# Death Wobble



## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

Since there are some Dodge diesel guys on here I thought this might help y'all out. I've searched the heck out of the interwebs to narrow down whats wrong with my truck. Maybe this can be a one stop shop.

My truck started out with a little "shimmy" in the front end and as time went by I started hearing noises in the front end and now when I hit a bump at a certain speed I get the dreaded Death Wobble. 
The first thing I did was put new shocks on to rule that out. My truck has 147,XXX miles on it, so I thought it was time to replace the stockers. No help! Thats when I went to the web and listened to everyone say the track bar is the first to go. I replaced the bushings with the MUCH BETTER moog brand and torqued to 130lbs. No change! 
Now I'm mad. Went to youtube and watched some videos. I learned a little bit about checking my ball joints and mine seem to be OK. I laid under the truck with it running and had someone turn back and fourth and noticed a rod end connected to my pitman arm was moving all over the place. $25.00 and its getting better! 
Replaced the stabalizer with a high $$ rancho and the death wobble was very evident with that POS on there. I put the stock one back on and went back to a shimmy. Now I'm going to replace all the rod ends and hopefully that will do it. All parts are from Orielly and the brand is moog. 
I do have some slop in the steering box and found this. 
http://www.genosgarage.com/BD-STEERING-BOX-STABILIZER-03-08-4WD/productinfo/BD-1032005/

A steering box stabilizer. Supposed to help with death wobble. There is a cheaper one out there. I'll try and find it. 
Anyone else have this problem?


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## Charlie in TX (May 4, 2012)

You have a 2500/3500 4x4 with slightly oversized tires?


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## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

2500 4x4 stock size tires. Always. I did have mudders on for 45,000 miles. Stock size though.


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## stdreb27 (Aug 15, 2011)

Ball joints and tie rod ends will help, balance your tires. Sometimes it's hard to tell if they're bad. Without pulling them out. And looking at them.


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## FLAT FISHY (Jun 22, 2006)

Never had to fight this battle but I have heard about it a lot. And understand sometimes it just a case of replacing stuff until you find the majic bean..
and yes I am a gOat herder


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## INTOTHEBLUE (Jun 21, 2011)

http://www.pscmotorsports.com/03-08-4wd-2500-3500-dodge-ram-steering-stabilizer.html

This one is half the price. I will be purchasing one of these too. I have their hydraulic assist kit on my truck now. I replaced all my tie rod ends with same Moog replacements and did ball joints also with Moog. Had death wobble once before all this was replaced.


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## Empty Pockets CC (Feb 18, 2009)

I had to put 2 steering stabilizers on mine to get it to quit. They are not stacked. One shock goes one way and the other one goes the other way. Solved my problem and the truck actually handles better now.


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## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

IMO, the steering stabilizers are masking the problem. You really shouldn't have to use one. I've seen where one guy used three! Don't get me wrong, I'm going to add the rancho to my existing stock one. I hope it keeps the new parts from wearing out as fast. The 09' rod ends are supposed to be beefier and better. That's what I'm going to replace my long ones with.


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## Galveston Yankee (May 24, 2004)

I have an '07 2500 4x4 and had the death wobble.

Short history. Bought it with 87K on it. Had new mud terrain tires on it. Started getting the shimmy, which I attributed to the fact that I wasn't rotating tires. Turned out I had to replace shocks (still had OEMs). Shimmy came back and replaced the steering stabilizer, which was really shot.

Tires wore down and chopped the edges (I let that happen cuz I hated the tires and had to pass buying a new set by the in house boss). Put new ATs on and things settled down - for a little while. Soon realized that the rear universal joint needed to be replaced. Took care of a vibration.

Then the death wobble appeared. Had the creaky noises coming from the front end. Then the wobble became scary bad.

Did some research and checking under the truck and decided to buy new tie rods and ends. Changed the one end that connects to the driver's side wheel assembly and it helped a little. Then changed the two tie rods and the other end and the wobble disappeared.

Hope this helps.


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## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

Common problem is the steering box and the retainer on the bearing backing out giving all kinds of slop on the shaft. If that is the problem, you can see it. With the truck parked, motor running, have someone saw the wheel back and forth while you watch the input and output shafts of the steering box. If you see any lateral play in the shafts, or if you can wiggle them there's your problem. If the bearings are not damaged, you can loosen the lock nut, tighten the retainer, and then retighten the lock not. If the steering wheel does not self center on it's own after a turn, you have it too tight.


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## justindfish (Aug 12, 2005)

Fougt that battle on a buddies truck change the ball joints I thought his were good and yes I know how to check them but they must get a funny wear in them that doesn't cause much slack but will affect the truck. 

I put a steering box stabilizer on his like the one that you linked to and it helped some. But I hope you realize that it is to combat frame twist/torque not steering box slack. If you have any slack in your steering box you without a doubt need to absolutely change it because that definitely will magnify the problem, I personally would price a dodge box over an orielys rebuilt some of my mechanic buddies have had problems with them me included. 

I personally would put the steering stabilizer that you linked to on it if it was my truck I just really like the added strength that it gives the steering system. 

I've looked at and worked on that truck a lot among other dodge 4x4 I'm thinking that the root problem is the geometry of the actual suspension system. If they had more triagilated and longer trailing/control arms the problem most likely wouldn't show up like it does when there is a little wear on the suspension. 

Anyways I know its expensive but I would change the ball joints its the only thing that fixed my buddies and they had very little slack. 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2


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## goodwood (Mar 30, 2009)

Lots of causes for death wobble especially for solid axles on Dodges and Fords.
- ball joints and tie rods
- worn track bar joints
- bad alignment and or out of balance tire
- not enough caster

Dual steering stabilizers and an upgraded track bar can remedy the problem as well as other solutions.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

had it in a ford 4X4

look up in the front end where the steering cross-members pivot, my bolts had wallowed out the holes and gave some play, you could watch it move when you lifted the front end off the ground by the bumper and let the tires droop, it was not tie rods or ball joints or a arm ends


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## theyallbreak (Jan 29, 2012)

When you get it aligned have them put at least 5* of caster in it.


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## Scout177 (Oct 23, 2006)

I bought a 2003 Dodge dually with 100K miles earlier this year. Started the death wobble not long after I bought it. When it happened pulling my 5th wheel it was time to do something. I replaced the steering stabilizer with one I got at Standard Auto Parts and haven't had a shimmy since. I can tell I have some slack somewhere but no wobble.


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## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

I replaced all the rod ends yesterday and that seemed to do the the trick. The two ends that bolt directly to the spindles had been replaced before. Lots of slack in them. No wobble and no shimmy no mo! I will be getting the plate that ties in the front frame though.


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## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

devil1824 said:


> I replaced all the rod ends yesterday and that seemed to do the the trick. The two ends that bolt directly to the spindles had been replaced before. Lots of slack in them. No wobble and no shimmy no mo! I will be getting the plate that ties in the front frame though.


You'll be happy with that brace, it takes even more slop out of that dead zone in the center of the steering travel. Less bump steer too.


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

Don't you just love spending money to fix Chrysler's poor engineering and quality?


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## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

Bottomsup said:


> Don't you just love spending money to fix Chrysler's poor engineering and quality?


I don't look at it any differently than spending money on a tuner, lift kit, or big turbo. If you can make something better or more powerful, why not do it if you can afford it. You can find weaknesses in any brand truck if you look hard enough; rear brakes on chevy's, ford injectors and lift pumps, the list goes on.


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

How is spending money on a tuner like repairing a design flaw that may become a potential safety hazard?



Pocketfisherman said:


> I don't look at it any differently than spending money on a tuner, lift kit, or big turbo. If you can make something better or more powerful, why not do it if you can afford it. You can find weaknesses in any brand truck if you look hard enough; rear brakes on chevy's, ford injectors and lift pumps, the list goes on.


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## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

It took over 100k miles for mine to wear out. Not bad. Things wear out. My ford had a cam sensor that went out every 50k miles. My wifes old Mazda 6 went through a battery a year. 6.0 ford is a pos. You couldn't pay me to buy a Gov't motors vehicle. 
Every vehicle has it's issue. My Dodge is still RAM tough. I wanted a truck with a front axle. Not that other girly ****.


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

devil1824 said:


> It took over 100k miles for mine to wear out. Not bad. Things wear out. My ford had a cam sensor that went out every 50k miles. My wifes old Mazda 6 went through a battery a year. 6.0 ford is a pos. You couldn't pay me to buy a Gov't motors vehicle.
> Every vehicle has it's issue. My Dodge is still RAM tough. I wanted a truck with a front axle. Not that other girly ****.


You said you had stock tires. What brand? Also did you say if you had a front end leveling kit?

I have run lots of Dodge trucks for the past 115 years. I have had it in two different trucks, my first one (1998 2500 4x4) which I traded off because no one had a clue how to fix it, and a truck I still have, a 2001 2500 with 400,000 miles. I cured that truck with a Moog track bar, and new tires.

I see front end leveling kits in the majority of death wobble cases. I also see BFG all terrains on a lot of the trucks.


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## 6.5 shooter dude (Jan 8, 2008)

bigfishtx said:


> You said you had stock tires. What brand? Also did you say if you had a front end leveling kit?
> 
> I have run lots of Dodge trucks for the past 115 years. I have had it in two different trucks, my first one (1998 2500 4x4) which I traded off because no one had a clue how to fix it, and a truck I still have, a 2001 2500 with 400,000 miles. I cured that truck with a Moog track bar, and new tires.
> 
> I see front end leveling kits in the majority of death wobble cases. I also see BFG all terrains on a lot of the trucks.


:cheers:


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## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

My truck is completely bone stock. My tires are worn out goodyear all terrains. Before that I had some goodyear wrangler mud tires. Same thing with different tires. The first thing I replaced on the front end was track bar bushings. The stock ones were still good. I really like the moog bushings though. A lot better then stock.


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

I use Moog Track bars now. If they go bad, you take them to Oreilly and they replace it right there free of charge. And you are right, the bushings are much thicker than the stock track bar.

Don't count out a new set of tires. My 2001 went bokners on me when I put a set of mud grips on it....switched back to the at's and it stopped.

If you start your truck and let it idle, stand beside it with the window down and move the steering wheel left and right about 3-4 inches. If you see the frame and body moving back and firth before the tires move, you have slop somewhere. That same movement back and forth is what causes death wobble. 

When that stuff gets started, if you don't fix it quick, it will end up messing up all the front end components.


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## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

I'll be getting new tires real soon. I expect a much better ride after that. Mine are pretty wore out.


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

If you dont fix the cause of the problem the tires will mask the wobble but they will wear out sooner than normal. Stabilizers and such also mask the root cause.


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## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

Bottomsup said:


> If you dont fix the cause of the problem the tires will mask the wobble but they will wear out sooner than normal. Stabilizers and such also mask the root cause.


Yep. I even drove mine with it off to test it out.


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## outlaw38 (Aug 28, 2006)

Quit running MOOG junk. Upgrade to Carlie or Thuren equiptment and the problem will be solved. Buy once cry once.


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

Thuren does not make a track bar for my 2001 Dodge. Tried one, wont fit. Mr thuren said for some reason the 2001 model does not line up correctly.

As far as Moog being junk, they are a much better track bar than factory at half the cost, with a lifetime warranty. I think that statement is over the edge. Not as good as Thuren, but cost is 1/4.


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## bigdav160 (Aug 25, 2004)

My 2003 developed severe death wobble @45,000 miles. It was so bad I to avoided going south on I45 because of couple bad expansion joints that would send the truck into a violent shaking fit.

I replaced the BFG all-terrains on the truck and 65,000 miles later not a single episode of death wobble. I have not replaced a single front end part on that truck and it still drives like new. YMMV

Let the haters hate.


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