M1008 Death Wobble Dangerous side effect

[firefox]

Hi All, I have had this death wobble driving me nuts and thanks to this list I found the solution
which are kits to replace springs and bearings in the forward knuckle joints. I was planning
on doing this this weekend, but earlier this week I started to loose steering....
Turn the wheel several revolutions and maybe it steers in that direction...Scared the
P__s out of me. Upon examination I found that one of the bolts that holds the steering gear to the frame had snapped off. one of the others was only hanging on by a thread.
These are grade 8 bolts.

My point here is, that if you are having problems with this death wobble, along with fixing that, I would automatically replace all 4 bolts that hold the stearing gear to the frame.
They may look ok, but you can bet they got a beating. I am just very lucky that I didn't have to get on to the freeway.

Bruce

 

[FMJ]

Berkeley?, are the hordes outside with pitchforks calling for your death and dismemberment?

Good call, my 1008 had the wobble, but it was tires and a bad stabilizer. But I did have a non-mv chevy that had a cracked frame/loose bolts.

 

[WillWagner]

Just an FYI, GM products...Blazers and P/U have a nasty habit of breaking the frame at the steering box. There are alot of companies that offer a kit to repair/help prevent this from happening. It is more prevalent in lifted or heavily off roaded trucks.
http://www.autofab.com/sbgk 100.htm
http://www.4wheeloffroad.com/howto/3099/photo_01.html

 

[troll]

I just ordered another frame brace (got one on my 1 ton rockcrawler) for the 1008 from offroaddesign. Their products aren't the cheapest but they are the best. I had the "wobble" a while back- had a defective tire. The frame break problem is more prevalent on the 1/2 tons as the frame is made of thicker steel on the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks.

 

[firefox]

Thanks Will!!!
Bruce

 

[JohnFire]

I remember seeing it somewhere that I think 85 and earlier cucv's need the frame brace for the steering box. I almost want to say it was in the TM

 

[AJMBLAZER]

They all need www.OffRoadDesign.com 's bolt in frame brace. Probably don't need the weld in brace unless the frame is already cracked or you plan on seriously abusing it.

 

[CCATLETT1984]

agreed, unless you convert to crossover steering when doing a suspension lift, since it takes all the stress off of that part of the frame.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Even then not a bad thing to have just to stiffen these famously flexy frames.

 

[CUCVFAN]

Re: RE: M1008 Death Wobble Dangerous side effect

I remember seeing it somewhere that I think 85 and earlier cucv's need the frame brace for the steering box. I almost want to say it was in the TM

You might be remembering the frame brace that was a retrofit for '85 and earlier trucks (the factory started installing it in mid-late '85), but it was not a steering box brace. It braces the frame right under the firewall, where the frame turns down to go under the cab. It was designed because lifting these trucks with a crane and spreader at close to GVW was too stressful and the frame would bend/crack here.

 

[Bozor1000]

I just ordered another frame brace (got one on my 1 ton rockcrawler) for the 1008 from offroaddesign. Their products aren't the cheapest but they are the best. I had the "wobble" a while back- had a defective tire. The frame break problem is more prevalent on the 1/2 tons as the frame is made of thicker steel on the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks.

That is very true about the frames. The 1/2 ton ones suck, which are the K10 and K5 blazer. I've owned a K20 and never snapped a frame. My K5 on the other hand snapped. ORD does have the best products. You can even weld a plate just aft of the steering box on the outside of the frame to strenghten it even more. That may be added protection on top of the ORD frame brace. I have also used Loc-tite on the steering box to keep the bolts in. But the vibration eventually will make them come loose. I always had to check these bolts and tighten them on a regular basis. Having 40 inch boggers really made those things vibrate loose.