Another death wobble....

[junebug]

Ive read many threads about this in the past but never experienced it until today...occured at approx 30 mph and hit a small bump in the back of my neighborhood and ye ha it started. The only change I made was switching to power steering and that box is way tighter than my old manual box... So who knows. I do have an adjustable track bar in my garage that I have been wanting to put on, so this might be a good time for it.

 

[shamu]

Ck your frame.

It happens.

 

[dirtslinger]

I don't have a death wobble, but I'd like to check my frame anyways, what are we looking at in these pictures?

 

[bmc69]

I don't have a death wobble, but I'd like to check my frame anyways, what are we looking at in these pictures?

Typical cracking failure of an EB frame where the steering box bolts up.

 

[Rustytruck]

I would check the upper track bar bushing andy looseness there will cause death wobble. Have someone move the steering while you look at that location if the track bar moves any at the bolt fix it.

 

[cbautoworks1]

sounds like you need more steering stabalizer. energy is transfered along the axle from one tire to the other, this causes a harmonic shake that is amplified with larger tires. steering stabalizers, like shocks, will wear over time and should be replaced. the stabalizer absorbes the "shake" from one side to the other. good luck

 

[ET]

I'd check your c bushings also.

Eugene

 

[Scoop]

Check for proper toe-in also. The death wobble is usually a combination of several items slightly off that all contribute to the tendancy to shake. All of the above are factors. Although very worn track bar bushings can do it alone!

 

[Bukin 67]

Check for proper toe-in also.

X 2 on this. This took care of mine

 

[junebug]

toe in is incorrect but I cant get the tie rod to adjust... the thing wont turn and I have cranked on it with a pipe wrench so hard I worried I will mess up my joints. Soaking it with lube right now...no cracks in the frame.

 

[DirtDonk]

Good call on soaking it in lube.
Do that overnight, then here's the trick. Put the pipe-wrench on it (the biggest one you have) and use the floor jack and heat to break it loose.
Yep, a floor jack.

Granted, if your joints are not in the best of shape, this could put them over the edge. But if they're still good, you can literally lift the truck up off the ground with the wrench on the bar.
If that's not enough, use some heat from a propane torch.
Doing this does not need to be way off the ground. Obviously, just as you start to put some up-english on it, you've got plenty of weight on things. It's a little nerve-wracking, but it should work.

If that doesn't do it, jump up on the bumper. I stopped being worried about breaking something since I figured that, if it was this bad, I'd probably need to replace the darn things anyway. Luckily, I didn't have to.
On the third bounce, mine let go with a loud bang, and has worked fine ever since.

Paul