Death wobble

[JEM]

So i just finished the truck today and the first time i ran it down the road it had the real bad shakes. I just put a 6 inch lift on it and as of right now do not know what is causing this. The front shaft shouldnt be turning while in 2wd should it? Any suggestions are helpful

 

[crazy4offroad]

Dana 60 front or Corporate 10 bolt? Front driveshaft has nothing to do with it.

 

[JEM]

10 bolt

 

[crazy4offroad]

Check the ball joints. If they're not worn out you'll need a front end alignment. Usually what causes it is longer front leaf spring shackles at the back of the spring gives the front too much caster. If your lift kit came with any wedge shims for the front make sure you have them wide end to the front, thin to the back.

 

[JEM]

I was just about to ask if it could be the tires out of line. the ball joints are new and so are the tie rod ends i just hadnt had it all alined yet

 

[crazy4offroad]

While you have the tront up on stands may as well check everything- tie rod ends, drag link ends, wheel bearings too. Also double check your front leaf spring centerbolts, sometimes they'll break and cause front shift, but doubt they would be responsible for DW, that usually lies right with the balljoints/caster.

 

[crazy4offroad]

Yeah what happens is the top balljoint gets pitched back too far throwing off the caster adjustment. I had a bad fight with it last year, replaced kingpin bushings, springs & bearings on my D60 and nothing helped till I put 4 degree shims under the springs.

 

[JEM]

the leaf springs have wedges on the bottom of them. Will getting the front end alined fix this you think? the only thing up front that aint new is the drag link

 

[crazy4offroad]

If the ends on the drag link are in good shape it has got to be the caster. It didn't do it before did it? If not, only thing that changed is the lift.

 

[JEM]

the drag link should probably be replaced but it aint too too bad. What is the caster? forgive the dumb question but ive never heard that term before

 

[animal]

Caster is the position of the upper ball joint in relation to the lower ball joint. If you changed the caster by the axle being "turned" one way or the other it changes the handling of the vehicle which in this case could cause the "death wobble"

 

[crazy4offroad]

Camber & caster are front end alignment terms. Caster is how many degrees the front balljoints lean back...

Camber is how many degrees the tire leans inward, as looking from the front...

 

[JEM]

That would make sense. It is turned some because of the wedges on the springs

 

[JEM]

Thanks C4. Very helpful

 

[crazy4offroad]

D60 doesn't have balljoints so you have no adjustment except using shims. Without shims DW was terrible. I tried 8 degree shims and it was too much, it went past ideal setting and still had DW. Went with 4 degree and that fixed it. Most lift kits come with 2 degree shims, hopefully the alignment shop can dial it the rest of the way in with the eccentric adjusters on the upper balljoints.