fordf350man
Full Access Member
from the sounds of it it seems he has a solid axle up front if he is asking about leaf springs, i know factory might not but could have a swap
scarry wheel hop
- Thread starter purg113
- Start date
GUYS....
STEERING DAMPENERS DO NOT cure death wobble they only MASK the original cause of it. Sometimes enough to make appear gone!
DO NOT FIX steering death wobbles with a dampener, they are only for sudden bumps like, hitting a pot hole and needing to help dampen that impact to the rest of the steering gear!
One thing I've not seen is checking the CASTER angle, of the diff. If the truck is lifted or sagged out, or the housing tweaked, caster angle can have a huge impact on how a solid axle or any axle for that matter reacts or works.
Please guys stop with band aid suggestions like dampeners.
JM2CW
Al
STEERING DAMPENERS DO NOT cure death wobble they only MASK the original cause of it. Sometimes enough to make appear gone!
DO NOT FIX steering death wobbles with a dampener, they are only for sudden bumps like, hitting a pot hole and needing to help dampen that impact to the rest of the steering gear!
One thing I've not seen is checking the CASTER angle, of the diff. If the truck is lifted or sagged out, or the housing tweaked, caster angle can have a huge impact on how a solid axle or any axle for that matter reacts or works.
Please guys stop with band aid suggestions like dampeners.
JM2CW
Al
79jasper
Chickenhawk
Possible.
Be best to just see a pic.
Could be a Tomato tomàto, engine motor situation.
rlb245
Full Access Member
riotwarrior! I had my font end aligned on a machine. Would the tell me if my front end was out of spec? I just assumed they would because they say they do a complete inspection before they do alignment. They wouldn't align my front end until I done the drag link and tie rods because the were so worn. I really want to find the cause of this and fix it right. Any insight on this one would be greatly appreciated. Hel I'll dance at your wedding (grin)
bbjordan
Snow Monkey
Didn't see Shock Absorbers in that list. Check/replace the shocks.
rlb245
Full Access Member
OK young man! I'll getter done Monday! grin Thanks!
Hey is this a Dana 60 solid axle OR is this a Twin Traction beam D50/44 which ever just a TTB front end?
LCAM-01XA
Full Access Member
Really now, and when was the last time you saw a crew-cab 4x4 '90 1-ton GM truck? Cause, ya know, those had the older body style and suspension setup till '91... Just sayin'
Also, +1 on the steering damper being a bandaid - I've driven some SFA trucks that didn't have one and even with big tires there was no death wobble. Things to check and replace if questionable:
- shocks
- steering linkages
- leaf spring and shackle bushings
- swaybar links and bushings (if applicable)
- frame around steering box, known for cracking on GM trucks
Franshisca has the first two taken care of already, so next up would be spring bushings and frame rail around steering box. Loud pop with new steering linkages suggest the issue is not the linkages, but either the axle (put your hand around each kingpin while dad is turning the wheel with engine OFF and see if you can feel something shift), the spring bushings, or the steering box and/or frame rail where it mounts.
To rlb245: IDI Fords do not use idler arms, neither for the 2wd or any of the 4x4 axle setups. Pitman arms are a non-wear item in all cases, replacing one is just a waste of money and effort. On a 2wd what wears regularly are the I-beam and radius arms bushings, the tie rods, and the balljoints. And swaybar bushings if so equipped (some are, some are not). The bushings can and will cause the front end to wander in some cases all over the road, not sure about wobble tho. Steering damper is nice to have but not needed, my 2wd dually never had one from the factory and it drove just fine, the only reason I gave it one was gravel roads driving me nuts cause of all the vibrations at the steering wheel they cause. Whether the alignment shop will tell you if alignment is all messed up depends on the shop, if they put it up on the lasers and took measurements they will know the current camber and caster angles and can tell you if they are within specs or not - worn/loose tie rods and linkages do not affect those angles, just the toe, which in your case is somewhat irrelevant. You did say you replaced ball joints, camber/caster adjustment on both 2wd and non-kingpin 4x4 Fords is done thru the upper ball joint by rotating the off-center sleeve it passes thru, so it's very very easy to mess up the alignment while replacing ball joints. I'd say get the steering linkages replaces ASAP then go back in for alignment, actually do the I-beam and radius arms bushings too before the shop visit cause they can affect alignment as well and it's somewhat of a waste of money to have the shop do the alignment work twice.
79jasper
Chickenhawk
Really now, and when was the last time you saw a crew-cab 4x4 '90 1-ton GM truck? Cause, ya know, those had the older body style and suspension setup till '91... Just sayin'
- frame around steering box, known for cracking on GM trucks
I thought 90 was the changeover. I had went and looked, just didn't make it back here to edit my comment. Figured someone would correct me anyways. Lol
I can affirm the frame crackings though. Had a buddies truck do that.
franshisca
Registered User
Yes it does have king pins, I beleive my dad told me the truck was wrong. Its a 1990 gmc sierra v3500 7.4l dually four wheel drive.
If I can send you a pics I would. But it doesnt have controls arms. Im pretty sure.
I just noticed one of the srabilizer bar bushings looks worm. Also where the leaf spring is on passenger side. That that rubber above it near front axle which I think is connected to the frame show signs that its hitting. However also noticed driver side is missing that rubber, im not sure if thats a big deal or not.
If I can send you a pics I would. But it doesnt have controls arms. Im pretty sure.
I just noticed one of the srabilizer bar bushings looks worm. Also where the leaf spring is on passenger side. That that rubber above it near front axle which I think is connected to the frame show signs that its hitting. However also noticed driver side is missing that rubber, im not sure if thats a big deal or not.
franshisca
Registered User
I will check that, so im been trying to narrow down the problem and think I should put in new stabilizer bar bushings, and check the steering box. Also in the beginning process of checking the truck we did notice that the whole steering box was loose, so we just retightened them and out some lock tight stuff on them. So the frame around steering box, which is the truck frame, or check the steering box?
franshisca
Registered User
Is there any way I can upload or send some pictures of the front suspension of the truck?
Ocelotl
Registered User
Upload pics to imageshack, photobucket or the like, then copy the "forums" link they provide under their share section and paste that in your reply here.
79jasper
Chickenhawk
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I got sidetracked warshing my truck.
BTW, I love your truck.
franshisca
Registered User
So does it have king pins? And i know its hard to tell but do you anything that looks wrong?
