Another delima.

[Skip]

Left the driveway today, turned right, started going through the gears and reach the cruising speed of 45 mph and all of a sudden the whole cab of my truck was shaking violently. It was shaking so bad my first thought was drive shaft. I killed the ignition and pulled over to the side. Looked under the truck, all around the sides, and under the hood. Found nothing. Got back in and cruised 35 mph back to the house and pulled it under the garage w/o a problem. I was pressed for time because I had to go to work but I looked at the front tires real quick. No lumps that I could tell and I didnt feel a bump on the way home. Anyway a lump that would have caused a violent shake such as this going 45 mph would be as big as RI. I am sitting here thinking/worrying about it and the only thing else I can figure is this. I remember the steering wheel shaking. Im thinkng something caused this truck to do a severe duck walk. Maybe something in the steering. Gonna check it over good tommorrow I guess its better for something to happen to it now though before I go into the buisness full time.

 

[DeepRoots]

i think they call it the 'death wobble' on this board.

our '90 did the same thing.
Power steering damper and new trac arm bushings fixed it.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Power steering damper fixed it.

Please enlighten me.

What and where is the power-steering damper??

How is it diagnosed??

Thanks.

 

[69oiler]

power steering damper is that shock absorber hooked to the steering linkage on 4x4s and solid front axle 450s. they wear out just like regular shocks. usually death wobble is caused by loose suspension bushings or joints.

 

[Double-S-Diesel]

track bar is bad

 

[f-two-fiddy]

Yep, Also check all suspension mounting points/brackets. Some have had the wobble actually shear off rivets that hold mounting brackets to the frame

 

[DeepRoots]

midnight rider.
on ours.... f350 Dana 60 front axle.
there is a little eyehole on the front pass side of the axle.
steering damper is clamped to that, and to the steering arm.
like $50.
we ended up replacing the whole tracbar and bushings due to the bar being worn where the bushings had failed. that was a bit more expensive.... but hell, I was scared to drive the pig, that shaking would white knuckle the toughest of folks.

 

[Skip]

Bingo. Called the local front end man and he said track bar bushings. Check them and they were way worn out. Put in new bushings and now drives like a dream. I got on the interstate today and now the high freq vibration is even gone form the truck. Will make my interstae driving much more enjoyable. And all that time Thought it was my motor yelling at me,.

 

[swampdigger]

Sounds like a problem specific to the 350's straight axle. Anyone ever get anything like this with the F-250 TTB setup?

 

[Agnem]

Nope. Heck, I saw how bad James' front TTB was, and was amazed it was still on the road.

 

[sle2115]

Sounds like a problem specific to the 350's straight axle. Anyone ever get anything like this with the F-250 TTB setup?

Yep, one set of the pivot bushings were worn out as well as right wheel bearing. When I bought my truck it (bought it not running) it shook so bad I was afraid to drive it the 1 mile back home!!! I can't tell you which bushings were bad as the axle has probably already been melted and made into a Honda!

 

[swampdigger]

Check this out! Some guy made a vid of the "death wobble" in action on his Jeep....

Watch it through, it gets scary!

http://www.thurenfabrication.com/dwctdslow.wmv