Ford Death Wobble?

[KK4YZ]

Originally Posted by kbmwrs

Same here.


Seems what I'm reading the wobble is on 4x4 solid front axle Fords.

I have a 2WD I-beam front on my '17 F-250...never had the wobble.

Just clarification on the discussion topic.

Wobble can happen on any solid front axle vehicle. Not just Fords. There’s just more Fords on the road...

[KK4YZ]

Originally Posted by Dennis C

It looks like a scary problem. I can’t imagine experiencing that cruising down the highway towing my Airstream. I can’t imagine the stress of worrying that it might happen.

“What me worry?”😀
Have there been any cases of the vehicle going out of control and causing an accident due to the wobble? I haven’t heard of any. That’s not to say they don’t exist. And I wonder what percentage of Ford SuperDuties get it?
I figure if I experience it, I’ll take it back to Ford under warranty. If that doesn’t work, I’ll take it to the specialty shop in Buford, GA. It is correctable.

[ForteePlus]

2019 F250 Diesel with 20k (*not* a 4x4) and no issues. I will say it’s in the back of my head whenever I hit a bump in a turn on the interstate, but it hasn’t happened. The 4x2’s have independent front suspension so from what I gather it is not an issue, and I’m fine with that!

[Landshark]

Towed and used as a daily driver a 2008 Ford F250 diesel SuperDuty 4wd until selling in 2019 and never had even a hint of the death wobble.

Also have a 75 Ford F150, bought new and still own, and no death wobble.

Also an 85? Ford F250 gasser owned about 10? years and no death wobble.

I think you're all imagining things! LOL!

Vivian

[Cowbell]

I have a 2019 F350. 18,000 miles.
The wobble has started. Now twice in the last month.
Never had any problem with my Ram 2500.
I’ll be calling the dealer tomorrow for service on this issue.
I did receive an email from Ford within the last two months regarding this issue. At least they have finally acknowledged it!

[Dennis C]

Originally Posted by KK4YZ

“What me worry?”😀
Have there been any cases of the vehicle going out of control and causing an accident due to the wobble? I haven’t heard of any. That’s not to say they don’t exist. And I wonder what percentage of Ford SuperDuties get it?
I figure if I experience it, I’ll take it back to Ford under warranty. If that doesn’t work, I’ll take it to the specialty shop in Buford, GA. It is correctable.

I have no idea. I don’t know the stats.

I’ve always been a GMC truck guy. I think I’ll just stick with that.

[gypsydad]

Death wobble...it takes these mfg's a bit of time to admit their problems...I remember the automatic tail gate problem few years ago when mine was new...that was a big issu!"e. Took me 3 months to get Ford to pick up the tab on that one; mine came open while stopped at a McDonalds; when I ramped onto the interstate in Utah, a trucker pulled up next to me on the interstate and waved me over...he ran back and asked if I always drive with my tailgate open? Sure enough, it had opened somehow back at McDonalds and when I exited the driveway the open tailgate crunched into my propane cover and bottles. The crunch dented the tailgate, the AS cover, and the bottles at the top where the securing device holds them in place. I called Ford and asked them "what if this happened on the highway and some cargo fell out and caused another car to wreck"; the gal from Ford Corp. said, "Ford doesn't deal in hypotheticals!" By the time I got Ford to pick up the cost of repair, the dealer had 4 others complaining of same issue. At least they fixed it, but what a hassle.

[kbmwrs]

Originally Posted by KK4YZ

Wobble can happen on any solid front axle vehicle. Not just Fords. There’s just more Fords on the road...

OK...but as I stated a I-Beam front suspension on a Ford is NOT a solid axle. Therefore my question is whether this 'wobble' is affecting only solid front axle trucks(...see not only Fords) as in 4x4s rather than twin I-beam suspension?

Have any 2wd FORDS been infected with this wobble?

[xyzabe]

Originally Posted by KK4YZ

Well, maybe you lead a relatively sheltered life😀 it’s a joke don’t get mad.
I don’t do any real off-roading or try crazy stuff with my truck but I can recall at least 3 instances in recent memory where I was glad to have 4wd. 2 times just pulling out of a spot that got real muddy after a few days of rain. Another time just the other day I parked the truck to go kayaking. One rear wheel ended up on some soft sand & debris. When we went to leave that wheel just spun. 4wd made it effortless to get out, otherwise I’d be putting stuff under that tire and messing around to get traction. Unloaded trucks are very light on the rear wheels and easy to get stuck.

Not mad at all. You and everyone is entitled to their opinion (even when they are wrong)

I got into more issues with the first 4X4 I drove, at a scout camp as quartermaster. Would get stuck about 1/2 the time taking a short cut through what we would call sugar sand. The following year we had a RWD only pickup and I quickly learned how to scope out a route and get through. Only got stuck once or twice. I learned 4X4 gives a false sense of security.


When I do off road (4x4 trails outside of Sedona, AZ, dirt ruts in bush Alaska) I took my time and s-l-o-w-l-y picked my way through. Those trips sometimes involved pulling someone in a 4x4 off the rocks, out of what could best be described as pits of dust, back on the road, or once, out of a mud hole. It comes down to experience and not rushing.

I do admit there are times when 4x4 does come in handy, but having seen too many 4wheelers stuck or in accidents because of overconfidence I'm not sold on it anymore. Saying that, my wife is looking at buying a new Bronco, but that is more because she enjoys driving a manual transmission. Besides we can load her kayak on it better than a Mustang or her Porsche.

No matter what you drive, remember to keep the shiny side up and watch out for smokey!

N9XGZ

[xyzabe]

Originally Posted by kbmwrs

OK...but as I stated a I-Beam front suspension on a Ford is NOT a solid axle. Therefore my question is whether this 'wobble' is affecting only solid front axle trucks(...see not only Fords) as in 4x4s rather than twin I-beam suspension?

Have any 2wd FORDS been infected with this wobble?

This is a 4x4 issue. Virtually all Ford truck forums report it only with 4x4. In a RWD the issue would likely be from 1) worn suspension parts, 2) worn or broken shocks, 3) worn tires, 4) out of round tires or 5) bent rims.

I put over 250K miles on a 2016 RWD Lariat Supercrew 5.0L and did have an issue. Turned out it was 2 out of round tires from the factory. Dealer replaced all 4 and no issues (but I did have balance checks with every tire rotation). So I wouldn't worry about it, just maintain your truck.

[crispyboy]

Not to hi-jack the thread but I use 4wd weekly. It comes in very handy when pulling trailers up gravel driveways, across grass areas etc.... 4wd low is great for when you have to pull the Airstream up on a tall set of blocks to level it or I also use it to back my trailer across my yard so I don't tear up the grass. You can go tractor speed slow and there is much less stress on the transmission.

As for the death wobble issue I have only experienced it once in a CJ5 that had oversized tires and no steering stabilizer.
I typically error on the side of preventative maintenance. When the ball joints and track bar in my Dodge truck were worn I went with Carli ball joints (the design of the Dodge and Ford are very similar). These seem twice as stout as the OEM balljoints and trackbar. Along with the correct zero toe in alignment and proper castor my truck steers like brand new. Sadly the aftermarket often has more robust solutions than OEM's.

[Bgibbs]

Something about having the steering box mounted on body with all other steering components mounted to frame.

[1957Custom22]

Interesting discussion. I first experienced “death wobble” in a Jeep over half a century ago. I took it to the Willys dealer, who removed some shims from the steering knuckles, which pre-loaded the tapered-roller bearings that were used back then as king pins (before ball joints).

Tighter king pins helped, but the ultimate fix was to bolt on a hydraulic steering stabilizer. These were aftermarket add-ons back then, but they now seem to be standard factory equipment on modern 4-wheel-drives with solid front axles.

In other words, “death wobble” isn’t unique to Ford, and the ultimate fix seemingly hasn’t changed in over half a century — hydraulic steering stabilizers. Like hydraulic shock absorbers (their close relatives), such stabilizers need replacement if they lose their mojo.

Wikipedia articles on “self-oscillation,” “speed wobble,” and “hunting oscillation” describe much the same problem, first noted in the late 1800’s by railroads when passenger train speeds were increasing. If you look underneath modern Amtrak railcars, you’ll see hydraulic dampers that look much like steering stabilizers, even though railcars are self-steering.

[KK4YZ]

Originally Posted by 1957Custom22

Interesting discussion. I first experienced “death wobble” in a Jeep over half a century ago. I took it to the Willys dealer, who removed some shims from the steering knuckles, which pre-loaded the tapered-roller bearings that were used back then as king pins (before ball joints).

Tighter king pins helped, but the ultimate fix was to bolt on a hydraulic steering stabilizer. These were aftermarket add-ons back then, but they now seem to be standard factory equipment on modern 4-wheel-drives with solid front axles.

In other words, “death wobble” isn’t unique to Ford, and the ultimate fix seemingly hasn’t changed in over half a century — hydraulic steering stabilizers. Like hydraulic shock absorbers (their close relatives), such stabilizers need replacement if they lose their mojo.

Wikipedia articles on “self-oscillation,” “speed wobble,” and “hunting oscillation” describe much the same problem, first noted in the late 1800’s by railroads when passenger train speeds were increasing. If you look underneath modern Amtrak railcars, you’ll see hydraulic dampers that look much like steering stabilizers, even though railcars are self-steering.

My dad had an old 1961 Rambler that had a front suspension without ball joints. “Knuckle Pins” and “trunnions “ is what I recall. It would shimmy (death wobble) when going over RR tracks. Replaced front end parts on both sides and it worked well....for a time.....

[lento]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

I see that the current video from KYD concerns the Ford death wobble on their 2019 F-250. The front end starts a violent shaking. There's YouTube videos of poor quality that show it on the road, It looks like the front end is shaking apart.
I'm curious how many of you Ford owners have experienced it and if you've found a solution.
I don't think Ford has a handle on the problem, or at least the solution.
I don't think it's unique to the F-250 but all Ford pickups.

I have a 2019 F150 XLT Sport 4x4 with 32,000 miles. No front end issues at all so far and I’ve driven it over some pretty rough roads. It also has the Extreme Tow Package.

[JonDNC]

Originally Posted by lento

I have a 2019 F150 XLT Sport 4x4 with 32,000 miles. No front end issues at all so far and I’ve driven it over some pretty rough roads. It also has the Extreme Tow Package.

Issue does not apply to any F150

[1957Custom22]

To KK4YZ: I too had a 1961 Rambler (what are the odds?) back then, at the same time as my Jeep. The front suspension gave constant trouble, despite regular greasing and gentle driving. The king pin trunnions had threaded steel-on-steel wearing surfaces that wore rapidly. By contrast, Willys used Timken tapered roller bearings as king pins on 4-wheel-drive Jeeps.

I learned how to replace Rambler trunnion assemblies myself, after being unable to find a front-end shop willing to work on them. The Rambler dealer sold so many replacements that the guy at the parts counter could remember the part number without looking it up. Rambler finally redesigned its poor front suspension a year or two later.

I’ve never owned a Ford vehicle (or a share of Ford stock), but based on my personal Jeep experience, I wouldn’t readily blame “death wobble” on inadequate Ford engineering or manufacturing. Generally “death wobble” seems to afflict all solid-front-axle 4-wheel-drives. Generally the remedy seems to include bigger or better hydraulic steering dampers.

[Moflash]

2017 F350 6.7 TD 4X4 Supercrew 8ft box with Bilstein 5100 shocks.. In May with 30,500 miles Ford installed a new upgraded steering dampener. In July, I noticed a pop in the steering wheel when the vehicle was stationary and the wheel was turned right to left.A Ford dealer inspected and found track bar bushing to be completely wore out. Had them checked along with other components, and they were ok. Tire wear plays a big role in the death wobble also. Any uneven wear and you will experience the wobble.I rotate the 20inch Michelin's every oil change as preventative maintenance item.Also be forewarned if you have the FX4 package which include cheap Chinese substandard Ranch shocks upgrading to the Bilstein 5100's is a welcome upgrade. These are the shocks that should have come with this truck.

[Gigler]

I recently had Ford address my death wobble issues and the problem went way beyond the steering stabilizer and dampeners. Ford actually sent a nester tech from Michigan with parts and programs for the entire steering system on my F-350. FORD HAS REPAIRED THE PROBLEM and my steering feels better than it did when I first took delivery. I won’t go into great detail about what the fox entailed but I will respond to comments on this thread as I see people commenting about possible causes and fixes.

[Gigler]

I STRONGLY recommend that when you take your truck in for repair that you choose a dealer that sells and repairs commercial trucks and not some little mom and pop shop that primarily sells cars. I write from my recent experiences dealing with such dealers.