Death Wobble
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
I just went through replacing everything in the front end of my 97 2500HD the problem was finally fixed with a $17 part! The cause was the passenger side brake hose collapsing internally and not letting the caliper release! Oh well, evsething I replaced was worn out anyway so now its good to go another 165,000.
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Death Wobble...No More
I replaced everything with the exception of the steering shaft, have a little play in the steering wheel (and it wont center, its to the slight right) but no wobble, so I will deal with tightening up the steering wheel later!
Champion
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 3,065
Likes: 1
From: Renton, WA
Tie rod adjustment aligns the wheels. Drag link adjustment centers the steering wheel with the wheels.
Professional
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
hey guys I must be one lucky sob when I bout my truck it had just 100k miles on it and now im over 140k miles and have not yet had a dw yet and all the steering on the truck is stock. I am considering swapping out the stock steering stabilizer out for a duel kit and also adding the brace so I never run into the problem
Professional
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
well mine isn't that bad a very little on the loose side and it will pull to the left some it might be the tires but im hoping if I decide to get the dss and the dual stabilizers it will help with that and hopefully prevent something worse from happening
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
OK, I know this has been addressed before and I have read the previous posts. I just want to make sure that I am following the right path.
Truck: 2003 1 ton 4x4, stock suspension, 100K miles
History: No history of death wobble prior to having dealer replace broken U joint. Dealer pulled front passenger axle and confirmed it was ok when he replaced U joint. On the way home from the dealer I rean over a series of bumps and death wobbled ensued. The truck shook so hard that anything that wasn't tied down fell down. I had to pull off the road and almost come to a complete stop to get the shake to stop. I have never experienced such a violent shake while driving. It was like I was driving over 50 speed bumps in a row at 70 mph. BAD. Next day I experienced 2 seperate death wobbles. Lots of fun in rush hour traffic!!!! Took the truck back to the dealer who reinspected all parts and said their work was good. Of course. I said why had I never had this problem before, they said maybe the broken U joint allowed enough play to cancel out the bad Steering damper. They wanted $350 to replace the steering damper.
Where I am now: Looking for a steering damper to eliminate that as the problem. Autozone does not sell them. Need to check elsewhere.
Am I on the right path?
I find it very odd that this truck never did this before they replaced the broken U joint.
Truck: 2003 1 ton 4x4, stock suspension, 100K miles
History: No history of death wobble prior to having dealer replace broken U joint. Dealer pulled front passenger axle and confirmed it was ok when he replaced U joint. On the way home from the dealer I rean over a series of bumps and death wobbled ensued. The truck shook so hard that anything that wasn't tied down fell down. I had to pull off the road and almost come to a complete stop to get the shake to stop. I have never experienced such a violent shake while driving. It was like I was driving over 50 speed bumps in a row at 70 mph. BAD. Next day I experienced 2 seperate death wobbles. Lots of fun in rush hour traffic!!!! Took the truck back to the dealer who reinspected all parts and said their work was good. Of course. I said why had I never had this problem before, they said maybe the broken U joint allowed enough play to cancel out the bad Steering damper. They wanted $350 to replace the steering damper.
Where I am now: Looking for a steering damper to eliminate that as the problem. Autozone does not sell them. Need to check elsewhere.
Am I on the right path?
I find it very odd that this truck never did this before they replaced the broken U joint.