Death wobble ?

[DLittle]

Truck is a 1993 W250 auto. For about the last 2 to 3 months my truck has a bad steering problem. When you turn a corner and come back to straight the steering wheel goes from right to left or left to right and back and forth in that fashion for quite a while. Eventually it will stop only to come back at the next turn . The steering wheel moves all on it's own back and forth back and forth. You have to hold it to go striaght and the steering continues to move. I have replaced the following to try and fix the problem. Gear box,installed a borgensen steering shaft, new shocks, power steering pump and hoses, new king pin bushings and springs, switched wheels and tires, new warn hubs. I have not changed the tie rods they feel fine. Nice and tight.
I'm at a loss and tired of throwing money at it. Could the front axle ujoints cause this problem ? I've had the truck to 2 different shops and they don't have a clue. Any help. It's so bad the truck is almost not driveable. I NEED HELP IT'S GETTING OLD. Thanks

[Richie O]

One of mine had a little play in the tierods and it would do that. Any 1 part of the suspension that is worn will cause the death wobble. If you are sure all the parts are tight then you can add a dual steering stablizer. That will hide some of it.

EDIT
I read on dtr you had a stablizer all ready. You must have some slop somewhere.

[burnt_servo]

is the frame starting to break / crack in the area that holds the steering box ?

[oldcool90]

A new set of shock's solved mine.

[Ace]

is the frame starting to break / crack in the area that holds the steering box ?

That's what I'm thinking. But you would have seen that when replacing the box if it wasn't hidden somehow.

[dpuckett]

...... I've had the truck to 2 different shops and they don't have a clue....

Unfortunately, that is the rule, not the exception.

Double check your tie rod ends and drag link. Get it off the ground, and have someone else hold the pitman arm. You will almost fell it before you see the slack. Also, a new set of shocks wont hurt. With these trucks, it's been my experience that the old push down on the bumper and count the bounces method isnt always accurate.

Dan

[DLittle]

...... I've had the truck to 2 different shops and they don't have a clue....

Unfortunately, that is the rule, not the exception.

Double check your tie rod ends and drag link. Get it off the ground, and have someone else hold the pitman arm. You will almost fell it before you see the slack. Also, a new set of shocks wont hurt. With these trucks, it's been my experience that the old push down on the bumper and count the bounces method isnt always accurate.

Dan

I got new shocks a month ago. I'm going to go ahead and replace the drag link and ties rods and se if that helps.

The frame and steering box mounting bracket looked good when I replaced the gear box.

Thanks for all the replys.

[PToombs]

It might be the axle u-joints. If they're bound up it will drive weird fer sure! While you have the front up in the air, lock in the hubs, TC in 2wd, turn the steering wheel slightly, and spin the tire. If the joint is stiff, the wheel will spin easy, hard, easy, hard, as it fights the joint. It will show up if that's the problem.

[redneckroot]

Check your leaf springs, my old truck had a broken leaf in the front, you'd hit a bump and the thing would pull to the right hit another and it would be back to normal.
My buddy's truck the previous owner had rewelded on the front leaf spring mount and it was back 1/4 inch. Some grinding and fabing later it stopped pulling for him.

[GO OVRIT]

Check the leaf springs over really good. Check the rivets that hold the front spring hangers. Check the bushings in both ends of the springs and in the shackles. Have you had it on an alignment rack?

[DLittle]

It might be the axle u-joints. If they're bound up it will drive weird fer sure! While you have the front up in the air, lock in the hubs, TC in 2wd, turn the steering wheel slightly, and spin the tire. If the joint is stiff, the wheel will spin easy, hard, easy, hard, as it fights the joint. It will show up if that's the problem.

That's what it was. Both front u-joints were shot. Dry and missing roller pins in a couple of caps.

[PToombs]

BTDT. Glad you figured it out! Drives like a dreamboat now I bet!
Well, as close to a dreamboat as these trucks get!

[DLittle]

BTDT. Glad you figured it out! Drives like a dreamboat now I bet!
Well, as close to a dreamboat as these trucks get!

Yep it drives good now after replacing everything else even the powersteering pump. Now it needs some tranny work.

Thanks for all the reply's

[Oddfire]

Sweet, I had the same problem with my 75' Scout 2. But I didn't see this until now! Sorry