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  1. #1
    Seasoned Camper Lingerlonger's Avatar
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    Ford Super Duty front end "Death Wobble"

    Anyone have a known/proven solution (or combination of solutions) for the Ford Super Duty front end "Death Wobble?"

    I have a 2011 F250 CC 4WD short bed, 6.2L gas. At approximately 60 mph (or higher) when I hit a pothole or pavement abutment,
    I get the violent shaking of the front end. Only way to stop it has been to slow down to about 40 MPH and it will settle back down.

    I had the steering stabilizer replaced ($140) and replaced the ball joint for track bar ($190). Didn't fix it.
    Took it to the Ford dealer and they replaced both draglink ends and did a full suspension alignment ($1000).
    Didn't fix it; it's maybe even worse now - happens more often.

    Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

    K
    Ken & Wilma
    Central Maryland
    2014 Reflection 337RLS #439
    2011 F250 CC 4x4

  2. #2
    Seasoned Camper mksnyder's Avatar
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    A Dodge? (ducking and backing slowly out of the room)...In all seriousness, it appears that the industry and the manufacturer are aware of it, it's all over the Internet. There is a place in the Northeast that markets a product that they say 'cures' the exact problem you are experiencing. WC Motorsport, with an aftermarket device. Not sure of the price or if it really works, but might be worth looking into...

    As my step-father was always fond of saying..."they're all great when they are running, and they're all junk when they aren't"
    Marlin & Laree Snyder
    Piper (Golden Retriever)
    Baker City, OR

    2016 Reflection 337RLS (Piper's new dog house that she condescends to allow humans to inhabit occasionally)
    2016 Dodge RAM 3500 Shortbox Mega Cab 6.7L Diesel SRW
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  3. #3
    Long Hauler LCBoyer's Avatar
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    My Jeep did that. New tires cured it
    2018 Freedom Elite 24FE, 2 Yorkies, and my wife MARILYN, HAM call K0LCB. Traveling around this great country, making friends and seeing lot of beautiful and interesting places

  4. #4
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    Have had lots of experience with this! Sometimes a steering stabilizer cures it, sometimes loose wheel bearings are contributors, but tires are mostly responsible. First, do your wheels contact the hub on the inner diameter? If so, good! You can get them balanced on a quality balancer to 0.1 oz. on each rim. If they are lug-centric (not contacting the hub), you need to find a shop with bolt pattern adapters for good balancing. Another solution is to do the balancing as above, them do a dynamic strobe balance on the truck. It is amazing how this solves problems. This all needs decent tires and tight parts, as Ken did. Hunters newer balancers use a Smart Weight system, which minimizes the amount of weight used, and their Road Force balancer is a huge problem solver also.
    AKA Steve and Lynne
    Storm the Black Lab
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  5. #5
    Seasoned Camper Lingerlonger's Avatar
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    From all the things I have read about this issue, I think this is the first time I've heard about tires......

    Mine are due for replacement. Hope that'll fix it.
    As far as I recall, this started happening within 3 yrs, maybe 36K miles on the original tires. I have 58K miles on them now,
    with plenty of tread left, but they are old enough to be in danger of dry rot issues.

    K
    Ken & Wilma
    Central Maryland
    2014 Reflection 337RLS #439
    2011 F250 CC 4x4

  6. #6
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    Jeeps seem to be the vehicle most common, many times it is big tires on very small steering linkage parts!
    AKA Steve and Lynne
    Storm the Black Lab
    Reflection 337 RLS vin 573FR3628E3300393
    2008 Dodge Ram 2500 Quad Cab Longbox
    6.7 Cummins, 68 RFE transmission
    B and W Companion, Air Lifts

  7. #7
    Site Sponsor
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    If it is practical for you, try rotating tires front to rear. Does it change?
    AKA Steve and Lynne
    Storm the Black Lab
    Reflection 337 RLS vin 573FR3628E3300393
    2008 Dodge Ram 2500 Quad Cab Longbox
    6.7 Cummins, 68 RFE transmission
    B and W Companion, Air Lifts

  8. #8
    Site Sponsor dannysdaddy's Avatar
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    Bill seems to know what he's talking about with Ford Super Duty trucks

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb3bh96FVB8

    In another video he specifically mentions hub centric wheels. If the wheels don't ride on the hubs (like the factory designed wheels,) they can wear parts and contribute to the death wobble.
    Last edited by dannysdaddy; 08-23-2016 at 01:45 PM. Reason: additional info
    Dave & Becky
    Always camping with the K9s. The boys are grown and rarely join us anymore.
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    (now retired) Mildly massaged 2002 Ford Excursion 7.3L PSD

  9. #9
    Seasoned Camper Lingerlonger's Avatar
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    Thanks all.
    I'll go ahead and put on new tires and see what happens.
    Then back to the dealer if necessary, armed with these suggestions.

    K
    Ken & Wilma
    Central Maryland
    2014 Reflection 337RLS #439
    2011 F250 CC 4x4

  10. #10
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    Bill has a good style of presentation, and his showing of the modified lower arms is one way you increase caster, IF that is the problem. It has not been my experience that caster increase is the magic bullet. There are many aftermarket alignment products companies that make offset sleeves for the upper ball joints to change both caster and camber. I worked for one of these companies. Ford installs offset sleeves from the factory for camber only- if you have an alignment shop you trust, ask them how they change caster. I would bet the sleeves. Two major advantages to sleeves- WAY less expensive, and do not change the pinion angle on the front differential. Note to Bill- Dodge has used the coil spring and caster adjust cams on solid axles since 1994! Sometimes Ford is slow on the uptake. Sorry!
    AKA Steve and Lynne
    Storm the Black Lab
    Reflection 337 RLS vin 573FR3628E3300393
    2008 Dodge Ram 2500 Quad Cab Longbox
    6.7 Cummins, 68 RFE transmission
    B and W Companion, Air Lifts

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