Left Wheel Death Wobble - Competition Diesel.Com

iker42 · 09-02-2009, 06:23 PM

Well its happening to me. As I make a left turn at about 30-40mph, i can feel the front end get wobbly. If i hit any kind of a bump at the end of the turn it will let the front left tire wobble violently. I then have to slow to about 10mph to get it back to normal.

I just replaced the drag link thinking that was it since it was bad and now im at a loss.

What else can i do to fix this??

3500 SRW 2in leveling in the front.

JBFarmsCummins · 09-02-2009, 06:34 PM

My 12 valve had death wobble and I also replaced the drag link and it helped a little bit but ultimately took the leveling springs off and put it back to factory height and it hasn't happened since.

wdimig · 09-02-2009, 07:07 PM

theres a slew of things that you can do to cure the death wobble, i would start by upgrading your steering linkage from the y-style to the heavy duty t-style linkage that was used on the 98-99 year model trucks, this setup inherently eliminates any possibility of what you can call bump steer, this can be felt on the highway when you go over a expansion joint, and the drag link bars, and tie rod bars are extremely large and robust, i did this setup on my truck will reccomend it to every dodge diesel owner that does not have the setup. there are some writeups on this setup over on tdr, including the one writeup i did when i installed mine. i also have added a 3rd. gen track bar and relocation bracket that is needed for the 3rd gen track bar. the advantage to the 3rd gen. track bar is that there is no tire rod end to wear out, both ends are a bolt through bushing, very solid, and should last a long time. my steering box was leaking, and had alot of slop in the shaft, i bought a 3 1/4 turn box from PSC, this along made a huge different in how the truck steers, it makes the truck feel more like a car, the steering responce is greatly improved over the 4 1/4 saginaw box that is found on most all the dodge rams. I installed a DSS steering stabilizer that should help ensure the life of this box from PSC. the DSS also ties the front of the frame together, and makes it stonger, and less flexible. I added a dual steering stabilizer kit from skyjacker that was designed for the 98-99 dodge trucks that have the t-style steering, this helped dampen the steering alot. and finally i got rid of the weak shocks all around, installed some OEM blue/yellow Bilstein shocks, i highly reccomend these shocks, they provide great ride comfort for the money. the last thing that you can upgrade that seems to fail is the stock steering shaft linkage, Borgeson makes a very stout shaft, that dwarfs the stock shaft that wears out. i hope to upgrade my stock shaft with this one from Borgeson really soon. all of what i just described has led to the best rock solid steering that i have seen or felt for the 2nd gen. dodges, almost as good as the 3rd gen. trucks. once this is all said and done, make sure you have a good alignment done on the front end. yes all of the stuff cost a little bit of $$$, but it all adds up to an awsome steering setup for your truck in the end!

Wes

moss765 · 09-02-2009, 09:03 PM

man i jus dumped 1400 bucks on my front end it was like one part went out after another and finally i got a whole new front end under my truck and it a champ at steerin now

Lucky Jeff · 09-02-2009, 10:11 PM

Sounds to me like your left front axle shaft u-joint has taken a dump. They like to do that when they are warn. I can feel it slightly in my Dodge, and that is what caused the death wobble in my jeep (same front end design).

PRattenbury · 09-03-2009, 07:08 AM

Check your caster setting.

09-02-2009, 06:23 PM	#1
iker42 Name: iker42 Title: Hmm... Status: Not Here Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Easton, PA Member`s Gallery Posts: 2,301	Left Wheel Death Wobble Well its happening to me. As I make a left turn at about 30-40mph, i can feel the front end get wobbly. If i hit any kind of a bump at the end of the turn it will let the front left tire wobble violently. I then have to slow to about 10mph to get it back to normal. I just replaced the drag link thinking that was it since it was bad and now im at a loss. What else can i do to fix this?? 3500 SRW 2in leveling in the front. __________________ Michael "Dex" Brown - KCCO My Friend. 10/7/1987-6/2/2012

09-02-2009, 06:34 PM	#2
JBFarmsCummins Name: JBFarmsCummins Title: Georgia Diesel Mafia Status: Not Here Join Date: May 2008 Member`s Gallery Posts: 137	My 12 valve had death wobble and I also replaced the drag link and it helped a little bit but ultimately took the leveling springs off and put it back to factory height and it hasn't happened since. __________________ 1998 Dodge ECLB 4x4 12 valve. Darren Morrison built tranny and some twins on the way. 1997 Dodge 3500 4x4. Worktruck

09-02-2009, 07:07 PM	#3
wdimig Name: wdimig Title: Too Much Time Status: Not Here Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Frederick, MD Member`s Gallery Posts: 584	theres a slew of things that you can do to cure the death wobble, i would start by upgrading your steering linkage from the y-style to the heavy duty t-style linkage that was used on the 98-99 year model trucks, this setup inherently eliminates any possibility of what you can call bump steer, this can be felt on the highway when you go over a expansion joint, and the drag link bars, and tie rod bars are extremely large and robust, i did this setup on my truck will reccomend it to every dodge diesel owner that does not have the setup. there are some writeups on this setup over on tdr, including the one writeup i did when i installed mine. i also have added a 3rd. gen track bar and relocation bracket that is needed for the 3rd gen track bar. the advantage to the 3rd gen. track bar is that there is no tire rod end to wear out, both ends are a bolt through bushing, very solid, and should last a long time. my steering box was leaking, and had alot of slop in the shaft, i bought a 3 1/4 turn box from PSC, this along made a huge different in how the truck steers, it makes the truck feel more like a car, the steering responce is greatly improved over the 4 1/4 saginaw box that is found on most all the dodge rams. I installed a DSS steering stabilizer that should help ensure the life of this box from PSC. the DSS also ties the front of the frame together, and makes it stonger, and less flexible. I added a dual steering stabilizer kit from skyjacker that was designed for the 98-99 dodge trucks that have the t-style steering, this helped dampen the steering alot. and finally i got rid of the weak shocks all around, installed some OEM blue/yellow Bilstein shocks, i highly reccomend these shocks, they provide great ride comfort for the money. the last thing that you can upgrade that seems to fail is the stock steering shaft linkage, Borgeson makes a very stout shaft, that dwarfs the stock shaft that wears out. i hope to upgrade my stock shaft with this one from Borgeson really soon. all of what i just described has led to the best rock solid steering that i have seen or felt for the 2nd gen. dodges, almost as good as the 3rd gen. trucks. once this is all said and done, make sure you have a good alignment done on the front end. yes all of the stuff cost a little bit of $$$, but it all adds up to an awsome steering setup for your truck in the end! Wes __________________ 2010 Ram Mega cab, Deep water pearl blue/tan two tone, Cooper ATP's, Retrosolutions 55w 4300k HID's, ARP 625's, GDP S3 intake horn/grid reloc. & air boss plate, S&B intake w. scoop, Sinister Egr del., H&S MM w. OD tuning, Dia. Eye 5" TBE, 437/963 @ 2013 Fall Brawl

09-02-2009, 09:03 PM	#4
moss765 Name: moss765 Title: Diesel Enthusiast Status: Not Here Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Muncie, IN Member`s Gallery Posts: 204	man i jus dumped 1400 bucks on my front end it was like one part went out after another and finally i got a whole new front end under my truck and it a champ at steerin now __________________ 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 6.6 LBZ 200,000mi efi live w/5-way, cold air intake, egr deleted, blow-by rerouted, trans deep pan, built tranny, 3" downpipe, 5" exhaust, head studs, 68mm cheetah turbo, FASS 150gph.

09-02-2009, 10:11 PM	#5
Lucky Jeff Name: Lucky Jeff Title: Stock Sucks Status: Not Here Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Bonney Lake, WA Member`s Gallery Posts: 5,784	Sounds to me like your left front axle shaft u-joint has taken a dump. They like to do that when they are warn. I can feel it slightly in my Dodge, and that is what caused the death wobble in my jeep (same front end design). __________________ Well, damn 98 Cummins - dead 77 Highboy - dead 02 Grand Cherokee - ummmmm? http://www.facebook.com/JBrentson

09-03-2009, 07:08 AM	#6
PRattenbury Name: PRattenbury Title: Neophyte Status: Not Here Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Connecticut Member`s Gallery Posts: 1,095	Check your caster setting. __________________ 1994 2500 4x4 with a couple mods If corn oil is made from corn and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?