truck is rattling my teeth out

[cranknrods]

2007 5.9cr quad cab 4x4-this thing is driving me insane

at about 70 -75 mph going down the interstate, if i hit a bump with the left front tire or im turning gently to the right, the truck will start hopping up and down and dang near rattle my teath out. truck has 70,000 miles on it. i have been under the truck trying to find a loose steering component and all of them are tight as can be.

i have not replaced the shocks yet but i have never had a bad shock let a truck bounce this bad. the steering wheel does not go slack or bounce left to right. it just feels like the left front tire is jumping 6 inches of the ground over and over again at a very fast pace. i have never experienced anything like this before.
i dont know if it matters but i am running perrelli scorpion tires instead of the stock mitchellins. its about time to change them also.

the main problem is that im leaving to go to Iraq again and i want to make sure the truck is ok for my wife. but i cant afford to buy new tires and shocks until i get over their and start getting paid.I spent too much money on my sons christmas presents.

any ideas?

 

[tknomaj]

Check front axle sound like it is going into 4x4 mode on the street. vacuum and clectrical connector disconnect and see if problem goes away

 

[cranknrods]

i doesnt feel like its going into 4x4 but ill check it out.

could it be possible that a bad shock is doing this?

the only trucks i have ever had for an extended period had a IFS front end. so the solid axle dodge is kinda new to me.

 

[Goofyexponent]

I am definitly no Dodge man, but if you want my prognosis......you have something loose in the front end causing death wobble.

It could be a track bar bushing, sway bar bushing, tie rod ends, drag link, trailing arm bushings, wheel bearing...or any combination in between.

Check out death wobble for Dodge trucks on Google. They are known for it more than any other truck.

 

[cranknrods]

well-i just got under the truck and was looking at the shocks, when i noticed that the shock in question seemed alittle weird. the shock seems to not be straight but alittle off. the middle of the shock has a larger gap on one side compared to the other side. im thinking the shock has puked its insides and isnt really offering much in the way of suspension dampening.

im thinkin about just replacing that one shock(until i get paid) for now to see if it fixes the problem. would this be ok or do i have to fix/replace them both for some safy reasons??

if you cant tell, im not good at suspension problems-i can rebuild a engine and transmission blindfolded but suspension problems make me want to crawl under a rock

 

[Goofyexponent]

well-i just got under the truck and was looking at the shocks, when i noticed that the shock in question seemed alittle weird. the shock seems to not be straight but alittle off. the middle of the shock has a larger gap on one side compared to the other side. im thinking the shock has puked its insides and isnt really offering much in the way of suspension dampening.

im thinkin about just replacing that one shock(until i get paid) for now to see if it fixes the problem. would this be ok or do i have to fix/replace them both for some safy reasons??

if you cant tell, im not good at suspension problems-i can rebuild a engine and transmission blindfolded but suspension problems make me want to crawl under a rock

If I were replacing shocks, I would do it as one axle set at a time.....do both front ones just to be sure. You could replace that one shock and fix the problem, but have the same symptoms due to the other shock dampening at a different rate.

You're gonna have to do to your truck, what I am about to do to dad's truck. Jack it WAY up, axle stands on the frame and let the front end droop freely. This way I can pry the axle side to side, front to back, up and down and jack one side up while letting the opposide hang to check sway bar bushings and end links. I want to be SURE everything is tight there, as will you.

 

[cranknrods]

good advice, thanks-ill post back after i put new shocks in.
hopefully that will be tommorow.

 

[Goofyexponent]

good advice, thanks-ill post back after i put new shocks in.
hopefully that will be tommorow.

I'm rootin for ya.....keep your stick on the ice. When I get dads truck up on stands, I will take pics of what all went wrong with his....that way you can compare it to your rig. I don't play a lot in the Cummins forums (not a lot pof people do for some reason), but if you send me a PM I will do all I can to help you out.

 

[cranknrods]

well ive changed the front 2 shocks and now im just waiting to see if the truck does it again.

im optomistic cause the right shock was pretty worn and the left shock wasnt even functioning.

im hoping thats all it was, time will tell.

i never thought a bad shock could cause that much problems-i new it was time to change them but daggumm!!