Hi to all, yes I am a newbie. Just stumbled across this site and figured I would give it a try.

Two questions to pick your brains about.

First I need to replace front brakes and rotors on my 04, I see alot of faith in the wagner brake pads here but no one mentioned anything about after market rotors. What is the consensus. What are your thoughts on Bendix, EBC, Hawk or Raybestos.

Second, I seemed to have developed the death wobble when I hit a bump, I'm leaning towards track bar bushings, any other suggestions or thoughts.

Thanks

AP

 

trac bar would be my first guess but out of balance tires can do it as well as some of the other steering components.

list the specs of your truck and it could get narrowed down a bit.

 

Here we go, lets see if I get everything.

2004 Ram, 4X4, Jackit leveling kit and bilstein shocks, Banks exhaust.


Tires have 9000 miles on them and were just rotated and balance, no difference. Truck tracks down the road straight with no pull either way.

Hope this helps.

AP

 

when did you notice the deathe wobble. was it before or after the lift?

but I would still check the trac bar. if it isnt parralell to the drag link or the bushings are shot than it definatley could cause it.

 

I noticed it about 8 months after the lift which was last spring. Had it in to the dealer and nothing was found other then a tech bulletin about it that mentioned the age of the tire. The original tires had 81,000 so I figured a new set was due anyway. Problem went away until last week.

Now the weird part, I had no problem at all during the summer until it got cold out.

AP

 

what load range tire? it could be possible that you flung one of your wheel weights off.....

 

Can't answer the load range question until I get home tonight, I would guess they are the same as what came on the truck, I didn't change tire size and stayed with Michelin. I just had the tires rotated and balance last Thursday and again no change.

AP

 

hmm. I wonder if you have any water in the wheels or something. the steering isnt affect by cold weather. but tires could be. if you're close to me it will be warming up this week see if it goes away then.

what I was thinking was that you got load range D or lower tires and they are flat spoting over night. but I have never heard that cause death wobble.

are you sure its death wobble and not bump steer?

 

Unfortunatly I can't drive it until I get front brakes, but I will post back with what I find. As for what I mean as death wobble, driving down the road at 70mph and hitting a bump and having the front end vibrate or oscillate uncontrollably until I slow down.

A friend of mine has a fleet of trucks for plowing and took mine for a ride and described it as that and mentioned track bar as well.

Thanks for the input. I will keep you posted.

AP

 

yup thats death wobble.