What's new
By:
Filters

Superduty death wobble, dual stablizers

Tiha

Red Skull Member
Joined
May 20, 2020
Member Number
711
Messages
1,072
Loc
Central Iowa
I bought a 2016 F250 platinum couple months back. It currently has 31k miles on it.

Had death wobble a couple times, replaced the factory stabilizer, that helped for a couple weeks. Last week on a trip it got so bad I could not drive the truck at all.

Interesting note, that is the longest I had ever driven that truck. Shocks get hot from working, become less efficient over time. Parking and letting the truck sit 2 hours and it seemed good to go again.

On my 2014 F250 lariat, which is a twin at 185k miles has NEVER experienced death wobble. Not once, never.

Installed the rancho dual stabilizer kit on the 2016. Works great, made a world a difference. Not scared to drive it anymore EXCEPT. Although it says it works on stock height vehicles when I hit a big enough bump it pushes the bracket down against the drag link and the steering binds.

This is the kit I got because it was all I could get in a hurry.
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p...5-P?searchTerm=steering+stablizer+dual+rancho

Is there a kit that actually works with stock height?
I could mod this one but really I cannot mod it enough, once I put the snow plow on I don't think it could ever handle the extra weight and bounce.

Now I have time to order the correct kit, so what do I order?
 
Dual stabilizer kit may mask DW but won't fix it.

Look under truck front end while someone turns the wheel back and forth. What is loose/worn out? Then order those parts. Good luck.
 
Guys, it has 30k miles on it.

I have pryed, wiggled, bounced, spun, everything is tight.

If anything the OEM tires or alignment is crappy causing this maybe, but it is so much more stable I would keep the dual stabilizer anyway.
 
Tiha said:
Guys, it has 30k miles on it.

I have pryed, wiggled, bounced, spun, everything is tight.

If anything the OEM tires or alignment is crappy causing this maybe, but it is so much more stable I would keep the dual stabilizer anyway.
Click to expand...

If everything is tight, it wouldn't have death wobble :homer:

rattle_snake is absolutely correct. That is the best method for finding the cause of your death wobble and fixing it. 9 times out of 10 it is track bar and/or steering linkage problems. That other 1 out of 10 it is a culmination of worn out parts (wheel bearings, ball joints, radius arm bushings, track bar, steering linkage, cracked frame, loose pitman arm, bad tire balance).
 
Things I looked for/inspected to find my death wobble:
1) Steering links
2) Ball joints
3) wheel bearings
4) Aftermarket suspension bracket nuts/bolts.

Turned out to be loose suspension bracket nuts/bolts.
Vibration is a MF'er.
Upgraded to larger bolts/finer threads/Locktite #271/added jam nuts to Nylock nuts
 
I have messed with a few that do that, when the front end is tight and it has a new track bar ball joint and bushing work just puts on the dual stabilizer kit from rough country. I think trying more caster is what I would try. Ford upped the caster with the alumidutys but spec is still only 3ish. 5-7 and that might take care of it. Radius arm drop brackets will bring the caster up. Or the weld on kit for the control arms.
 
91samurai said:
I have messed with a few that do that, when the front end is tight and it has a new track bar ball joint and bushing work just puts on the dual stabilizer kit from rough country. I think trying more caster is what I would try. Ford upped the caster with the alumidutys but spec is still only 3ish. 5-7 and that might take care of it. Radius arm drop brackets will bring the caster up. Or the weld on kit for the control arms.
Click to expand...
I had read about the caster thing and I could see that helping.

The tires on the truck are the OEM Michelin and they give a crappy spongy ride. At least one is out of balance pretty bad. They are 6 years old now. I had thought about swapping them out but dang, hate to just throw away so much tread.

Another thing I thought about, My old truck is an FX4 and this new one is not. I wonder if that has made a difference. Different shocks, not sure what else is different between the two. My 14 still has factory shocks on it.

Either way, I like the feel of the dual stabilizer so much I was going to add it to my 2014. Which is also why I was asking if there is a kit that works on stock height.

Don't get me wrong guys, I agree it shouldn't need one. Had solid axle trucks my whole life and was always against them. But the death wobble was scary enough, and I had no idea how much nicer the truck feels going over bumps with the dual stabilizer.

I had found this video, Jump to 6:13 It shows the difference I feel. This is what the truck does without death wobble during normal operation.

 
rockota said:
Has anyone suggested track bar yet???

Or have we determined that isn’t what OP wants to hear? :flipoff2:
Click to expand...
I keep waiting for you guys to come over and show me I am wrong and what I missed. So far nobody is taking the bait.
 
Tiha said:
I keep waiting for you guys to come over and show me I am wrong and what I missed. So far nobody is taking the bait.
Click to expand...
I think everyone who has suggested the trackbar has identified what you missed...

IIRC, trackbar torque spec is 410ft/lb. Put a quality aftermarket bar on it and make sure it's tight. Just because it only has 30k miles doesn't mean something's not worn out.
 
rockota said:
I think everyone who has suggested the trackbar has identified what you missed...

IIRC, trackbar torque spec is 410ft/lb. Put a quality aftermarket bar on it and make sure it's tight. Just because it only has 30k miles doesn't mean something's not worn out.
Click to expand...

I'll re torque that track bar just to make you guys happy, but I am still leaving the dual stabilizer on. I like the way it feels, Still want to find one for stock height truck I can add to my 14 that has not experienced death wobble.
 
welndmn said:
How are we in 2022 and people still want to put on all the steering stabilizers they can fit to "fix" a death wobble issue.

Did you see all the other posts?
BUY A TRACK BAR!
Click to expand...
:laughing: I drove around for at least 6 MO without any steering stabilizer with no death wobble at all. was actually not that bad without. but I had ~ 6* caster
 
I run a PMF adjustable track bar on my 2014. It has a 1" FK rod end. It lasted only about 20k miles before it had a tiny bit of slack. I'm talking a few thou. Can't really 'see' that small amount but can feel the slop with your hand. This was enough to cause severe suspension cycling/bounce. Popped in a new rod end and misalignment sleeves... fixed.

So, take another look, put your hand on both ends of the track bar and see if it's the ball joint or the rubber bushing on the upper end.

I have a stock track bar you can have if your local.
 
I had an 11 with a bad track bar bushing and ball joint and I built my own Track Bar for it on the old board. Steering stabilizers WILL NOT cure death wobble.

1661374966230.png
1661374930960.png
.
1661374947725.png


You can also see me argue with WaterH about what bumpsteer means: 2005 + Super Duty track bar tech (2011 PSD)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh