Page 2 of 6 FirstFirst 1234 ... LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 51

Thread: Dodge Ram Help/ Suggestions- DEATH Wobble

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Terrace
    Posts
    1,891

    Re: Dodge Ram Help/ Suggestions- DEATH Wobble

    Track bar is most often the major culprit, along with the control arm bushings.

    The funny thing about those trucks is that any single worn component in the steering or suspension can cause the wobble. I had one start doing that wobble on a hunting trip, violent shake anytime I got over 60k. Dropping the air pressure in the tires stopped it temporarily until I could get home and fix it properly.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    somewhere in time......
    Posts
    4,098

    Re: Dodge Ram Help/ Suggestions- DEATH Wobble

    Often folks run big rubber on aftermarket rims. The OEM rims were designed for that truck. R/D spent more than 10 minutes figuring out the proper off-set, backspace, and optimal size tire for their trucks. Mr. Aftermarket is so much smarter though . . . a one size fits all rim, and monster rubber. What could possibly go wrong ?
    Stay away from Moog . . . . junk.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Fraser Valley
    Posts
    1,082

    Re: Dodge Ram Help/ Suggestions- DEATH Wobble

    I did a level and 35" tires on my 08 Cummins and my alignment guy said the castor needs to be set correctly to stop death wobble.
    He said typical lifts cause the pinion to point up and cause the tires to steer on its "toes".
    He adjust the castor so the pinion points more down.
    Never had death wobble.
    I went to Jay at Valley Alignment in Langley.
    He has done all my trucks.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Surrey , B.C.
    Posts
    1,292

    Re: Dodge Ram Help/ Suggestions- DEATH Wobble

    Usually will find it is in your alignment. Just because the guy says the alaignment is within specs, means nothing with a Ram front end. And as Brombones says. a sloppy tie rod end or drag link, trackbar etc, will really make the castor shimmy worse..The #One upgrade to the front end is a DSS. Dodge Sector Shaft stabilizer is a MUST on Rams. Will improve the drivability of the truck immensely and extend the life of the steering gear by years. Common saying from mechs who work on Ram front ends. Is that you buy a Dodge Ram so that you can impress the neighbors that you can afford to completely rebuild that front end every 80,000 km. 94-02 Ram, the ball joints seize. 03-08 Rams. the ball joints fallout.

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Posts
    330

    Re: Dodge Ram Help/ Suggestions- DEATH Wobble

    Thanks. How much caster do you think they need?

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    northern vancouver island
    Posts
    183

    Re: Dodge Ram Help/ Suggestions- DEATH Wobble

    Had that on my 2010 3500,after spending more 2k ,i got the biggest steering shock i could.Did the trick

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    3,338

    Re: Dodge Ram Help/ Suggestions- DEATH Wobble

    Some Schooling. All solid axels can give you death wobble, just the nature of the design. Both sides are tied together. One problem will migrate to the other side. But a solid axel will give you about 3" more of effective ground clearance. That's why when Toyotas changed to IFS, they savvy guys bolted the old solid axels back on. A 5-link front suspension is brilliant, it gives almost as good as IFS ride and handling with all the advantages of a solid axel. To achieve this AMC did some complex link geometry on the Cherokee. Chrysler took over AMC and their engineers. When GM tried to use a 5-link front suspension, their engineers gave up, through up their hands and ran the links straight. This geometry comes with a price, steering tracking. I've been driving a 5-link front suspension since '94, you don't take your hand off the wheel.

    The CTD is by far the best diesel, but it's not light. So front wear is a problem. A level wear that acceptable on IFS, will cause steering problems. I learned that expensive lesson on my '08. It steers good now.
    Tires are critical . I bought some Nittos. 2 blocks away from Kal Tire, it was Oh F***, that wasn't the only words I used. Big tires take expensive modifications, that may or not work. See GM's experience. If GM engineers had problems how can you expect some aftermarket welder to solve them?
    The frame under the steering box has flex, they beefed it up in '08, and steering is problem with design anyway at the best of times. Also the steering box output shaft has a bushing instead of a bearing. BD sells a reinforcement support with a bearing, it's must on these trucks.

    My friend drove his Dodge down a guad trail that would have ripped the guts out of a Chevy, so it's the price you pay for capability .

  8. #18
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Surrey , B.C.
    Posts
    1,292

    Re: Dodge Ram Help/ Suggestions- DEATH Wobble

    Quote Originally Posted by Downwindtracker2 View Post
    The frame under the steering box has flex, they beefed it up in '08, and steering is problem with design anyway at the best of times. Also the steering box output shaft has a bushing instead of a bearing. BD sells a reinforcement support with a bearing, it's must on these trucks.
    There is No bushing in any Ram steering gear. There is a large sector shaft bearing in all Dodge Ram steering gears. The 94-02 Ram is essentially a Chev/Gmc 2500/3500 Duramax steering gear. In the duramax, that gear is good for at least 250,000 k. In the ram the same gear with out a DSS, you will be lucky to get 100,000k out of it. In 2003- 08 they changed to a Ford Steering gear. Pretty much the same gear that is in a 1998 plus Ford F-250/350/450 Diesel. In a stock Ford, the gear is usually good for 250-300,000k. In the 03-08 Ram I see lots of failures about 80,000. This tells me it is not so much the steering gear, but the design of the Dodge Rams front end that is killing these steering gears. So bad that the assembly line steering remanufactures, like Cardone, ran out of 03-08 dodge steering gear cores. Started supplying Ford F150 steering gears with line adapters and different mounting bolts for the Dodge rams. Used the f-150 gear because it had the same 9 spline input shaft as the 03-08 Rams. As I stated before, a DSS must be installed on any Dodge Ram from 1994- current if you want to have a steering gear last in that truck. Also there is a really nice steering linkage upgrade available for the 03-13 rams. Changes from the stock linkage Y set up, to a far superior T setup much improving the trucks driveability and helping to alleviate castor shimmy . Doesn't solve all of it all but feed back says it really improves.

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    3,338

    Re: Dodge Ram Help/ Suggestions- DEATH Wobble

    Obviously, as you can tell, I haven't taken the steering box apart, just what couple of guys told me. But I have over 325 K on the truck with the original steering box. I bought the lease return at 80K. But a few years back, I put the BD support on. It was under $200 and easy to put on. It's simple and it makes a world of difference on these trucks. The steering is the later factory modification , nothing fancy outside of the support. Well maintained, though. It tracks good, how often do you hear that about a Dodge ? !The truck has run on gravel from the edge of the Artic Ocean to the Mexican border. Well it's not used off-road, too big and clumsy, it's not a pavement princess either.

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Posts
    330

    Re: Dodge Ram Help/ Suggestions- DEATH Wobble

    Quote Originally Posted by Stresd View Post
    There is No bushing in any Ram steering gear. There is a large sector shaft bearing in all Dodge Ram steering gears. The 94-02 Ram is essentially a Chev/Gmc 2500/3500 Duramax steering gear. In the duramax, that gear is good for at least 250,000 k. In the ram the same gear with out a DSS, you will be lucky to get 100,000k out of it. In 2003- 08 they changed to a Ford Steering gear. Pretty much the same gear that is in a 1998 plus Ford F-250/350/450 Diesel. In a stock Ford, the gear is usually good for 250-300,000k. In the 03-08 Ram I see lots of failures about 80,000. This tells me it is not so much the steering gear, but the design of the Dodge Rams front end that is killing these steering gears. So bad that the assembly line steering remanufactures, like Cardone, ran out of 03-08 dodge steering gear cores. Started supplying Ford F150 steering gears with line adapters and different mounting bolts for the Dodge rams. Used the f-150 gear because it had the same 9 spline input shaft as the 03-08 Rams. As I stated before, a DSS must be installed on any Dodge Ram from 1994- current if you want to have a steering gear last in that truck. Also there is a really nice steering linkage upgrade available for the 03-13 rams. Changes from the stock linkage Y set up, to a far superior T setup much improving the trucks driveability and helping to alleviate castor shimmy . Doesn't solve all of it all but feed back says it really improves.
    I have the BD diesel sector shaft/ steering stabilizer. When Dodge looked at my truck, they said there was some play in it (not sure where), but that it wouldnt be causing my grief since I just change the steering gear. I looked at a video yesterday showing how much play is in the stock steering gear new (without the stabilizer), and i am wondering if they are wrong.

    Very little play in the track bar, I guess I could have put a dial on it but I dropped the truck off at a mechanic today.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •