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Help Support Hardline Crawlers :
What caues death wobble?
- Thread starter snowgoon
- Start date
WA-Wheeler
Well-Known Member
Hows the steering? Loose, tight??
snowgoon
Well-Known Member
As far as I can tell every thing seems tight. I steered and he steered niether of us could see anything. I may just tear it all apart but every thing is pretty new. Hmmm
WA-Wheeler
Well-Known Member
damn death wobble.....
snowgoon
Well-Known Member
no kidding
CHOP SHOP
Well-Known Member
Get some lift shackles and a steering stabilizer.
No **** ... that is it.... Negitive caster. I bet there are shims in the front end that rotated the pinion up for a better driveline angle and put negitive caster in the front end
Kind of like a shopping cart
good call lift shackles would put more positive caster into it :cheer:
Or just take the shims out
snowgoon
Well-Known Member
No shims and it has lift shackles. sorry
boardbysled
Tree Nerd.
What lift? What steering setup? If everything is tight, then something is setup wrong.
Have you checked to see if your trunions are tight? How about your wheel bearings?
WA-Wheeler
Well-Known Member
Cant believe i have not asked, but when specifically did it start???
snowgoon
Well-Known Member
Awhile back I added some leafs to the front pack. I combined most of two sets of rear springs. I think it may have something to do with that. I just dont see how. Before I just had one set up front with no wobble. With that said I reset the toe in so it was 1/8 in the front and it seems to be a bit better. How far can I safely move the toe in?
Everyone will give you best guess but I have seen 1/2 " and drove fine. Just causes tire scrub
crash2
-Oh no I picked a side-
Death wobble can some times be a chore to figure out the root "why".
Always start with caster--7 degrees of positive is golden. Most folks can get away as little as 5 degrees but 7 is what to shoot for.
As for toe I have always toe'd mine out by about 1/8" and never had an issue.
Some folks have been able to solve it by simply adding a stabalizer to the front.
As mentioned make sure nothing appears to be loose.
Always start with caster--7 degrees of positive is golden. Most folks can get away as little as 5 degrees but 7 is what to shoot for.
As for toe I have always toe'd mine out by about 1/8" and never had an issue.
Some folks have been able to solve it by simply adding a stabalizer to the front.
As mentioned make sure nothing appears to be loose.
snowgoon
Well-Known Member
I dont know. The distanced from the case should not have I used the same main leaf......I dont know if the drive line angle changed.
I lowered the tire pressure from 32 to 25 this seems to have help some. I dont think this solves my issue at all but what do I know
I dont know. The distanced from the case should not have I used the same main leaf......I dont know if the drive line angle changed.
I lowered the tire pressure from 32 to 25 this seems to have help some. I dont think this solves my issue at all but what do I know
Your situation sounds simular to mine. I added 2" longer shackels and it moved the angel from the front end to transfercase enough to cause the wobble. When I replaced the lift shackles with the originals, the wobble whent away. In order to stay with the lift shackels I need to sim it, so just decited to stay with what works.
If you added leaf, it may have moved the angel just enough to cause a wobble. If it is possible, remove the leaf and see if the wobble goes away or pu the frontend back to where it was before it started to wobble and maybe you can identify the cause of the wobble.
Lowering the tire pressure created a bigger foot print and that may have allowed the tires to obsorbe some of the wobble.
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snowgoon
Well-Known Member
You say caster should be 7* but where Do i set up 0*? Do you measure the caster on the top of knuckle or some where else?
wheelinjp
Well-Known Member
Ok I dont see you acknowledging the trunion and wheel bearing check. so here is how to check these.
1. set the front axle on jackstands so the tires are off the ground.
2. to check trunion bearings push and pull on the top of the tire with your head in the fenderwell looking at the top of the steering knuckle. if you can see the outer knuckle moving back and forth at all from the axle housing then you have bad trunion bearings.
3. now do the same tire push and pull and if the outer knuckle doesnt move and is solid with the axlehousing then focus on the bearing hub your wheel is bolted to. If you get any shake at all then one or the other (trunion or wheel bearings) is loose.
4. after checking those if there is still a shake lay under the front and shake the tire back and forth and watch every tierod end and the steering box. sometimes you have to jack it up like this to take the weight off the bad tierod to see it is failing.
5. also retighten your u-bolts. check the center pins on the springs, and watch every part of the suspension while rocking the tire back and forth. Also do the 1-3 steps on each front tire. not just one side.
hope this helps before spending any money on stabilizers or alignments. to check caster is to check the angle the top trunion bearing centerline is leaned back from the bottom trunion bearing centerline going up and down. imagine a rod going straight through the top and bottom of the outer knuckle centered on the bearings. the top should lean back 7degrees from the bottom. google it, im sure there is a pic or diagram. that angle changes as you add leafs, or add shackles, or shims to improve d-line angle. if it is changed enough you can get death wobble and scrub steer.
1. set the front axle on jackstands so the tires are off the ground.
2. to check trunion bearings push and pull on the top of the tire with your head in the fenderwell looking at the top of the steering knuckle. if you can see the outer knuckle moving back and forth at all from the axle housing then you have bad trunion bearings.
3. now do the same tire push and pull and if the outer knuckle doesnt move and is solid with the axlehousing then focus on the bearing hub your wheel is bolted to. If you get any shake at all then one or the other (trunion or wheel bearings) is loose.
4. after checking those if there is still a shake lay under the front and shake the tire back and forth and watch every tierod end and the steering box. sometimes you have to jack it up like this to take the weight off the bad tierod to see it is failing.
5. also retighten your u-bolts. check the center pins on the springs, and watch every part of the suspension while rocking the tire back and forth. Also do the 1-3 steps on each front tire. not just one side.
hope this helps before spending any money on stabilizers or alignments. to check caster is to check the angle the top trunion bearing centerline is leaned back from the bottom trunion bearing centerline going up and down. imagine a rod going straight through the top and bottom of the outer knuckle centered on the bearings. the top should lean back 7degrees from the bottom. google it, im sure there is a pic or diagram. that angle changes as you add leafs, or add shackles, or shims to improve d-line angle. if it is changed enough you can get death wobble and scrub steer.
snowgoon
Well-Known Member
Ok Had some time today. Jacked up the truck Passenger side is tight. The drives has a very small like less the 1/16 of movement and i think it is the wheel bearings. So gonna try and change them. If it is the trunion bearings is the eliminator kit something that is worth buying?
