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Front End Shaking

Old Feb 4, 2009 | 06:48 PM
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Default Front End Shaking

So I was driving my 1996 dodge ram the other day and all the sudden it started shaking in the front. So I slow down and pull over. check everything nothing seems wrong. So I'm driving it the next day does it again. So I take it to a mechanic. He's says it sounds like the steering stablizer shock. $204 dollars later still have the same problem. Any ideas would really help. Thanks
 
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Old Feb 4, 2009 | 07:36 PM
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what kind of shaking? side to side?, up and down? through the steering wheel? front? back? what are you doing when it happens?
 
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Old Feb 4, 2009 | 08:33 PM
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its called "death wobble". common problem. search here and other forums for that term. its caused by one or more worn out front end parts, and bad alignment can contribute. take it back to your mechanic and politely tell him that wasn't it. before agreeing to pay him any more money for the next part, ask him to guarantee the repair in writing... if he won't do that, take it somewhere else. check what comes up on your search, but it could be ball joints, tie rod ends, track bar, possible (but it doubt it) the steering box, idler arm.

if you pay him $200 per part to guess at whats wrong, its going to cost you a bundle.

welcome to df. fill out your signature.
 
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Old Feb 4, 2009 | 08:52 PM
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I guess you could say in the steering. Shaking is coming from the front.
 
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Old Feb 4, 2009 | 08:54 PM
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Tighten down your track bar........mine does this every once in a while. Whats happening is when u hit a bump the front axle is moving from side to side and it is probably a track bar problem whether the track bar is bad or the track bar is loose.
 
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Old Feb 4, 2009 | 09:05 PM
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now I have some play in the steering has been that way since I bought it a year ago. I don't know if that had anything to do with it. And I just have the axle joint and bearing changed on the passenger side. Don't know if that would make a difference because it didn't do it until a couple of weeks after I got them fixed.
 
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Old Feb 4, 2009 | 10:02 PM
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Could be a belt in your tire shifted. Try rotating your tires see if it clears up. Some people complain after a tire rotation because it's not so noticeable when the bad tire is in the rear.
 
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Old Feb 4, 2009 | 10:36 PM
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sounds like death wobble, most likely caused by a bad TRE
 
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Old Feb 5, 2009 | 06:06 AM
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Thanks everyone for your help. I'm taking it up my moms today to give big red a good look over.
 
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Old Feb 5, 2009 | 09:21 AM
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I also agree its most likely the dreaded death wobble.

Have someone saw the steering back and forth slightly while your underneath looking at steering ends and the track bar ends. You most likely have some worn steering parts and/or a worn/loose track bar. You should also check for worn ball joints and wheel bearings (even if they were replaced recently, they have a tendency to wear out ever so quickly), cause those will also aid in death wobble.
 
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