Experienced my first Death Wobble today

"Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey" (dingersghost) 06/23/2015 at 23:19 • Filed to: None

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Although it is a known issue with the Super Duty trucks, I have never had one try to murder me until today.

So, in case you did not know, the Ford Super Duty pickups have a solid front axle. An issue with a solid front on a vehicle is the greater possibility of what is known as death wobble, which is a violent shake in the front end resulting from many causes, often worn components. It is fairly common with the Super Duty, and it has been an issue for years. The problem is, there are a variety of ways to fix it. The other problem is, not every truck will wobble. I’ve driven countless SD trucks now, both gas and Diesel, across numerous model years, and have never once had it happen.

Today it happened 4 times in the same truck, twice while on the interstate.

It’s terrifying.

You’re just driving along, minding your own business, when suddenly you feel as if you’ve driven into a paint shaker which is inside a concrete mixer. It’s violent, it’s sudden, and it can possibly make you lose control. Why? Usually nothing more than a bump in the road or a pothole. I’m glad I knew ahead of time that these trucks can do this, and it is a thought in my mind every time I get behind the wheel of one. I managed to calmly bring the truck back under control whenever it happened, even as difficult as that is.

My method? White knuckle the steering wheel, let off the throttle, and slow the truck with steady braking. All while looking in every direction around to know if I have a possible exit route from traffic. The shaking seems to get much worse before it gets better, and usually stops around forty MPH.

Here’s a good example of SD death wobble. This is an older truck, about an ‘06. The truck I drove today was a ‘13, so it is possible with any of the SD trucks. It’s also common on multiple other vehicles, like heavy duty Dodge pickups and Jeeps like the Cherokee (XJ) or Wrangler

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/23/2015 at 23:31

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Interesting, the guy in the video never put his right hand on the wheel.

That looks scary though.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 06/23/2015 at 23:33

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I don’t understand how he managed that either. I mean, I am not really the smallest guy on Earth, but there was no way I could rope it in one handed.

Wobbles the Mind > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/23/2015 at 23:35

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Wow, that is great to know about!

Side note, Death Wobbles is my evil alter ego.

Frank Grimes > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 06/23/2015 at 23:36

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this bothered me.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/23/2015 at 23:52

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I’ve watched this video several times and it’s still rather scary. But why no 2 hands on the wheel?

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/23/2015 at 23:54

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IFS cars can get the wobble too. We call it “the shimmy”. Not as severe as jeep/ford death wobble but it feels like the calipers, control arms are trying to escape the car.

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/24/2015 at 00:14

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Is it possible in an SUV with a solid rear axle, but a independent front suspension?

I drive a first gen mercury mountaineer, so I just would like to know if it's possible.

HammerheadFistpunch > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man 06/24/2015 at 00:22

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Not likely, but anything is possible

HammerheadFistpunch > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/24/2015 at 00:23

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Its a known issue with the xj for sure, but ive never heard of it ever on a land cruiser with solid front axle...geometry?

Destructive Tester > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/24/2015 at 00:49

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For all the awful things my SD did did to me, at least it. Never tried to kill me... I just noticed, the truck in the video couldn't have been more than a couple of years old. I think they want to that front end around 05 and the video was taken in early 07.

Dunnik > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/24/2015 at 00:51

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Fun, eh?

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/24/2015 at 01:45

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my solid front axle land cruiser shakes the steering wheel at 50 MPH because the tires aren’t balenced and then the whole truck vibrates at anything over 70MPH because it needs a double cardan drive shaft installed, but damn that is worse than I ever would have imagined.

PS9 > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 06/24/2015 at 08:30

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Because Death wobble is no match for a real truck drivin ‘MURICAN

...for real though, he should have two handed.

Nobi > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/24/2015 at 08:38

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It can happen in anything with a solid front axle, and is even more likely to happen on one with coil sperings as opposed to leaf. After months of swapping parts out, I finally got it fixed on my fiancee’s WJ Grand Cherokee. To get rid of it, I replaced: Track bar busings with polyurethane, steering stabilizer with a newer, larger unit, all 4 ball joints, some new tires, and a good 4 wheel alignment. Hers was just like that Super Duty. Hit one bump just right, and the entire front end felt like it was struggling to leave the vehicle. Two hands full of white knuckles every time.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Wobbles the Mind 06/24/2015 at 09:01

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It is definitely a good thing to know about, especially if you spend any time with anything solid front axle

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 06/24/2015 at 09:01

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I’m not sure. Gigantic cojones? Tiny brain?

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man 06/24/2015 at 09:03

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I haven’t heard of solid rear axles causing death wobble. I think the reason solid front axles cause it is because they also steer and there are a lot more moving parts. In a rear axle, there are far fewer moving components so everything is pretty well contained

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Nobi 06/24/2015 at 09:08

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After reading about it, I have seen that it is definitely more common with coil springs. I think leafs hold the axle in place better as they are less likely to flex laterally. A lot of older trucks had solid fronts with leafs, older Fords and Dodges particularly (in keeping with my example) and I’ve never heard of them wobbling like this.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 06/24/2015 at 09:09

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Oh yes, this is far from a shake. This is more like an earthquake.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Destructive Tester 06/24/2015 at 09:10

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No the truck wasn’t very old at all, definitely an 05 or 06.

The truck I drove yesterday was a 2013 with maybe 25k miles on it.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > HammerheadFistpunch 06/24/2015 at 09:14

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I’m not sure. I know death wobble is more likely to occur on coil spring suspensions, like the SD trucks and XJ. Are Land Cruisers on leafs or coils up front?

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/24/2015 at 09:18

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Probably the second one.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Dunnik 06/24/2015 at 09:18

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No, haha not at all. I honestly think I should have won a belt buckle or too for that rodeo.

Destructive Tester > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/24/2015 at 09:25

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That's crazy, I could understand this happening with a truck with 200,000 miles and non-existent bushings but there is no way in hell this should be acceptable on a truck with 25k on the clock... Seems like something the NHTSA should look into, oh wait...

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Destructive Tester 06/24/2015 at 09:42

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The thing is, Ford even knows it’s an issue. But there are so many things that can cause it that there almost is no true fix. Plus, when everything is working as it should, it works very well.

Destructive Tester > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/24/2015 at 10:17

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I just read your response below, I forgot that it was most prevalent on ones with coils. Mine was an ‘01 with leafs, I guess I lucked-out on that one...

Also you can ad the HD Rams to the list of affected trucks...

HammerheadFistpunch > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/24/2015 at 10:28

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Looked into it and it turns out it happens, but it seems to mostly happen as a result of loose u bolts on leaf sprung trucks, though it does also appear to happen on coil sprung ones too...must be pretty rare though cause I almost never hear about it happening.

Gonemad > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/24/2015 at 10:42

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I tried to find some gifs to understand it , but I found a Jpeg...

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/24/2015 at 10:47

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Yup! When I bought my XJ it had it. Various parts later and its “fixed” / band-aided. Track bar, steering box, wheel bearing, finally a new steering stabilizer “fixed” it. Hasn’t come back, but I know the stabilizer is a fix, not a cause. Going 70, hitting a bump and having the steering freak out like this is NOT fun. At least now I don’t have to worry about it.

Imirrelephant > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/24/2015 at 13:42

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I had a ‘75 F100 with 33” tall tires that would do this. The first time it happed was a very code brown moment! Fortunately the power steering was pretty highly boosted, but it was no picnic.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Destructive Tester 06/24/2015 at 14:33

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Yes coils sprung HD Rams do death wobble too.

And an 01 is on leafs? They must have switched it in the next generation

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Gonemad 06/24/2015 at 14:34

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Thats pretty true.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 06/24/2015 at 14:36

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I can’t imagine it at 70. It was scary enough at 55. Although, that was a 3/4 ton pickup as opposed to a Jeep. You start getting that big of a truck shaking and it is just downright violent.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Imirrelephant 06/24/2015 at 14:39

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Oh man. That doesn’t sound fun at all.

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/24/2015 at 14:51

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yup, though at 70 you still have to slow all the way down to about 50 or so to get it to stop. all of which is very fun on the freeway. At least it doesn’t do it anymore.....for now.

Destructive Tester > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 06/24/2015 at 14:52

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Yeah, the '99-'04's were leafs all around. It didn't make for a great ride but considering the alternative...

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Destructive Tester 06/24/2015 at 14:55

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Super Duty and great ride are two things that do not belong together.

careel > Nobi 06/24/2015 at 16:02

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It looks to me like resonance. the detonant is some impact that sends the first wave to the tire. As these “duties” have heavy tires and rims and a solid axle the non suspended mass is heavier in this vehicle than in others, and the shock absorbers can not manage the wave and the entire package starts to vibrate out of control.

Nobi > careel 06/24/2015 at 16:11

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Exactly, but it’s never just the shocks, or just the ball joints, or just the steering stabilizer. It’s usually a perfect storm of many things worn out at once that causes this.

careel > Nobi 06/25/2015 at 13:51

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I agree, as many things in life, there is a conjunction of events that have a “partnership” in this wobbling.