my death wobble story

[wellsit]

like my sig says, 07 f350 cc LB with 6" fabtech lift and 37" tires. I've had the lift for about a year and 11,000 miles. Since it was installed I noticed a little drift while cruising down the freeway. The past 4 months I started noticing a minor shimmy or shudder in the front end while going over uneven road surfaces.

about a month ago I experienced a noticeable wobble in the front that got my attention. About 2 weeks ago I almost drove off the road while towing due to a violent wobble in the front. It shook so hard that I couldn't control the truck. I was going about 40 at the time and all I could do was slam on the brakes to slow down as fast as possible. This event scared me b/c I had my kids in the truck.

I came to this site to do some research and found the problem usually centers around the track bar. I took it to the shop that installed the lift and they found about 3/8 - 1/2" of play where the track bar bolts to the drop bracket. I guess this is the bolt that takes 400 lb/ft of torque?

The shop checked the bolt and found that it was torqued properly. They then made some calls to Fabtech and to the shop's distribution center. Fabtech told them to have me go back to Ford and reference the steering oscillation TSB. I didn't want to do this because I knew the play in the track bar was the culprit, not the steering gear box.
They were also told by their distribution facility that the Fabtech drop bracket for the track bar is a nice machined and powder coated piece. The OEM piece is rough. They suggested removing the crush sleeve that the bolt goes through and scoring some grooves into it so that it'll bite. The shop went one step further and scraped off some powder coat and roughed up the steel on the drop bracket.

While I had it in, I had them install a dual steering stabilizer too. This plus the work to the track bar bracket have completely eliminated any wander, shimmy or wobble in the front end.

For those of you with lifts that utilize a new drop bracket for the track bar, especially those with Fabtech. If you experience the "death wobble", I'd suggest looking at the bolt where the track bar mounts to the new drop bracket. Make sure the surfaces are rough and the bolt is properly torqued.

[Ryan Rønning]

Very good and useful info.

Very nice looking truck by the way!

[Lonno]

Good info bud.

[bigd4x4]

I've got the same lift. I haven't had the death wobble but have had to torque that bolt twice for a clunk in the front end. I did have the dual steering stabalizer from the start. Maybe that's what saved me.

[polarisrmk800]

I have the same lift on my 06 I just bought on 11-28-08 and I am new to these trucks where is the track bar so I can check it.

[lifewitlooie]

Originally Posted by polarisrmk800

I have the same lift on my 06 I just bought on 11-28-08 and I am new to these trucks where is the track bar so I can check it.

I believe its the bar underneath the front end that runs perpendicular to your trucks frame. right in the front between the wheels

[polarisrmk800]

does any one have a picture of the track bar?

[bismic]

Here ya go ...

https://www.motorcraftservice.com/pu...20/S6OMAIN.HTM

Follow the path below:

2: Chassis
04: Suspension (click on "04: suspension")

SECTION 204-01B: Front Suspension — Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) (click on this menu item)

REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION

Ball Joint — Track Bar (click on this menu item)

[wellsit]

Bismic, great link, thanks for sharing.

This image shows the area in question.


On my lift, the drop bracket had to be roughed up as well as the eye on the end of the track bar.

If you plan to do this yourself, get a big breaker bar. The bolt needs to be torqued to 400 ft/lbs.

[k2davis1]

Is that what causes "the clunk" it is starting to drive me crazy. Spent like 2 hours under the truck tryin to find somethin loose.