Death Wobble

['68 Newtricks]

Stabilizers are to take the shock out of the steering wheel, nothing more. They help keep the steering straight over pot holes, rocks, and even minor things like speed bumps. They do not cure and most of the time they don't even "mask" death wobble.

Death wobble is caused by the things I just mentioned. Bigger tires wear things faster and they make worn parts feel extra worn.

Here is my example of why steering stabilizers don't cure DW.
If tierod ends are sloppy, stabilizers are connected to tierod.
If ball joints/king pins are sloopy, stabilizers are connected to the tierod.
If leaf spring bushings are shot and the whole axle is allowed to move, stabilizers are connected to the tierod.
If wheel bearings are about to go but before they do they cause DW, stabilizers are connected to the tierod.

If I told everyone that connecting a small stabilizer on your steering shaft, just after the column, would fix the problem....would you believe me? Well, you shouldn't, cause DW happens AROUND stabilizers.

['68 Newtricks]

So if you have DW and are able to truly fix the problem with dual stabilizers, then it might have been your tires. They might be out of balance but more likely poorly made. One correctly working stabilizer should be enough.

But I have wheeled with people who have bias ply swampers, that are loud and bouncy on the street, yet they don't have DW.

Deep dish rims, like zero backspacing, can increase the likelihood of DW.

In all honesty, the quickest way to fix DW, is hydro assist That sh** will mask everything hahahahah

[jjzepplin]

My tires were fine. Balanced well and only had the wobble at low speeds after a pothole or big bump. I ran 10 ply 36" TSL radial Swampers. I have had this truck for 25 years. I have run the Rubicon in this rig and always drove it to the Rubicon from Oakland California. I have driven this rig all the way across the United States and all the joints are replaced on the regular. While it's true some tires are better than others, and I have run Cepek - Mud country- Even Armstrongs- My TSL's ran the best. I know the problem was in my suspension. But how could it be as all things were new and tight. Reason was lift- springs- and aftermarket stuff stretched beyond stock specs (which would require a stock stabilizer). So you're not saying that stabilizers are bot necessary just that one should be enough? All I know is I took that puney stock unit off and it was toast (20'000 miles old) and put on a dual kit and now it is as solid as a rock and yes all the joints are new and tight! And I tow a 20 foot trailer with the greatest of ease and can pull off the road in Pismo Beach, drop the trailer and go Jumpin dunes! So I guess I'm saying that one puney stabilizer with a stock suspension should be fine but necessary. So with a big bad off road lifted rig with modifications a dual stabilizer would work even better. So make your own decision. Fix the loose stuff and if it still happens you know what to do.

[jjzepplin]

Ok. So reviving this as I was hauling a not to heavy load and hit a decent pot hole and almost ripped the front differential out of the truck.
EATING my words It seems.
Stabilizers are good but I guess something must be not so tight.
About a mile up the road it happened again and I had to slow almost to a stop.
Checking for loose stuff soon.
Not trying to hijack but help others with this issue. I will let you all know what I find when I get a chance.
Maybe a busted kingpin?
Too much weight in the rear?
HMMM!

[enaberif]

Originally Posted by jjzepplin

Ok. So reviving this as I was hauling a not to heavy load and hit a decent pot hole and almost ripped the front differential out of the truck.
EATING my words It seems.
Stabilizers are good but I guess something must be not so tight.
About a mile up the road it happened again and I had to slow almost to a stop.
Checking for loose stuff soon.
Not trying to hijack but help others with this issue. I will let you all know what I find when I get a chance.
Maybe a busted kingpin?
Too much weight in the rear?
HMMM!

Simply put you have worn front components somewhere and you need to fix it ASAP.

[walkerb]

Originally Posted by enaberif

Simply put you have worn front components somewhere and you need to fix it ASAP.

agreed

[jjzepplin]

That's just it. Most everything is new. Never went into the kingpins though. I will check it soon. Need good flat concrete to take a proper look.
Tie rods and links are all new.

[walkerb]

And all front u-joints are new also?

[jjzepplin]

U-bolts are new but how could the U-joints have anything to do with wobble? They were not in use at the time and are only used when in 4WD. I will check them though.

[andrewmp6]

Since you haven't replaced the king pins in the a while its probably them.

[jjzepplin]

Any links on how to do the kingpins? 1989 D60.

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by jjzepplin

Any links on how to do the kingpins? 1989 D60.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/PR-Kingpin/

https://www.google.com/search?q=dana...ement&ie=UTF-8

[71swb4x4]

Replace the words new parts with the words good parts. New parts does not mean they are good. I assume you are still checking everything and just using the word new to mean good, but if you haven't, you need to check it all. Even a part put on 5 minutes ago can be bad.

[jjzepplin]

I Haven't checked this old beast in quite some time. Reliability has got the best of me it seems. I am thinking the plastic or nylon kingpin bushings must be shot. This axle does not have many miles on it but did run run 36" Swampers at one time. Might be again as the price of gas goes down!!! So I am thinking of the Ried Racing bronze replacement style. Anyone running those?
Thanks for the linky!!!

[Chevy_mud_truck]

I've built a lot of trucks and lifted a lot of trucks SUVs and jeeps dodge trucks is probably the worst to have the death wobble then jeeps but I can tell you 100% that steering shocks or shimmy shocks do not fix anything they only mask the problem at best on some I've got a 78 long bed with 12" lift no sway bar I've run 75 and 80 mph on the highway nothing but tire noise I even had to take my shimmy shock off dew to a mishap with a rock and bent the crap out of the shock and drove the truck home two hour drive at 65 mph and drove like a top

On a Dana 60 a weak top spring will cause death wobble when I first put the 60 under my truck it would death wobble every once in a while checked everything a dozen time no slack in nothing finally got mad and when and got everything to rebuild the front axle king pins wheel bearing axle joint and a new set of locking hubs the only thing I could find wrong was the top spring was weak and had collapsed about 1/8 compared to the new one never had any more problems after that drove it about 7or8 years with 39" tire and some 44" on the weekends when I bogging it

[jjzepplin]

Hmm. Good to know as well. Maybe a full rebuild is not in order. I see some ORD rebuild kits carry spring replacements made of urethane or something. Maybe those with bronze bushings will make it indestructible.
Do you run X-over steering?

[Chevy_mud_truck]

Yeah I run a crossover

[jjzepplin]

That is one nice engine stand! Do you have a steering box brace of any kind?

[Chevy_mud_truck]

Not yet I haven't made up my mind to build one or buy one

[jjzepplin]

So I checked my front dif and HOLY MOLY! Both knuckles move up and down with no problem at least 1/4" Guess I'm tearing into it soon!

[jjzepplin]

Update- Bushings were good and all looked fine when apart. Figured the springs were sprung. I put a couple large washers in each side and bang! Tight as new and cost about $2. And big bump have no wobble at all. Thanks guys!

[Chevy_mud_truck]

Glad you're back driving without the wobble
Sometimes everybody agrees to disagree on something but with everyone experiences and the problems they have and the fix to to take care of the problem always helps when you you have a general direction to start looking

[v30crewcab]

best thing I ever did was go springless on my d60 kingpin caps. no more deathwobble.

[jjzepplin]

Originally Posted by Chevy_mud_truck

Glad you're back driving without the wobble
Sometimes everybody agrees to disagree on something but with everyone experiences and the problems they have and the fix to to take care of the problem always helps when you you have a general direction to start looking

Yeah-I don't mind eating my words when I am wrong. I also love to learn. Now what to do with those new stabilizers...

[jjzepplin]

Originally Posted by v30crewcab

best thing I ever did was go springless on my d60 kingpin caps. no more deathwobble.

Did you use the ORD urethane kit?