so my 97 1500 4x4 has been fine for the past couple months, i usually use it to pull my car trailer. when pulling my trailer today when the steering wheel is turned slightly i get alot of vibration, like the whole truck is jumping around, but when i straighten it out it sorta goes away, same deal if i hit a bad pot hole, the whole truck shakes alot. but this all happens only if im going 50mph+. I thought maybe it was my trailer w/ a bent axle or something, but same happens when the trailers off, ive tried w/ od on and off.

*side note- my alignment on the car probably needs to be done, the steering wheel needs to be cocked a bit to the left to go in a straight line, and theres a little bit of play in it*

 

almost positive its a wheel balanace try that a weight might of moved and then u can have ur alignment done while u there

 

Sounds like the infamous Ram 4x4
"Death Wobble"
which is caused by bad track bars
and improper Castor settings
but any worn front suspension part with slack will contribute too.

http://www.solidsteel.ca/FAQ.htm#bearing

Will it help with the wobble problem ?

Some trucks may experience sudden, violent shaking in the front end and steering wheel. This is often triggered when a pothole or bump is hit, and usually only occurs at highway speeds. The biggest culprit is insufficient caster. Another symptom of insufficient caster is the steering wheel not returning to center after cornering. Try having your caster adjusted to +4 degrees. (A truck that is within factory alignment specs may still experience this problem, so don't be afraid to tell the alignment shop you want +4 to +5 degrees.) Loose steering parts such as tie-rod ends, steering box, and ball joints will also contribute to this problem. Other things to check are wheel bearings, steering damper, and toe-in setting.

In short, the DSS has been reported to help in many cases, but check that caster first!

 

Jeez! I thought Death Wobble only happened in Jeeps! I've fought DW in my '92 YJ for about a year now. I can tell you from my experience that front end alignment is absolutely crucial to its cure. I've been told that the castor setting is also very important, especially on lifted vehicles. START with alignment!

 

i would balance and rotate the tires first, espically if its doing most of the vibration above 50.

 

worn ball joints also contribute to the death wobble. If yours has grease nipples try greasin them up. while your at it you might aswell hit everything else like the pitman arm

 

+1 @ wheel ballance.

 

alrite thanks for all the help guys, im gonna get it balanced and aligned tomorrow morning and ill let you know. hopefully its just that and i dont have to replace all my front end parts