Death wobble

[Brooklyn Tow]

Hey guys new here....Sig truck will be 94.5 F450 Superduty Rollback/Flatbed all stock.

Anyway, had a death wobble but maybe once or twice a year......It happened 3 times in one day, today.

Any input, experiences, FIXES, where to look?.........I've heard trackbar and bushings and also steering damper and bushings as well.

Any advise, input is appreciated greatly.....I'm a novice mechanic, but I'll get the job done.

TIA

 

[performancelaw]

Steering stabalizer ?

 

[Diesel_brad]

Get an alignment. SPECIFICALLY check the CASTER. As the springs/bushings wear, they loose their caster and cause horrific death wobble.

A steering stabalizer will just mask the problem

 

[wils2527]

I agree check the caster. Same issue before in my buddy's 94 IDI but that surely did the trick.

 

[h2odrx]

how much wear on tires? mine did it a few times with my worn tires got new ones and new shocks it has not done it yet.......

 

[7.3 powerstrok]

based on the limited info ...sounds to me like somebody needs new king pins & bearings & bushings,if you let them go to long ya going to need spindels also.the bushings are pressed in the spindels ,

 

[94f450sd]

check your king pins,wheel bearings,tie rod ends and track bar.stand outside the truck and wiggle the steering wheel.if the cab moves before the wheels start turning the track bar is junk.

 

[Brooklyn Tow]

Thanks for the info.....Track bar bushings look shot, King Pins "seem" OK, rt side tie rod end is bad.....No clue about wheel bearings.

Question......Can I change the bushings on the track bar or do I need to replace the entire track bar W/ bushings?.......Can that "HUNK of steel" really be bad?

 

[94f450sd]

you can replace just the bushings.not sure where youre gonna get them though.i believe its dealer only.

replace the tie rod.its gonna be most of the problem.jack it up and check the king pins.put a bar under the tire and pick up on it.see if the wheel moves at all.sure have 0 movement.check the wheel bearings the same way.

 

[93turbo_animal]

are the 450's track bar different then the 350's I just replaced mine got the bushings from napa

 

[94f450sd]

yes its different.

 

[Brooklyn Tow]

Says bushings available for thr 450 track bar also......In both, poly or rubber.

Aric, what did you use?......

Looks like a 4 piece set w/ the 2 steel bolt cylindars.......Correct?

 

[towcat]

welcome
if you are jockeying a F450 carrier in Brooklyn NYC you have my deepest respect.
the track bar bushings if they are rubber is a two piece affair. the part number is in the "parts bin"
i wouldn't be suprised to see the poly bushings to be in a four piece kit though.
if you rt. side tie rod is bad, your deathwobble is there. even though a steering shock is a band-aid, it beats loosing an entire truck when carrying at gross wt. put one on if you don't have one.
what kind of carrier are you running?

 

[Brooklyn Tow]

Hey TowCat....Thanks for the advise....

19' Century Aluminum on the Superduty and a Dynamic BSW SelfLoader W/ boom on a 96 C3500HD.

 

[towcat]

here's my 17' Century alu bed on my '89 F450