Originally Posted by NickD675

Hello Everyone

BBeamer I saw your post on the death wobble issue and I have had a very simular problem with my truck. I have a 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 QC 4x4 Hemi 5 speed and it is completly stock except I put on the wheels and tires that come off of a CTD truck so I run the 265 tire instead of the 245 all are 17" wheels. Just recently bought new tires and they are E rated. They are balanced fine and the truck rides smooth but I still get the oscillating bounce if I hit a bad bumpy road at speeds above 65mph. I never really noticed it until I had around 50k miles on the truck and one day I was driving on a back road at around 70-75mph and hit a patch of bumps and I thought I lost a tire it was bouncing so bad, but it stayed straight not really out of control. Scared the crap out of me for sure!! When I went to slow down it seemed to increase slightly like it was bouncing then as I finally got it whoad up it got better. Seemed like it was more of a bounce issue than a wobble but I am no expert. I have not done anything yet to try to solve this issue just don't speed down backroads. It seems that I am noticing it more as I get more miles on the truck I guess things are wearing out. I am going to try things like replacing shocks and maybe springs but depends on how much money I want to spend. Another thing the steering is very good on my truck feels very firm but it is sensitive and does not take much to move it and if you let off the wheel it tracks good, of course if you are on a bad road it well follow the contour. One more thing I did install leveling spacers when I bought the truck new so that did not seem to be an issue.

Just some insight as to what is going on with my dodge maybe it well help you. I did not see if yours was a 4x4 or not sorry.
I do not go offroad with my truck mainly use it to tow. I am more interested in finding out if it is happing to new trucks with low miles....hmmmm.

Thanks
Nick

Originally Posted by j2048b

I actually have the same DW everyone is describing as well but mine is an 01 dakota qc 4x4! I am about to change out both sets of ball joints, inner and outer tie rods, and i want to get new bearrings and hubs eventually, the one thing i was told about the DW is that the front drive line being replaced has helped out a ton, on my version of the truck anyways? Not sure where to get a different steering stabalizer bar for my truck, any one that can guide me to the right place i would appreciate it!

Also what settings do you set the casters at or camber for the dakota?

thanks!

Originally Posted by bbeamer

Seems like this situation is common to most 4x4 vehicles. I've been reading about it on Jeep sites and other 4x4 sites. I hope you have checked all of those parts for wear beofore you go spending a bunch of money on them.

As far as driveline problems, they usually manifest themselves in other ways. For instance, if your u-joints were bad or the driveline was unbalanced you would experience those symptoms during normal driving. I am sure that the violent shaking of the Death Wobble could cause other problems but I am not sure that the driveline would be the cause of it. If some people with Dakota experience have resolved the issue by replacing the driveline than I am not in a position to argue against that. I would just do a little more research like asking what else they may have replaced or adjusted in the proccess.

I have not seen a steering box stabilizer for the Dakota, maybe because it is a different set up than the Ram. You might find some answers for your other questions by searching in the Dakota section of the forums here.

Originally Posted by bbeamer

I want to know from people who installed the Steering Box Stabilizer if this cured the problem of "Death Wobble" or not.

I've got a 2006 2500 that can re-arrange the fillings in my mouth if I hit a bump at freeway speeds.

I've read the expert articles, common problems posts, and everything in between. I know it's not ball joints, steering stabilizers, rotors, tie rod ends, etc. Looks like it has to be the steering box stabilizer.

So all of that to say, has it helped or not for those of you who have installed it?

Thanks.

Originally Posted by stainlessdreams

i installed the bd deisel steering box stabilizer and the adjustable track bar and felt very little difference and i still have the death wobble!

oh and btw about who was talking about death wobble causing more issues i beleive it, my truck shakes so violently that im having my engine and tranny mounts replaced now and i think my steering gear may be messed now, thats what im on here searchin g for now

Originally Posted by 5.9lturbocummins

bbeamer i have the same truck an 06 qc 4x4. The first thing i did was replaced the inner and outer tie rods and drag link as well as track bar bushings. This helped me out some but i still have death wobble. Next i put on a dual steering stabilizer and then a bd steering box stabilizer, again helped but i still have death wobble. I finally got rid of the factory bfg tires and 90% of it stopped. I have driven 8 months on the new parts/tires and now its back full force at 60mph+ and hit a bump, hold on to your seat (maybe clean it!!!) i get dw at 60mph+ hitting bumps or even slightly turning my steering wheel as if i was changing lanes. I called Don @ thurenfabrication, he has been dealing with these issues i think for 10+ years and all he kept telling me was replace my tracbar!! He says even with bad ball joints, u-joints that our trucks should not wobble like that!! The tracbar is suppose to center the axle under the truck and any play in bushing would cause movement and the movement would be even greater at highway speeds and hitting bumps causing the wobble!!! He says no play at all in the tracbar. My bushings I replaced on my factory tracbar are only 8 months old and are shot already!!! I just ordered his tracbar last week so when i get it ill let you know what happens. Hope this helps!!! Try thurenfabrication and atleast talk to Don about your experiences, he is very helpful and seems to me he knows what he is talking about!!!! His number is 805-886-9250 more than likely you'll have to leave a message but he is really good about returning calls, most of the time the same day but no more than a day!!!