I've been chasing a death wobble in my truck for some time now. The only things not new in the front are the front springs/bushings and steering box. The springs were dead so decided to install new. It looks to me like the shackleson the rear of the srping are home made and perhaps longer than stock. From bolt to bolt they measure 5 7/8". Does anyone know what stock is? Could this (if the are longer than stock) be part of the problem? Thanks in advance. Kevin

 

Stock is 4 5/8" center to center.. 1" isn't gonna trow much off if anything.. How bad were the bushings in the springs?? Did you replace the ones in the frame.. I would check your steering box real good, make sure the mounting plate isn't cracked.. On my dump truck, death wobble was solved by a new drag link... good luck

 

I just replaced my steering box. my old one had cracked an entire bolt ear off the box and the plate hade a 1/2 inch crack in it. The 2 plates that i have been through both have been cracked at the location of the pittman arm, so check that are closely. I just had my front springs re-arched and a 2 inch lift added to them. I am to rebuilding my front end. Have you changed tie rod ends, drag link, how much play is in the steering coupler? how about the steering box?
Wheelo

 

I took the steering box off to check the frame and box and everything looked good. I had one worn out spring bushing, drivers side front. I did put new bushings in the frame, they were OK but were cheap so I replaced them. Of course the new springs had new bushings. The holes in the spring hangers and shackles were worn oval so I drilled them to 5/8" and welded in a bushing the welded a washer to the outsde to give more bearing surface. All is tight now. Now for another front end alignment and see what happens.

 

I've done everything, new kingpins, check and adjust wheel bearings, tie rod ends (one was a little loose), drag link, borgson shaft, turned rotors, new pads, rebuilt calipers, new shocks, swaped tire front to back, front end alignment, checked steering box and frame, new axle u joints and now springs and bushings so if this does not do it The only thing left is the pitman arm and steering box. The box seems good and tight and does not wander on the road so I do not think that is the problem. Thanks.

 

Are you running any steering stabilizers.. Hopefully you'll be good after the new springs... Sure sounds like you have replaced/checked everything.. What tires are you running.. I've had bad luck BFG all terrain on my new truck...

 

I've got 235/85R16 Cooper Discovery st's with fairly low miles wearing evenly. I have a stabilizer to put on but the truck did not come with one so I'd like to fix the problem before I put the stabilizer on so I'm not just hiding the problem. For a while it would try to kill me at every bump but now it just does it from time to time so I'm gaining on it. I'm sure I'll figure it out sooner or later but it would be nice to see something that is obviously wrong rather than throwing parts at it. It's been a good truck so I feel it's worth the time and money to fix it properly. Thanks for your ideas.

 

geez man, you have been through the entire front end, Good luck to ya, i'm out from here, sorry!
Wheelo

 

I think you need a drop pitman. Does it bump steer? If so, that's your problem - or at least one of them.

 

It steers fine it just comes unglued (like my boss) from time to time. I've had the truck for a long time and never had the problem until this fall. It's stock height except for 1" longer shackles, which it had when I bought it. Do you think this is enough to require a dropped pitman arm? They are probably no mote expensive than a stock one so if I need to do the box I may put one on. Where can I get a dropped arm? Thanks

 

Try locking in the front hubs and see if the problem goes away. If it does clean and lube the front hubs. Your problem sounds like the one I had last winter. Once I changed the grease in the Warn hubs and fixed a little problem with the snap ring my problem went away.

 

I Have not tried that but I will. What snapring problem did you have? Thanks

 

What was the deal with the new springs? Stock height?

 

Yep stock, I did put in the 1 ton 6 leaf pack instead of the 5 that was in there. I'd say it brought the front of the truck up 3-3 1/2" at the most and I'm sure some of that will settle out in short order. The old springs were really bad I had less than an inch to the rubber spring bumpers.......I did bottom out a lot on rough roads.

 

Have a look at the draglink and see if it appears to be running at an exaggerated angle on the joints. One inch higher than stock may be OK, but any more than that will need a drop pitman. The draglinks on these steering setups are way too short to tolerate much in the way of lift before things become seriously out of whack.

As far as anything else with the way the front end is behaving, all bets are off until the steering geometry is dialed in.