Front end Death Wobble/Shimmy

[Bigo1966]

So I finally got my first deuce about a week ago, on the drive back a very scary “Death Wobble” started, I hit the brakes and pulled over and all was well. A week later I went to pick up another deuce (they multiply like rabbits) and while towing it home it started this Death Wobble. Any ideas what causes this and how I can fix it? Steering Stabilizer? The entire front end seems tight. Thanks for your help, and if there is anyone in the Denver area with a M211 or M135 let me know.

On a different topic, is it possible to flip the rear hubs on the M211 to run singles like the M135? I know they do it with the Rockwels on the but I can find anything on hub flipping for the M211

Thanks
Orion

 

[sermis]

Death wabble. Check the tires and balance. M725 did the same until I changed the NDT's, 40 years old, to MICH XZL's. My M35 was ok until I had a flat. Put the lockring back on lined with the valve stem, Shimmy was bad. Rotated the lockring oposit of the valve stem and fixed the problem.

 

[jwaller]

how fast were you going when this happened? anything above 60 and mine does this. just an indicator that says your going too fast.

 

[sermis]

As far as mine it was at slower speeds. 25-45 mph.

 

[Bigo1966]

I was going between 30-40mph.

 

[Djfreema]

I would start with an alignment. After I lifted one of my trucks I got a very scary wobble on my way to getting it aligned. After the alignment and new tires it went away. I'm sure weve all seen those skid marks where something broke in the steering and the tires went flopping back and forth at speed.

 

[sermis]

I aligned mine myself. used a nail in a 2X4 to scribed a line around both tires then used a tape measure to get them the same and towed the front in less than 1/16". works good.

 

[ken]

Is this on your M135/211? Or a M35?

 

[sermis]

Mine trucks are a 1967 M35a2 and 1967 M725

 

[Bigo1966]

Do you guys have any thoughts on the hub flip to run singles?

 

[rizzo]

my wrecker will death wabble when i hit some bad pot holes. but my M109 does not. I think something is wore out in the suspension. try lifting the frame and check the play in all of your spring bushings and front end parts.

also check the shocks.

 

[jasonjc]

I think that the M135 axles and the M211 axles are diffrent IE no hub fipping

 

[williamh]

on the death wobble on the m135 .. first check the fluid in the front "shocks", but i would try to add some air the tires ... there should be 60 psi when driving on the hwy. and they will start to wobble if the tires are chopped or going bad .. but they should be good up to 55-60 mph ... after that , your own your own ..

 

[cranetruck]

The front end is very sensitive to tire wear.

I put brand new 1100 NDCC's on my deuce two yeras ago, drove it for 12,000 miles and had zero schimmy/wobble and a lot of those miles were at 55 to 60+ mph.

Now, when the outsides of the tires started to show some cupping, I thought I was going to be able to double the milage by flipping the tires on the rims, putting the worn edge towards the inside.
Well, I did that and presto, lots of shimmy at around 45 mph, way too much for acceptable driving, especially with the CA trip coming up.
So I put the almost new tires from the laundry trailer on the front and it's back to normal, no shimmy at all at any speed up to 60 or so. The cupped front tires are now on my "driving" axle.

Conclusion: If you put new tires on the front, leave them alone or when rotating tires put brand new ones in the front.

Leaf springs have built-in shock absorbing (damping), that's one reason you don't see shocks in the rear and relatively small ones in the front, which are for high frequency damping only.
Never lubricate leaf springs.
With very low milages on these trucks (=front end components not worn), I think the shimmy is almost 100% related to the condition of the tires and with the rear tandem axles solidly coupled (no interaxle diff), the tire wear in the front is accelerated.

 

[Bigo1966]

The front tires have definatly seen better days. Ill get my best 2 on the front and check the fluid levels in the front.

 

[m35a2cowner]

tires

There are a number of products that you can put in the tires to smooth them out. I have seen one that resembles sand and goes in the tube. The guy who showed it to me swears by it and I respect his opinion. I will try to find out the name of the product he recommends and pass it along

 

[xm708]

death wobble

I haven't pulled a duece apart but I would jack up the front end and put a large pipew in the rim and see if there is any play in it. I have a dodge ram 2500 diesel and have a death wobble for years yah I know shoulda fixed it but it keeps the wife from driving it shhhhh !!!! anyways mine has some what appears to be bad wheel bearings on the right side you wanna talk about a wobble about shakes the teeth out of my head. long story short check the front end good before replacing stuff. just my two cents.

ed

someday to have a duece just have a backyard full of m37's (little dueces ??)

 

[m35a2cowner]

M37

You might call those M37s Deuce-lets. Another Deuce-less joke.

 

[butch atkins]

front end shimmy

tie rod ends,my truck hits bump at 30= mph death shimmy,2 new tie rod ends fixed it,hubs and rims ARE different between m135 m211,ord-9 says so m135 rimms are same width but m135 has 5 1/2 offset,m211 has 6 3/16 offset,also hubs are different,all have different part #s,depending on whether you have single or dual rear wheels,front axles are same,2 different part #s l & r side,rears are different for m135 m211s all have different #s depending on single or dual rear tires,also m135 has 11.00/20 tires,m211 has 9.00/20 tires,hope this helps some one ,i dont think i would try to crossbreed parts,but hey if someone does and it works post it,love my gmc

 

[Towman2277]

RE: front end shimmy

Normally it is the tie-rods being worn out...too much slack in the joints. They sure give a scary, uneasy feeling when the front end shakes!!