Deathwobble fixed and back again, help!

[Dabba]

What angers me so much is i had this problem fixed. Sunday i took out the kingpin bushings and springs and replaced them with new ones. After i was done i take her for a test drive. I go around all the rough roads, hitting every bump at all speeds, including 4 hits to speedhumps at 40-50mph, 1 hit at 45 produced a death wobble and when i hit it again nothing, couldnt reproduce, truck drove fine all week too, all the "normal deathwobble bumps" didnt produce a death wobble.

Now... im driving to my girls house about 4 miles away and on the way i hit a bump and get one death wobble, i slow down, it goes away and the rest of the way there (including a nasty bumpy road @ 45mph) nothing. On the way back to my house, about 2 miles away she start deathwobbling the same as she used to. Then within a mile of home, she starts deathwobbling worse than before, seemingly on almost even roads, every few feet. What could this be? Why oh Why would it go away and be absolutly fine and then come back to the point where the truck is absolutly undriveable within minutes?? I spend my 3 days off replacing the kingpins and bushings and a stubborn tcase seal and now i feel i just wasted that time. I dont wanna bring the truck to a mechanic and spend an assload of money and have the truck gone for days. Any indication of what could make it come back so quick?

You should know the front tires are worn unevenly and i dont know the status of the alignment, im trying to avoid getting it aligned and balanced because im looking to get new tires. I already delayed getting them because of the money spent on repairs already, i dont wanna delay more. What should i do?

 

[StreetbikeDepot]

I'm not even sure if the CUCV's have them, but it sounds like the steering stabilizer may be bad.

 

[ohfisherman]

steering stabilizer. mine did the same thing. i think monroe or moog offers a lifetime warranty on one for about $80.00. i used to sell a ton of them when i worked at a parts store.

 

[vtach]

I agree, I think it is your stabilizer. My buddy had the same problem. Fairly easy fix.

 

[Dabba]

how do i go about fixing the stabilizer? never did one

 

[Racky]

First I assume tie rod ends and steering shaft are ok. Did you get after market bushings and springs? A while back a buddy of mine replaced same in his truck and used aftermarket. Worked great for a couple of days and guess what same thing.We took it apart and and found uneven wear on bushing and bushing was sprung like a lock washer. Went to the dealer got bushings and springs problem is gone and hasnt been back.

Hope this helps
Racky

 

[Dabba]

if tie rod ends and steering shaft contribute to the death wobble how do i check them? Ive read how to check the stabilizer but it just said it should have smooth movement, should i replace if its too easy to move or "worn"?

Springs and bushings were bought from an ebay store recomended by a ck5 member, all OEM. Thanks. Im desperate with this. Any reccomendations on stabilizer?

 

[Big Earl]

My friend had a truck that wobbled, turned out to be a bad tire on the front, maybe separated inside the tread? He changed tires, no more shaking, a good stabilizer helps too.

 

[Racky]

with the truck not running have somebody turn wheel back and forth approx 1/4 turn and check to see if steering shaft moves the same from colum to box if it doesnt thats a problem go under front of truck have person wiggle wheel again the tie rod ends should have no play/slack at all dont forget to check tie rod ends at the pittman arm to axle


Racky

 

[Dabba]

thanks, ill do that and check the stabilizer saturday. Im also gonna recheck the movement on the tires and maybe rotate them to the back since they're uneven. If i find anything bad ill replace it, otherwise ill wait 2 weeks and get tires with the balance and alignment and see if that helps

 

[Dabba]

i should also mention i have 16.5 rims in the front while i have 16s in the rear, would that matter?

 

[Militoy]

.... hitting every bump at all speeds, including 4 hits to speedhumps at 40-50mph....

I'm no expert on CUCV suspension - I guess my closest vehicle to a CUCV is a "C-CUCV" - a purely civilian model. But hitting speedbumps at 40-50 MPH seems a little bit much to ask from a basically civie suspension. That said - death wobble is usually the result of either a loose part in the suspension system, or an out-of-allignment or underdamped system. After you've gotten under the beast and watched every moving steering part for play while someone wiggles the steering back and forth; grab each part and jerk it around to check for "wiggle". If everything checks out, check your shocks and allignment. Bounce the suspension at each corner by hand to check the shocks - just like you would any other truck. You can check approximate toe-in with a tape measure, and prox camber with a couple of straight edges and a tape. Don't forget the wheel bearings - jack up the front and try to rock the wheels from top to bottom, looking for play. This kind of problem may be the result of a combination of maintenance issues - but it will not be too complex - look carefully at all the basics first.

Good luck - the "death wobble" can be scary at speed (kind of like the "normal" steering characteristics of my Gama Goat at speed on the road)!

 

[tm america]

steering stabilizers are only there to help with bump steer not to fix front end problems .alot of trucks dont even have them at all with no problem .you need to check your tie rod ends for play ball joints for up and down movement pitman arm for play jack it up get a three foot pry bar to check for play if everything is thigh there check your wheel bearings for play and if everything checks out good there you need to check your toe make sure its right .if your not mechanically inclinedsave yourself some headache take it for an alinement they will check for all that before they even try to make adjustments then you'll know what you need to fix first

 

[ohnuts]

had a truck that did that because of lash in the steering box, more goes on than you feel. Can stand on the brakes and clean the woble until the next event sends it into the wobble. Wont do it above certain speeds. It's an Idea.

 

[CUCVFAN]

When it "wobbles", does the entire truck shake pretty good, or does it feel like it is mostly coming from the steering wheel/front end? Aside from the above suggestions (I tend to think stabilizer first, then frame cracks near the steering box or the box itself), also check the trans mount for deteriorated/broken rubber, as well as the motor mounts and driveshaft u-joints. While it is a different animal, on my crew-cab civilian truck, the driveshaft intermediate bearing started wearing and the rubber deteriorated to the point that a bumpy road at about 30mph would start the two piece shaft shaking up and down in the worn rubber cushion and it would about shake you to death if you didn't slow down quick. The transfer case lever would be shaking back and forth and you'd think you might hop right off the road. I checked tires/shocks/etc before finding that one.

With that experience, I can imagine a broken tranny mount causing some shaking if it mis-aligns, but I would tend to think it would be more noticeable under hard throttle application, when things are trying to move under the torque.

BTW, "speed" humps aren't really meant to be taken at speed...

 

[Dabba]

Yeah i know, it def the front end. I can feel vibrations in the steering wheel even when its not wobbling. That leads me to believe its the uneven tires or alignment. I really dont know why it would go away for a few days then suddenly come back though

 

[AJMBLAZER]

steering stabilizers are only there to help with bump steer not to fix front end problems .alot of trucks dont even have them at all with no problem .you need to check your tie rod ends for play ball joints for up and down movement pitman arm for play jack it up get a three foot pry bar to check for play if everything is thigh there check your wheel bearings for play and if everything checks out good there you need to check your toe make sure its right .if your not mechanically inclinedsave yourself some headache take it for an alinement they will check for all that before they even try to make adjustments then you'll know what you need to fix first

This is gold! Steering stabilizers do nothing but absorb some of the road vibrations. All putting a new one on would do is muffle a problem that already exists. Sorta like putting a bandaid over a bleeding wound. Won't actually stop the injury but might make the bleeding stop until it gets worse and spills over.

I'd be highly suspect of your tires. Big Ugly had BAD death wobble when I had the bias ply HMMWV tires on it. After I put the Michelin radials on the problem went away completely. Not a shake or vibe (tire related). You've got known issues with those tires so I'd suspect them first.

 

[BEASTMASTER]

try the 16 s on the front some times those 16.5 s ,all they want to do is wobble. when they were introduced back in the 70's you could'nt keep the front end from shaking. they went to the 16s and no more problems .

 

[Big Earl]

I'm glad someone else chimed in about the tires, I thought maybe nobody read my reply? Thanks AJMBLAZER

 

[Dabba]

yeah, well i gave it to my mechanic. I blew a radiator hose and got fed up, so ill have check the front end, i told him in may be the tires so ill see what he says..