death wobble

[4-lo]

im out of things to think of... ok

i've got a sas 95 runner that does a very bad wobble.  i've totally completely rebuilded the whole front axle and its still doing the goddam same thing... i ran two different set of tires and still same results... any of you guys out there have the same problem and can anyone solve this....pls help....im at the point of doing a dana swap but i damn sure dont like the looks of that thing on the yota...

[MiniSimp]

What is your pinion angle?
What is your castor set to?

[Doof]

could your rims be bent?
one of your inners bent?
right amount of shims for the knuckles?

[Caboose]

i dont think ive been in a toy w/out death wobble.  You mean thats not supposed to happen!?

[Doof]

mine doesnt...knock on wood

[lucky7]

Are you sure everything is square i didn't get my front end perfect and my shackles in front are little
off .So i have too watch them they get loose and eat bushings every year oh and bend the shackle
about every 2 years. Maybe your     is out of wack. An alignment should be able to tell you that.

nice rig never seen you on the hill 2nd gen runners

[fj-rankenstein]

there is probably an awsome chance that the caster isnt enough???  did you cut and turn your knuckles when you did the sas???  I have done 4 sas/spring overs and have helped many more guys do theirs and death wobble is only caused by a couple of main things...

-if you didnt cut and turn your knuckles than do so...  if you have a reasonably big lift than do negative 5 degrees caster and that will keep you driving straight without any fighting of the steering wheel to try to turn..

-worn out bushings in your front springs or frame will do this.... any chance that your suspension can move side to side will increase the death wobble possibilities..

-to long of shackles will do this too....  if possible try to weld a cross piece in your shackle (so they look like an "H")...  this gives them rigidity and will prevent any side to side shimmy which will cause death wobble..

knuckles that dont have the proper preload will help add to the problem....take a thin shim out if need be...

go ballance your tires as well...

probably the first place to start is go get some tools and retighten everything under you front end (ie. shackles, ubolts,etc..)

[Goose]

good info here..
few things im gonna try...

[46&2]

I had death wobble bad. Checked all my front end bearings, tightness on shackles, ubolts everything.....

took it to a local auto shop, had em align it. it helped a little but still had it. Took it to my buddy at a 4x4 shop and he told me the other shop fucked up my tow, caster and camber were fine but my tow was way off, he properly aligned it and death wobble no more. If you dont align it properly yourself try a 4x4 shop. fixing the tow made a huge difference.

[ontherocks]

I had death wobble bad. Checked all my front end bearings, tightness on shackles, ubolts everything.....

took it to a local auto shop, had em align it. it helped a little but still had it. Took it to my buddy at a 4x4 shop and he told me the other shop flopped up my tow, caster and camber were fine but my tow was way off, he properly aligned it and death wobble no more. If you dont align it properly yourself try a 4x4 shop. fixing the tow made a huge difference.

so 4x4 shops will work on sased trucks? i know alot of places wont touch em. i have a bad case of death wobbel on my fresh sased pickup, tryin to fix it.

[46&2]

I dunno i know several guys who own shops in my area so I went to them. Try 4x4 fab shops ask them to do a proper alignment. the "average joe" auto shop didnt do anything for me in terms of an alighment

[THK Matt]

what could cause death wobble on an 87 IFS?
anyone know?

balljoints, bushings, shocks, what?

[4xJedi]

I had crazy DW on my SAS'd 86.  It would get so bad I'd either have to slam on the brakes or try and power out of it in 2nd gear.  Tried everything I could think of.  Finally someone said every case of DW they'd seen was due to loose shackles.  Sure as hell mine were loose.  I turned the nuts in another 1/4" and my DW is gone.  Drive's like factory now.

[Fearofrunner]

I had crazy DW on my SAS'd 86.  It would get so bad I'd either have to slam on the brakes or try and power out of it in 2nd gear.  Tried everything I could think of.  Finally someone said every case of DW they'd seen was due to loose shackles.  Sure as hell mine were loose.  I turned the nuts in another 1/4" and my DW is gone.  Drive's like factory now.

Same problem we discovered on my buddies 85, loose shackles comming out of the frame in front.

[toyotanner]

i didnt know why i had a wobble at 60 turns out i just needed some shocks!

check your steering box to make sure its tight too

[Volcom]

Loose shackles and loose knuckle stud nuts in the high steer arms have caused me DW in the past.  The best solution I can honestly tell you that helped me get rid of death wobble, HYDRO ASSIST!!!  After installing HA, I can actually drive my rig on the street again without the fear of death wobble.  Expensive solution to the problem but it works    The one handed turning in the rocks is nice too 

[ontherocks]

sweet, im gonna go do some tinkerin on it and see what i get, let yall know. thanks

[DTB]

First thing that comes to my mind is alignment and caster..what is your toe in set at? I measure mine like this



Also, do you have steering stabilizer? What method did you use to tighten your wheel bearings? are you following FSM torque specs for shackle bolts, steering arms, etc...

and finally how close were are your leafs to being parallel? Mine measure at less than 1/16th"

[DTB]

EDIT: accidental post

[ontherocks]

First thing that comes to my mind is alignment and caster..what is your toe in set at? I measure mine like this



Also, do you have steering stabilizer? What method did you use to tighten your wheel bearings? are you following FSM torque specs for shackle bolts, steering arms, etc...

and finally how close were are your leafs to being parallel? Mine measure at less than 1/16th"

nice, but fixed it lastnight, it was loose shackels, all good so far, but we took it out for a drive to check the dw and was all happy cause it was gone, jumped on the highway to head home and my timing belt broke. hopeing it dident mess up the heads.

[OOPS]

nice, but fixed it lastnight, it was loose shackels, all good so far, but we took it out for a drive to check the dw and was all happy cause it was gone, jumped on the highway to head home and my timing belt broke. hopeing it dident mess up the heads.

These tabs welded on the shackles really help in keeping the shackles from coming loose. They do not let the bolts turn.

[4xJedi]

Glad it's fixed.

[ontherocks]

yup, on to the next problem

[Doof]

These tabs welded on the shackles really help in keeping the shackles from coming loose. They do not let the bolts turn.

thats a good idea

[DTB]

thats a good idea

i wonder if that would help to keep the bolt from seizing to the bushing as well since it keeps the bolt moving against it?

[Doof]

    

possibly

[4xJedi]

i wonder if that would help to keep the bolt from seizing to the bushing as well since it keeps the bolt moving against it?

Doubt it, greasable bolts would though.

[slabcrawler]

I also cured my DW when I put on a hydro assist. 

[Goose]

I also cured my DW when I put on a hydro assist. 

cause the rams one hell of a strong steering stabilizer...
expensive fix but it works haha...

Good idea with the bolt tabs... never thought of that...

[ontherocks]

cause the rams one hell of a strong steering stabilizer...
expensive fix but it works haha...

Good idea with the bolt tabs... never thought of that...

we need to fix your tie rod!