Death Wobble - F-Series & SuperDuty Diesel Forums

playinatwork · 10-03-2011, 01:00 PM

I have an 03 F-250 2wd with 115K on the clock. I am leaving for a 1500 mile trip Wednesday and I needed tires but I am broke so I bought some used tires. The old tires had the death wobble a little bit but not as bad as these. They are balanced and seem fine otherwise. I don't think the tires are bad, just aggravating the situation. I've tried increasing and lowering the air pressure and haven't gotten much improvement either way. I know what I need to do is install new tires, ball joints and maybe tie rod ends. Did I mention I can't afford to pay attention lately. Is there anything I can do that doesn't cost anything to help improve the problem? I tried snugging down the wheel bearings a smidge and that didn't help either.

nswsparky · 10-03-2011, 09:15 PM

Is it death wobble or just shake. On my jeep I would get death wobble so bad I would have to slow down to about 15mph for it to stop it would make the vehicle uncontrollable. If you do death wobble tires a couple times it will burn into the tires and it will be near impossible to get them to stop doing it. Shocks can cause it too. Check for slop in the tie rod ends and the the drag link ends.

WD40 · 10-03-2011, 11:12 PM

No way would I start out on a 1500 mile trip with my truck doing that.
Doug

playinatwork · 10-04-2011, 07:13 AM

I am not sure if it's death wobble or shake, There's a difference? It starts to shudder about the time it shifts into high gear at 40mph and I can drive thru it but it's not fun. At 65 it cleans up and is buttery smooth at 70. With most all of the miles interstate, I only have to worry about fueling and such stops. Thanks Doug, but I don't have a choice. I rotated the tires around last night and fiddled with the air pressures. I eliminated some of it by having 60psi in the front and 50 in the rear. I believe the problem is the ball joints, but I don't have the cash right now to change them. Any other ideas of what to do without spending money?

Stroked68 · 10-04-2011, 10:02 PM

Sounds like its probably tire balance prob. If you can drive through it then its got to be that almost. Death wobble is what sparky is talkin about. There is no drivin out of that. My 84 E250 Quadravan 4x4 did that. It would do it at any speed above 30mph and if I hit a bump just right it would wobble so bad you lose steering and have to slow down below 30 for it to stop. VERY dangerous. Basically yer front axle moves left to right. I replaced the radius arm bushings and that fixed it.

iracemine · 10-05-2011, 06:15 AM

Death wobble 95 f150 - YouTube

death wobble + 1500mi = involuntary manslaughter

Id MAKE time and FIND money to fix it.

WD40 · 10-06-2011, 08:47 AM

Look at this one also.
Cause of Death Wobble - YouTube

Doug

wilsonbaird · 10-06-2011, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by playinatwork

I am not sure if it's death wobble or shake, There's a difference? It starts to shudder about the time it shifts into high gear at 40mph and I can drive thru it but it's not fun. At 65 it cleans up and is buttery smooth at 70. With most all of the miles interstate, I only have to worry about fueling and such stops. Thanks Doug, but I don't have a choice. I rotated the tires around last night and fiddled with the air pressures. I eliminated some of it by having 60psi in the front and 50 in the rear. I believe the problem is the ball joints, but I don't have the cash right now to change them. Any other ideas of what to do without spending money?

My son had the same thing in his 1994 crew cab work truck. We put new tires on front, balanced, aligned and it still doing it! Then, we change the shock on steering dumper and it got better, but the problem was fixed only when we changed the stabilizer's bar bushing and bracket: It was bend and the bar was able to play inside the rubber bushing.

JLDickmon · 10-06-2011, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by playinatwork

I am not sure if it's death wobble or shake, There's a difference? It starts to shudder about the time it shifts into high gear at 40mph and I can drive thru it but it's not fun. At 65 it cleans up and is buttery smooth at 70. With most all of the miles interstate, I only have to worry about fueling and such stops. Thanks Doug, but I don't have a choice. I rotated the tires around last night and fiddled with the air pressures. I eliminated some of it by having 60psi in the front and 50 in the rear. I believe the problem is the ball joints, but I don't have the cash right now to change them. Any other ideas of what to do without spending money?

kick the OD out and see if it still does it..
might have a bad TCC clutch if it does it JUST when it shifts into high...

JLDickmon · 10-06-2011, 06:22 PM

oh yeah.. and if you take a 1500 mile trip with bad ball joints, and you KNOW it has ball joints.. let me know what route you're taking so I can stay the hell out of the area.

That's how stupid an idea that is.

10-03-2011, 01:00 PM	#1
playinatwork SDD Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Jacksonville FL Posts: 13 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Death Wobble I have an 03 F-250 2wd with 115K on the clock. I am leaving for a 1500 mile trip Wednesday and I needed tires but I am broke so I bought some used tires. The old tires had the death wobble a little bit but not as bad as these. They are balanced and seem fine otherwise. I don't think the tires are bad, just aggravating the situation. I've tried increasing and lowering the air pressure and haven't gotten much improvement either way. I know what I need to do is install new tires, ball joints and maybe tie rod ends. Did I mention I can't afford to pay attention lately. Is there anything I can do that doesn't cost anything to help improve the problem? I tried snugging down the wheel bearings a smidge and that didn't help either. __________________ 2003 F-250 7.3 PSD 2wd crew cab short bed AFI intake, Zoodad Mod, MBRP 4" turbo back exhaust, Superchips programmer.

10-03-2011, 09:15 PM	#2
nswsparky All my stuff Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Grove City MN Posts: 131 Thanks: 6 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Is it death wobble or just shake. On my jeep I would get death wobble so bad I would have to slow down to about 15mph for it to stop it would make the vehicle uncontrollable. If you do death wobble tires a couple times it will burn into the tires and it will be near impossible to get them to stop doing it. Shocks can cause it too. Check for slop in the tie rod ends and the the drag link ends. __________________ 2001 F350 Super Duty, 7.3L, Bare Bones, STICK (the only way to go). Mods Bully Dog Triple dog GT, Dual Optimas, new fan resistor. Future Mods Home made 4" turbo back exaust with single stack, 5th wheel hitch, 4 spot pillar gauge pod. 1996 Jeep Cherokee, D44 front, Ford 8.8 rear, Etched lockers front and rear, 7in lift, 37" tires, TnT Y-link long arm, Crossover steering, Rusty's gas tank skid and sliders, can travel at 70mph.

10-03-2011, 11:12 PM	#3
WD40 SDD Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Benton Arkansas & McAllen Posts: 2,758 Thanks: 57 Thanked 111 Times in 107 Posts View Photos By: WD40	No way would I start out on a 1500 mile trip with my truck doing that. Doug __________________ 2006 Ford F-350 Crew Cab Lariat 4X2 PSD 6.0 TorqShift Automatic Transmission, MAG-HYTEC DIFF COVERS Bama ZooDad If you think the 6.0 is bad.....Get a 6.4 2004 35 ft Hitch Hiker 16589 EW. Doug Is it time to go camping yet?

10-04-2011, 07:13 AM	#4
playinatwork SDD Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Jacksonville FL Posts: 13 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I am not sure if it's death wobble or shake, There's a difference? It starts to shudder about the time it shifts into high gear at 40mph and I can drive thru it but it's not fun. At 65 it cleans up and is buttery smooth at 70. With most all of the miles interstate, I only have to worry about fueling and such stops. Thanks Doug, but I don't have a choice. I rotated the tires around last night and fiddled with the air pressures. I eliminated some of it by having 60psi in the front and 50 in the rear. I believe the problem is the ball joints, but I don't have the cash right now to change them. Any other ideas of what to do without spending money? __________________ 2003 F-250 7.3 PSD 2wd crew cab short bed AFI intake, Zoodad Mod, MBRP 4" turbo back exhaust, Superchips programmer.

10-04-2011, 10:02 PM	#5
Stroked68 This is FORD Country Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Eudora, KS Posts: 945 Thanks: 11 Thanked 64 Times in 63 Posts View Photos By: Stroked68	Sounds like its probably tire balance prob. If you can drive through it then its got to be that almost. Death wobble is what sparky is talkin about. There is no drivin out of that. My 84 E250 Quadravan 4x4 did that. It would do it at any speed above 30mph and if I hit a bump just right it would wobble so bad you lose steering and have to slow down below 30 for it to stop. VERY dangerous. Basically yer front axle moves left to right. I replaced the radius arm bushings and that fixed it. __________________ 1999 Ford F250 Superduty 4x4 sb ext cab 7.3L DIY Intake-MBRP 4" turbo back smokers kit with dual 6" Miter stacks-Autometer UltraLite Triple pillar gauge KMC HPX SS Crossover Line-Shimmed FPR 74-75psi AIH delete-ZooDad Mod-08 rear diff cover-Harpoon mod-Hutch mod-Recon LED smoked cab lights Bed liner on bottom 1/4 of truck-Fumoto drain valve 275k and counting!

10-05-2011, 06:15 AM	#6
iracemine black and tan Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Cheese Curtain Posts: 914 Thanks: 46 Thanked 44 Times in 40 Posts	Death wobble 95 f150 - YouTube death wobble + 1500mi = involuntary manslaughter Id MAKE time and FIND money to fix it. __________________ coolant filter (dieselsite), CCV Mod (home made), 4" MBRP turbo back (dieselsite), turbo temp monitor (ISSPROdieselsite), DIY triple gauge kit (ITPdeisel), "fuel filler mod" (home made), stock 7.3 99.5' 2WD W/ more power than I need. Be green... drink kegged beer! www.micromatic.com you'll thank me Last edited by iracemine; 10-05-2011 at 06:49 AM.

10-06-2011, 08:47 AM	#7
WD40 SDD Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Benton Arkansas & McAllen Posts: 2,758 Thanks: 57 Thanked 111 Times in 107 Posts View Photos By: WD40	Look at this one also. Cause of Death Wobble - YouTube Doug __________________ 2006 Ford F-350 Crew Cab Lariat 4X2 PSD 6.0 TorqShift Automatic Transmission, MAG-HYTEC DIFF COVERS Bama ZooDad If you think the 6.0 is bad.....Get a 6.4 2004 35 ft Hitch Hiker 16589 EW. Doug Is it time to go camping yet?

10-06-2011, 06:22 PM	#10
JLDickmon ursus combibo Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: 49041 Posts: 3,796 Thanks: 37 Thanked 265 Times in 249 Posts View Photos By: JLDickmon	oh yeah.. and if you take a 1500 mile trip with bad ball joints, and you KNOW it has ball joints.. let me know what route you're taking so I can stay the hell out of the area. That's how stupid an idea that is. __________________ John '99 F250 7.3L auto 4wd CC/SB

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