Help, my dually is acting like a basketball!

T

twentyferrvalve

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Aug 25, 2013
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Hey everyone, before anyone makes me look like an inexperienced fool and directs me to the search bar, just know that I am apologizing in advance for cluttering the forum with quite possibly a common issue, BUT, I have been searching for over two hours now and I figured it was time to give in, ive typed in every key word relating to my issue and have found some good information but all in all a dead end street cause there wasn't really any that seemed to have the exact situation im in, anyway. I picked up another dually from a used car dealer today, a 99 extended cab oddly enough it only has 74,000 miles but I am under the impression it did a lot of plowing and sitting, I was on interstate 287 in North jersey and hit a bridge joint and my front end went up, came back down and proceeded to act like a basketball to the point where I would put money on it that my two front wheels left the ground more than once, went on for a good 60-70 feet before it quit. now I have had death wobble before on my old truck and other shakey front end issues which I also have now but never anything that severe. Also I am not certain if this problem can also relate to my other problem of when im slowing down to a red light, as soon as I slow to about 20 mph and under the truck shakes something awful until I get under 5mph then it quits, and when I start again it shakes terribly but then stops usually before it even shifts out of 1st gear, my question for that is if it is front end or transmission related. again I apologize for not keeping on with the search bar but like I said I was able to gather some info/ideas but not quite enough, any help would be much appreciated. thanks! :bang
 
I was thinking possibly carrier bearing as the issue for the slowing down and starting, the odd thing is the longer I drove the truck home the less of an issue I had with the bad vibration/wobble. but the trucks front wheels bouncing like a trampoline has in fact not gotten any better.
 
front end issue is most likley bad shocks .... have the drive line spun balanced and or ... put the ebrake on and put in N and manually check drive shaft ur self ... F and Rear ... also if you have the avaliableility ( cant spell that ) , jack up one side at a time and shake wheel front to back .... might need someone to look under to see the slack ... betting all the weight has blown ball joints and outter tie rod ends and idlers ... lotts of weight will kill these parts quick .... dont buy cheep replacments either
 
The shocks were gonna be the first I changed because the truck only had one owner and im willing to bet that those shocks, along with all other front end parts are the stocks from 74,000 and 14 years ago, thanks for the help 4x4....much appreciated ill check them at my shop in the morning.
 
The ball joints are ****ed. Thats where death wobble lives.

The see sawing is dead shocks.

I'd put money on your whole front end is hammered.
 
oh I wouldn't be doubting you, although it isn't much of a death wobble, for the most part shes pretty solid at any speed, but when its slowing down its starts to shake, feels like driveline more than front end, but the seesawing is catastrophic to say the least
 
That's how death wobble lights off usually. Is foot off the throttle deceleration when the fronts hot a bump or expansion joint or something to start the occilation cycle.


Makes me think your using the term death wobble as a general shake. It's not. Death wobble is when the front tires cycle uncontrollably. And basically rip the steering wheel out of your hands. It'll break your fingers if they're in the spokes.
 
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Regardless.

You have said yourself. Life as a plow truck. Original parts. Sounds like you answered your own question.

It's easy to inspect and confirm though I'd the front end is hammered or not. Every joint between your hands and the tires needs to be verified.
 
Shocks need replaced...... Then I start with driveshaft u-joints and carrier bearing. If that dont fix it steering linkages especially tracbar. Last replace balljoints and hubs. Hopefully shocks and u-joints fix it. Big $$$$ in hubs and balljoints.
 
Yeah ...... life as a plow truck is ruff on front ends ...... that's why I have a set always on the shelf for the f250 ... nota question of if but when .... hope all the suggerstions help ya friend
 
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