I put 315 x 17" on my pick-up. I immediatly noticed what seemed like less power aand when I hit a rough area in the road the front end bounces wildly until I almost come to a stop.

About the same time I had to put a new "arm" on the front end as the old one got bent. The "arm" was to help the stearing somehow. I see Ranchio's all the time on trucks...I'm not sure what it's called.

Anyway, I have put the 17" x 8" wheels as the tire company told me thats what I needed, but it still bounces.

Any ideas? I am at the end with this one.

 

A steering stabilzer helps with larger tires, but won't fix a problem. That's the classic "Death Wobble". If you were not experiencing it with your old tires, then take the truck back where you got the tires and tell them you want the tires "road force balanced". My guess is you're going to find one of the front tires is bad...

 

well maybe when your control arm got bent something else got damaged as well. Maybe the arm is not tightened correctly. Sounds to me more like thats the situation...

 

I would've thought the "death wobble" was a side-to-side movement of the front wheels. My grandfather had a '60 Rambler with bad tie rods that would do that. How many miles on the truck? I'm guessing shocks.

 

I have 50,000 miles on the truck. It never gets abused, but I did hit a stump in my side yard unloading a riding mower out of the bed. This is what bent the original steering stabilizer. I could not pinpoint the exact problem as at about that same time I had put the 315's on the truck.

I dont think it's a side-to-side wobble. It's actually more of a bouncing like a basketball. I have to come almost to a complete stop to get it to stop. It will not do it until I hit another bump, then all hell breaks loose again.

 

I have the 315's on 17's and do not have that problem. Is yours a 1500 or 2500? That will either be a solid axel or not....

 

I have a 2500. Do you think it's possible they might have put the wrong stearing stabilizer on. Are the 1500 and 2500 stabilizers different?

 

Most likely not, but it could be incoorectly installed but I might think since you hit that stump you have more issues... I hit a submerged stump in a Ford about 20 years ago and I went on and on fixing stuff and my problems continued until I replaced the axel housing... Hope it's not that.... That's a lot of time and $$$

Best of luck to you

 

I guess I should take it into the dealership and let them monkey with it. Thanks for your help!

Phil

 

http://www.thurenfabrication.com/misc.html I had my entire front tierod system replaced in addition to having an upgraded stabilizer installed by dodge. I still have a death wobble when I hit a bump going over 60 MPH. I think it might be the ball joints. I jacked up the truck and used a 5 foot long steel bar to pry up and down on my wheels. I noticed some play in the ball joints. I am hoping that replacing them will cure the death wobble.
I have 37" tires with a 2" spacer and cut out fender wells. The big tires have been on the truck for over 50,000 miles but the wobble has only reared its ugly head with-in the last 5,000 miles. The tires my be contributing or exasberating the problem but not nessicarally the entire problem.
I will re-post after I replace the ball joints and get some milage on it.