply
Old Jan 7, 2011 | 09:31 PM
  #9  
diesel pap's Avatar
Site Sponsor - Mighty Diesel
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,184
Likes: 213
From: West Virginia
Default

sometimes its hard to put your finger on it. i would start with the most wore part under there. there are just so many things that seems to have a little wear.
 
Reply
Old Jan 9, 2011 | 11:02 PM
  #10  
banditsdiesel's Avatar
Diesel Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 271
Likes: 17
From: chatsvegas, georgia
Default

welcome to the dodge death woble. its usually caused by several things. on the 94-02 the trac bars are really bad about busting the ball joint end on them. and the develop a lot of slop in the steering box. and you most likely wont feel any or this in the steering wheel because of the stabilizer shock on the steering links. also the factory control arm bushings can wear out too causing wander and sway. one cure for part of the problem is toeing in the alignment some its not bad on the tires if done right but at the same time its not the greatest on them. i would get a steering box stabilizer and steering box, as well as a new set of twin steering stabilizers. kinda expensive, looking at about a grand in parts for good stuff. but if it keeps boucing and beating on the front end your gonna have a real problem soon. mine would do the same thing before then i went through and replaced everything under the fron of it. PSC motorsports imo makes the best replacement steering boxes out there. but i put dual stabilizers new box and box stabilizer on it as well as all bushing and tie rod ends. and its as close to a sports car as you can get now. night and day differences.
 
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Diesel Bombers
General Diesel Related
0
Aug 24, 2015 06:30 PM
aoutlaw95
24 Valve 2nd Gen Dodge Cummins 98.5-02
7
Dec 11, 2014 05:00 AM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:11 AM.