Truck driving horrible. Need opinion.

Ipkyss · Jun 6, 2016

So the run down.
My 2015 f350. 21k miles. Stock rear suspension with ouo traction bars. Front has ouo ala's 4800lb coils and a 2" spacer which gives it 1" lift. 20x10 bmf wheels with 295/65/20 toyo at tires. I added the ala's and bmf wheels about 4k miles ago. At that point it was the best the truck ever drove. Over the last few thousand miles I have been getting some shake out of the front end. But it was minimal when hitting odd bumps or pot holes. This was happening slighly before which is why I added the ala's and adjusted the caster back to 5 degrees. I have put on almost a 1000 miles since Friday and it has got drastically worse. It's getting death wobble at highway speeds hitting bumps. It was just aligned Friday morning. Everything is tight including the track bar. Everything was good on the alignment machine. And the tires are wearing as flat and smooth as can be. I don't know what to do with it past this point. Adding a steering stabalizer is just a bandaid and I would like to fix the problem first.

CATDiezel · Jun 6, 2016

Death wobble can get really be traced to a traction bar. We have several late model superduties in my fleet at work which have all experienced death wobble.... until we rebuilt the front ends... specifically the traction bar bushings and related components.

When I see the name Ipkyss I instantly think of the movie "The Mask"

UNBROKEN · Jun 6, 2016

I haven't it happen but from everything I've read I'd look at the trac bar joint at the axle first.

Ipkyss · Jun 6, 2016

CATDiezel said:
Death wobble can get really be traced to a traction bar. We have several late model superduties in my fleet at work which have all experienced death wobble.... until we rebuilt the front ends... specifically the traction bar bushings and related components.

When I see the name Ipkyss I instantly think of the movie "The Mask"

I assume you mean track bar on the front end? It doesn't have the slightest movement or play right now.

And you nailed it on the screen name. Probably first time ever lol

WHY NOT · Jun 6, 2016

Have you tried Jacking the front truck crawling under it and having someone turn the steering wheel? I can't move my track bar by hand at all but my lower joint it junk, I need to change it here shortly. Also check all the lock nuts on the ALA's they need to be super tight. I don't think it would cause death wobble but good to check them just in case

CATDiezel · Jun 6, 2016

Ipkyss said:
I assume you mean track bar on the front end? It doesn't have the slightest movement or play right now.

And you nailed it on the screen name. Probably first time ever lol

Im sorry, I swear the smarter phones get the dumber autocorrect gets.... yes. TracBar. Not traction.

MrMike2010 · Jun 6, 2016

I'm going to agree with everyone above. Check that lower ball joint on the track bar. I trashed two over the years and it made driving over 50 mph frightening. With the truck on the ground, I had someone turn the wheel back and forth while I layed under it and watched that lower joint flop around.

CATDiezel · Jun 6, 2016

There was or still is a TSB on this very subject. Ford's solution was trac bar rebuild and check all joints for wear. Main ordeal was trac bar bushing.

We had one that would literally shake so violently it would try and throw you threw the side glass.... bushings were gone in trac bar. One ford dealer kept it for a week couldn't figure anything out. The other pointed out a TSB performed the work and it was cured. I drove the truck myself for a week before I let another driver take it. It is a 2011 F250 gasser

Profuzz · Jun 6, 2016

Ouo track bar joint

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sootie · Jun 7, 2016

Profuzz said:
Ouo track bar joint

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

they are on backorder. and will be for a while.

to the OP, check you drag link as well. it can be either the track rod joint or the drag link. Also, it may improve if you back your castor off to about 3 degrees...

bigrpowr · Jun 7, 2016

sootie said:
they are on backorder. and will be for a while.

to the OP, check you drag link as well. it can be either the track rod joint or the drag link. Also, it may improve if you back your castor off to about 3 degrees...

i may have one here i can loan you til you get yours. pm me .

sootie · Jun 7, 2016

bigrpowr said:
i may have one here i can loan you til you get yours. pm me .

^^^^i think that was meant for the OP

bigrpowr · Jun 7, 2016

sootie said:
^^^^i think that was meant for the OP

yes it was , thanks dear.

Ipkyss · Jun 7, 2016

Well shame on me. Only thing I can't do is the alignment on my truck. While it was there (friday) I said to make sure everything was perfect or don't do the alignment. Today I checked it with someone else moving the steering wheel and there was no visible or movement I could feel. Tonight after finishing the 1200 mile trip this weekend I finally got back to my shop. Grabbed a pry bar and I can move the lower joint all over the place. What a stupid set up. Now to figure out if I am going to just change the joint or make something better

CATDiezel · Jun 7, 2016

Is this a oem stock joint?

TyCorr · Jun 7, 2016

You can check alignment with a string.

dsberman94 · Jun 7, 2016

TyCorr said:
You can check alignment with a string.

Go on. Genuinely curious how this works

78f100 · Jun 7, 2016

I just bought the snap on ball joint press with the attachment for these joints. We have had several trucks come in with the same problem, all have been solved with a tb ball joint, and or new trac bar. You can change it yourself, go rent a ballpoint press and attachments from advance or auto zone, if you get creative you can get a regular press on it. Freeze the new one and it will help it go in easier.

Geralddunbar995 · Jun 7, 2016

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/chassi...-determining-wheel-alignment-string-your-car/

I believe this is the method TyCorr is talking about. My dad always did cars like this after doing suspension work to them. Its how i aligned my truck after the suspension lift.

Ipkyss · Jun 7, 2016

78f100 said:
I just bought the snap on ball joint press with the attachment for these joints. We have had several trucks come in with the same problem, all have been solved with a tb ball joint, and or new trac bar. You can change it yourself, go rent a ballpoint press and attachments from advance or auto zone, if you get creative you can get a regular press on it. Freeze the new one and it will help it go in easier.

i already have the snap on ball joint press. I have a lot if fords...:fustrate:
Is there a specific adaptor just for this? I bought every adapter available about three years ago