98 Dodge 3500 death wobble?

[fixerupper]

My 98 3500 2 wd with Cummins will start violently shaking in the front end if it hits a big bump. The steering wheel does not shake though. I have to slow down to 20 MPH to settle it down. My son claims it needs front shocks.

I have read about this death wobble on Dodge forums and they claim the front wheels toe in and toe out violently caused by a poorly anchored steering box that needs a brace. This rig of mine has a tie rod between the front wheels with the steering box tied to the left wheel. I cant see how it can toe in, toe out with a tie rod between the front wheels, and the steering wheel doesnt shake. I put a new tie rod on it 5000 miles ago. One rough stretch of highway close to me will set it off two times in the same mile but earlier this week my son took it on a 400 mile round trip on smooth roads without problems. He does a lot of work on large trucks including front ends so maybe he is right. What do you guys think? I dont want to put a lot of money into this thing chasing the problem. There is good reason why I nickname this pickup money pit .

 

[MSM]

If all the tierod ends are good, and
there is no damage to the frame
around the steering box, a steering
stabilizer should cure your problem.

 

[DPittman]

This ain't gonna be any help but I got the same truck only a year newer. I keep the front pieces-parts
tight and good alignment and have never had so much as a wiggle. I've heard of the death wobble but
only on 4wd that have been lifted with bigger tires. My brother and a friend have the same package we
got and they've never said anything about a wobble. I'm thinking possibly a dry or worn out joint, but I
know you've checked all that stuff as well as alignment, so I'm stumped also. Sorry I can't help.

 

[Sprint 6]

Time to pull the Cummins out of its
shipping crate and put it in a real truck.
Sorry, had to say it. The front end on
those trucks have to be perfect to prevent
death wobble. Even the best parts are
hardly good enough with 1500 pounds bearing
down on them. The least amount of play
gets magnified.

 

[fixerupper]

(quoted from post at 14:02:30 07/27/19) Time to pull the Cummins out of its
shipping crate and put it in a real truck.
Sorry, had to say it. The front end on
those trucks have to be perfect to prevent
death wobble. Even the best parts are
hardly good enough with 1500 pounds bearing
down on them. The least amount of play
gets magnified.

Well I do need to crawl under it. Not possible right now but when the knee heals up a bit more I will slip under there for a look. I replaced the stabilizer when I put in the new tie rod but you never know, things happen. There is a really good shop nearby that I know will fix it right but their hourly rates are a little too salty for me.

 

[RedGreenGuy]

Had same problem with my 96 3500 2 WD. Took it to alignment professional. He did alignment then told me to get new stabilizer bar (dampener). That fixed it.

 

[fixerupper]

(quoted from post at 14:44:35 07/27/19) Had same problem with my 96 3500 2 WD. Took it to alignment professional. He did alignment then told me to get new stabilizer bar (dampener). That fixed it.

Thanks RedGreenguy

 

[Hobo,NC]

If the front suspension checks out good A Rancho steering stabilizer would be a good place to start...

Its was not uncommon to see the front suppression on those trucks worn slap-arse out at 75K 2WD, 4WD gas are diesel it made no difference...

If the ball joints are riveted in it can become a beast to get the rivets out without a real good air hammer/gun...

A good steering stabilizer will get the shake out.... BTDT

 

[SVcummins]

Ball joints are not riveted like a chebby . A steering
box stabilizer can help some . I?ve put one set of
ball joints In just under 300,000 miles put the
greasable ones in when you do it
Steering box stabilizer

 

[SVcummins]

Well in fairness there isn?t enough tinfoil in a whole chebby ?truck?to weigh 1500 pounds

 

[MSD]

It's an easy fix. Get a Luke's Link for it. Read about them in the link. They are not expensive and will stop the death wobble. We've used them on a couple of trucks and they do work. A good alignment shop may have them on
hand.
Lukes Links

 

[Leroy]

I think everybody is wrong. That is a common problem on all 1994 to 2003 trucks and possibly newer. It is in your sreering colume in an universal joint that goes bad I had it in my 2003 Dakota. A friend was driving his very low milage 1/2 ton when I was with him and that is how it went out. Scared him and me both but from mine having that problem knew what to look for. With truck setting and engine off try turning the steering wheel and if you find exxcive movement that is the problem. But if it lets go do not turn the steering wheel as it may dammage the wires in that colume and could even acording to my bechanic set off the air bags. When he put the new one in my truch somehow he forgot to put the bolt in that holds it to the top part of steering colume and it fell apart while I was driving. Lucky could get stoped with no dannage. The universal joint telescopes like a PTO shaft. You can tell in 10 seconds if that is the problem just standing beside truck where you can see steering wheel and front wheeel on drivers side while turning the wheel. If you have an inch or more play in wheel without moving that front wheel it is that universal joint.

 

[fixerupper]

(quoted from post at 18:38:28 07/27/19) Ball joints are not riveted like a chebby . A steering
box stabilizer can help some . I?ve put one set of
ball joints In just under 300,000 miles put the
greasable ones in when you do it
Steering box stabilizer

Cummins this add lists the stabilizer for a 4x4. Mine is 2wd. Does it make a difference? I have seen this stabilizer on another website and it too stated 4x4.

 

[fixerupper]

(quoted from post at 18:55:01 07/27/19) It's an easy fix. Get a Luke's Link for it. Read about them in the link. They are not expensive and will stop the death wobble. We've used them on a couple of trucks and they do work. A good alignment shop may have them on
hand.
Lukes Links

Once again Lukes stated it works on a y 4x4. Mine is 2x4. Will have to make a call.

 

[fixerupper]

(quoted from post at 19:20:42 07/27/19) I think everybody is wrong. That is a common problem on all 1994 to 2003 trucks and possibly newer. It is in your sreering colume in an universal joint that goes bad I had it in my 2003 Dakota. A friend was driving his very low milage 1/2 ton when I was with him and that is how it went out. Scared him and me both but from mine having that problem knew what to look for. With truck setting and engine off try turning the steering wheel and if you find exxcive movement that is the problem. But if it lets go do not turn the steering wheel as it may dammage the wires in that colume and could even acording to my bechanic set off the air bags. When he put the new one in my truch somehow he forgot to put the bolt in that holds it to the top part of steering colume and it fell apart while I was driving. Lucky could get stoped with no dannage. The universal joint telescopes like a PTO shaft. You can tell in 10 seconds if that is the problem just standing beside truck where you can see steering wheel and front wheeel on drivers side while turning the wheel. If you have an inch or more play in wheel without moving that front wheel it is that universal joint.

The steering does wander some. Will have to check out the steering free play. The steering wheel does not shake during the wobble. In fact there is no wobble, its a gigantic shake and it can start at 30 mph. This pickup does have 244,000 miles and I dont think anything has been done to it from the tie rods and up.

 

[timcasbolt]

My 91 D250 started doing that. There was a steering stabilizer in there, but had a lot of miles on it. I put a new one on and the problem never reappeared.

 

[RusselAZ]

At minimum the track bar is bad.

 

[Clarence Slydell]

(quoted from post at 18:14:52 07/27/19) If all the tierod ends are good, and
there is no damage to the frame
around the steering box, [b:0046bf54d2]a steering
stabilizer should cure your problem[/b:0046bf54d2].

The bolded should say "mask your problem".

 

[Clarence Slydell]

(quoted from post at 23:25:01 07/27/19) It's an easy fix. Get a Luke's Link for it. Read about them in the link. They are not expensive and will stop the death wobble. We've used them on a couple of trucks and they do work. A good alignment shop may have them on
hand.
Lukes Links

This is right.

 

[Hobo,NC]

(quoted from post at 08:39:52 07/28/19)

(quoted from post at 18:55:01 07/27/19) It's an easy fix. Get a Luke's Link for it. Read about them in the link. They are not expensive and will stop the death wobble. We've used them on a couple of trucks and they do work. A good alignment shop may have them on
hand.
Lukes Links

Once again Lukes stated it works on a y 4x4. Mine is 2x4. Will have to make a call.

2WD with a solid front axle use a track bar. Ones with conventional A arms/coil springs do not use a track bar.

Google 98 dodge 3500 front suspension parts diagram

 

[fixerupper]

(quoted from post at 06:04:21 07/28/19)

(quoted from post at 08:39:52 07/28/19)

(quoted from post at 18:55:01 07/27/19) It's an easy fix. Get a Luke's Link for it. Read about them in the link. They are not expensive and will stop the death wobble. We've used them on a couple of trucks and they do work. A good alignment shop may have them on
hand.
Lukes Links

Once again Lukes stated it works on a y 4x4. Mine is 2x4. Will have to make a call.

Well I will have my son crawl under there for a peek. Most of the miles this pickup gets is for parts chasing for his truck business anyway.
2WD with a solid front axle use a track bar. Ones with conventional A arms/coil springs do not use a track bar.

Google 98 dodge 3500 front suspension parts diagram

 

[Leroy]

Steering wheel does not shake, stays perfectly still, the play in that joint is as far up as the shake gets.