Have there ever been "Death Wobble" issues with the newer Rangers? We have a Flagstaff E-pro-20BHS and have only towed from dealer to our parking spot. Would like to know before we tow/camp outside of the local area.
I worked on Ford trucks that ran the Powerline roads across the desert. And F250 to F550. One of the biggest problems we had was the track Rod ball joint. This Rod parallels the steering linkage it goes from the power steering box out the steering knuckle. It's easy to check, with the engine off and the key in the second position have someone wiggle the steering wheel back and forth, while you're watching the track rod ball joint. You'll see it wiggle back and forth as the axle moves side to side. It's rare that the bushing goes bad usually just the ball joint end is loose. No need to install Double steering stabilizers, but they do a good job of masking the issue. You need a good ball joint press to change it out oh, you know the one you use an impact wrench on.... Retired LADWP mechanic
OK, I BELIEVE! Two and half years of Death Wobble on my 2016 Ford F 250 King Ranch --SOLVED!!! Love my truck, but HATED the Death Wobble, especially when we were towing our 33' Keystone Outback bumper pull trailer. I did exactly what you did, ordered the Icon Steering Stabilizer System. Installed it myself in one afternoon with normal hand tools (* had to get a pickle fork from Harbor Freight, because mine was too big to remove the stock steering stabilizer joint). Install is not too bad if you watch the installation video from Stage 3 Motorsports! Thanks for the great video and advice... I too am a believer in this system to eliminate DEATH WOBBLE...Good Job Sir! FYI - My handle is KEEP MY DAY JOB (in Sales)! Best job in the world for an RV'er.
We experienced the death wobble this past summer coming down a mountain with the trailer behind my F250. It is astonishing how many professionals know nothing about this. Thank you so much for the video and the technical recommendations. In my case, I feel more confident that my repairs will work but, it is good to know that a real fix is available. Bad choices on Ford's part that they should have such a suspension system .
I grew up working in my dad's garage back in the 60s. We use to replace a lot pitman arms because of this problem. It's been a problem on heavy duty trucks for decades.
Thank you for sharing improvements for the death wobble situation... informative AND enjoyable to watch!! Also, we really enjoyed your scenically gorgeous drive footage!!
Great content, excellent video! Thanks! FYI.... I drive a 2008 Ford F250, diesel with over 300,000 miles and tow a 38' Keystone Laredo travel trailer, and never had the death wobble. Yes, I do maintain my vehicle the way you're supposed to do it.
I had that same problem. I put on the steering stabilizer and I replaced the track bar with an upgraded after market one. Never had the problem again. Good video!
Great informative video today guys. I always enjoy how you guys not only point out the problem, but you let us know the solution. The snow background in Arizona was beautiful which made our kids go snow crazy. Both of our teenagers watched it several times, because they now want to ski there. Loved the video... Keep up the amazing work guys....
I’ve been behind the wheel of an F550 when death wobble happened. I worked at a dealership on the service rack. Just replaced all 6 tires using China made tires, tires balanced out perfectly so we gave the truck back to customer. They came back within an hour with the wobble. The test drive I went on had the steering wheel moving 90* in both directions just as quickly as in your videos. Was a pretty exciting ride to be on lol
Concise, accurate and understandable. Veteran Master Mechanic of 50 years who has faced this issue each and every of those years, and I'm tellin' ya. This is the correct method for most trucks with this issue.
I'll be honest - this issue (and Ford's apparent lack of a permanent fix for it) is affecting my decision to possibly get into a Ford Super Duty. Thanks for keeping everyone apprised of this issue, KYD!
It’s a pain. I think Ford already got hit with a lawsuit over the death wobble issue. The need to seriously focus on improving the joints. I spent a over 1500 with upgraded fox shocks to keep the joints from wearing out quickly
@@salxo9600 yeah I’m pretty sure your right about the lawsuits. My dad has a ‘19 f350, and he says it sometimes does it, though whenever I drive it I notice it bumps steers like crazy. But that could be the heavy service front suspension, idk. Apparently they fixed the death wobble problem in either the 2020s, or the upcoming 21s
Great Correction 💪🏼 Good suggestions in the comments too. Pretty much all Heavy Duty Trucks have some steering/ride issues. Most 4x4 and Overlanders make suspension upgrades like this. One of the best suggestions I've seen so far in the comments was, Not turning the steering wheel while sitting still or with the brake applied firmly. It's best to "Roll then Turn,..... Not Turn then Roll". This man said reduces the force applied to all the steering components drastically. Thanks to kyd and all the viewers of this channel, great information always. 💯💪🏼🇺🇸👌🏻❤️❤️❤️❤️
Reminds me of my Jeep (Just Empty Every Pocket) - continuous funds drain on dealing with death wobble. Stabilizers, joints, links ... nothing really cured it but a select set of parts did tame it. Good luck.
I went with the base shocks to correct my 2019 F250’s steering. I never had the death wobble, but certain potholes made for a scary ride. Literally would get knocked out of the lane. This kit is a must for any newer super duty.
Great video. I had a coworker in Colorado doing 80 down i25 when he had the DW. He took it to dealership and the put a whole new front end on. I'll definitely tell him about your set up
My Ford dealer replaced all of the front end components on mine after the 4th episode of the DW. I also put on a PMF Dual Steering Stabilizer with Bilstein shocks. That was 35k miles ago and the truck has not had any issues since.
I have begun experiencing the treaded DEATH WOBBLE on my 2019 F-250 4x4 . I have watched your SOLUTIONS to correcting this issue with your 2019 F-250 4x4! Great VIDEO and excellent repair and additions to your front steering and suspension. I have only 22,000 on my truck and this issue has finally come about. I have chosen to take my REPAIR a bit further than you did. I have ordered A DRAG LINK and a TRACK BAR, Manufactured by “KRYPTONITE”! I also ordered a Superlift Dual Stabilizer w/Bilestine Shocks! The cost of the parts were $1200.00 for the drag link and Track Bar.The cost of the Dual Stabilizer was $323.00. Labor will be $200.00 for the install and another $125.00 for the new Alignment, Total REPAIR COST will be $1,975.00 + Tax of course! I also really love the AIR ROIDE SUSPENSION and the 60 gallon Fuel Tank that you added. Those items will be my next projects! Thank YUou Bothe for your excellent videos, I really enjoy watching and listening to all of ya’ll’s great ideas, “Keep’em Coming!! Safe travels!!
We have a 2019 super duty that i had death wobble scare , I've requested our garage to watch this video to help us out I'm praying they can fix it , thanks for sharing
Just got my 2019 f250 back from ford fixing mine through the factory recall from Ford..Looking underneath it they added a single stabilizer…So far drives better than new.
In all seriousness, Ford Engineering needs to contact you for this solution. You have done an amazing job troubleshooting this and getting correct the RCA (Root Cause Analysis).
I'll sum up the Death Wobble quickly. It happens in every vehicle known to man and it occurs from worn parts and poor wheel alignment, NO other cause. Not to steal your thunder, but you yourself were on the right track when you said within the first 2 minutes that you had a worn pitman arm joint. I smiled because someone FINALLY said what always causes Death Wobble whether you realized it or not! By the way beautiful beautiful house, I love the lite up snow covered deck! Kudos to your repair shops in AZ (I'm in PA) for demonstrating the knowledge and competency well trained/experienced shops should have. Further in diagnosing Death Wobble in a vehicle, a properly trained Wheel Alignment shop technician should perform "pre-alignment" checks where they look for any worn suspension parts because if any components are "loose" you can't and wouldn't be aligning ANYthing! So if you have death wobble, any good alignment shop should pick up on what's wrong or worn. Finding a good alignment shop such as you found is not that easy however. Unfortunately your Ford only has 30,000 miles and has worn steering components so be prepared to replace them again in another 30,000 miles even though the wear and resulting shaking will be masked by the beefy steering stabilizer you installed. That's a nice setup and will aid handling but I'll caution other people reading and watching this,, adding steering stabilizers don't ever FIX death wobble, only replacing WORN parts as clearly demonstrated in this video. Kudos to you as well for showing this video. Tell your wife nice job on the push-ups and for having interest in the mechanics of a truck too!
On my '17 Super Duty, the DW started around 27k miles. It was into the dealer 4 times before Ford replaced everything in the front end. When I got the truck back from my dealer, everything in the front end was shiny black brand new. I also did the same thing Marc did with enhancing and improving the steering by installing a PMF dual steering stabilizer. So far at 43k miles, the DW hasn't reappeared.
But putting 30,000 miles on in a year, towing a trailer, mountains. It’s still a lot of work on a truck. Buy a 350k house. Still going to have to spend 30k to fix the roof in 20 years
Ram doesn't have that problem. : - D But seriously, to avoid your joints from prematurely going out, make sure you are moving before turning your wheels. I've noticed you turning your wheels while sitting. That puts tremendous pressures on your joints.
This issue is exactly why I purchased a Ram. Only to find out that the Ram gremlin is the CP4 (they just switched back to the CP3) Never knew that a single lemon would cost around $100k.
@@bellje6810 that's weird. I've only heard of certain years ford trucks doing it. I've never experienced this with any solid front axles. I own a older jeep, older suburban and an excursion all 4x4. Guess I've been lucky?
@@mudbud2550 You must be lucky. Any vehicle that has a solid front axle for their steering axle can exhibit this behavior. This includes Ford Super Duty, RAM Heavy Duty, and Jeep Wranglers. A cursory search will result in plenty of documentation showing all three models with this issue.
The bottom line is the manufacturers are aware of this problem and continually do nothing about it. If there are solutions that fix it. Why haven't they just "fixed it" before they sale the vehicles. If the customers can fix it for a few hundred to a couple thousand. So can the manufacturers. And probably bring down the cost. But at the end of the day. You're paying $80,000 up what would another 2 or 4 thousand in cost matter.
I agree with you on the current F250 being an absolutely awesome truck, I am a converted Chevy Guy. So I have a 2017 and at 60K I got the death wobble, local dealer tried to blow me off on it. Called a country dealer and they just laughed as they deal with 2 a day due to the bumpy roads. So I paid to put the kit in from Ford, it was cost shared not covered completely. I asked for the full TSB including the caster kits, one tie rod end and new damper. One year later it returned, dealer replaced the damper for free and 10 months later is just started again. Now I'm tired of going back for this one problem I am looking to put on the dual shock stabilizer. hopefully the company you used will offer a promo code, if they do I will buy one. I really think that the dual shock is the way to go. 100K on my truck and that has been the only reason to go to the dealer. Not too shabby.
Just fixed my death wobble in my 2019 f250. I went to Ford and they fixed it under a recall. It's under 3- 36k. Might check with Ford and see about this they have a fix too.
Ford replaces everything, except the drag link ends. Tires, shocks, ball joints, radius arm bushings, brake rotors, steering gear, etc. I just don’t know why they are so oblivious to this safety issue?
The latest Ford tactic is to take the truck in for analysis, or whatever, and just let it sit until the owner begs to have the truck back. I had a specific appointment on mine for this past week. When I got there the service people said they would need to have the truck for 2-3 weeks min just to do the analysis. I'm going to a local 4x4 shop now and we will work through this together.....
As an alignment technician for a Ford Dealer, I experianced this death wobble on late 80's early 90's model F-150 thru F-350 trucks with successful results with proper alignment settings without expensive stablizer kits being installed.
Carole, can you share what those settings would be from the factory settings? I have a 2013 4x4 F350 SRW doing the same thing after changing tires, shocks and a single stabilizer shock. thanks Mike
I had a Ford 2500 and on the freeway it didn't feel safe. I went to chevy 2500 and feel safe at 100 mph. It just drives much better. The ford death wobble in mine almost would knock yo off the road and has been around for at least 10 years.
@@michael1326 I didn't say anything about a trailer? I was making a point that the chevy drives much much better and to elaborate on that point in the Ford it felt dangerous at 80mph on the highway, on a sunny day without a trailer. In the chevy, it is not a consideration and I have hit the regulator and been surprised and that's with aftermarket oversize tires. If I hurt your ford feelings I will say I think the Ford did tow a little better. Chevy wins on the interior design and lack of death wobble in my opinion that's important.
I have that identical truck. White, platinum, F250 heavy duty. It has 39k but I just bought it in Dec. I’ll ask the man I bought it from if he had this issue fixed. Awesome video!! Thank you for sharing this fix with us.
Feeling a little bummed, where so much of the midwest and western states getting snow, and we're up here in southwestern Canada, and we've had none....well, the local weatherman says we've had a 'trace'! Well, one more month to go, as we 'can' get snow in February, so we'll have to wait and see!
My daughter lives in Flag, just graduated from NAU in November, it was neat to see all the snow that you got last week. Love following your adventures. Love to see you around town when I come out to visit her from Ohio
Trish makes this video with her reactions to the repair and his explanation of “tow in” “Oh really”. She’s so cute. “”It’s not like a loaf of fresh bread”
On my 2016 3500 Chevy HD Diesel it had the death wobble...I just took it to the dealership under warranty...they tried tightening a loose bolt on the steering, it didn’t work, took it back and they replaced the entire steering....fixed it completely. The death wobble is pretty scary when pulling a 38’ toy hauler! Like you guys i was very happy to have it all fixed!
i was ready to get a new 2021 F 250 Super Duty not sure now spending $70,000K and this happens then have to spend more money on suspension system not sure now.
Yes nobody seems to know that the caster is the real issue, then when you have a joint with a tiny bit of slob the death wobble shows itself, although the real problem is caster.
Exactly. I put the +2 degree Carli bushings in my new truck first thing. They are only about $60 and easy to install. It tracks down the road much better as well.
I recently ran into this problem with my 2018 F350. I'm going to be in AZ for a bit at the end of the month. I'm so going to contact the shops you used in Scottsdale. Thanks for all of this great info.
BTW, there's no need to unplug the cord to the engine block heater when you leave. You simply drive off and it will unplug itself. Ask me how I know! 😂😂😂
I used to have a 2002 F350 SD crew cab diesel to pull a 5th wheel RV but after one long trip we decided to buy a Diesel pusher. Fast forward to our current rig is a 2008 Newmar Kountry Star 3960 pulling a ATC 24' enclosed trailer. Its always challenge keeping up with maintenance. We just got back from a cross country trip from NJ to SF. Just love our country. anyway safe travels =.
It's common to all Dana and AAM 4x4 live axles, the design of the axle system makes it possible, there are a lot of single shear mounted bars in that system that can flex and oscillate, make it happen *just right* and, death wobble. Jeeps and Dodges do it more often to my knowledge.
CJC off Road has a very nice after market kit to fix this problem you are having with your FORD Ram has issues with premature wearing of ball joints and other front end parts.
@@nanachick05 they replaced the part their poor engineering caused to break prematurely, but it'll just break again. In most other countries they would have to recall all trucks and pay to basically have what kyd just put on it
I agree and so does my lawyer. Once you go aftermarket you just take all responsibility if you get into an accident!! Ohh and don’t forget the dreaded cp4!! Yes the fuel pump which is made by Bosch and was designed for European fuel not American fuel.. Now after about 50k those will go and trash your whole fuel system!! Ram is having the same problems! Good luck!! I’m looking for a buyout!! Send the bill to FORD!!
I mentioned in a previous video I have a 17 F350. I had some loose joints etc that were replaced several times as well as stock stabalizer. I never had full on death wobble only a slight gitter in wheel on occasion. After dealer replaced worn out components I installed a dual stabalizer but also changed out my caster shims. Front tire pressure plays a big role also.Truck is now better than new and has 60000 miles. Hope they get it handled for you! Hello from Omaha, Ne👍
mikey mike I installed PMF dual stabalizer kit and Carli Suspension 2 deg positive shims. My truck is leveled and the 2deg shim gives me 1deg of positive caster. This is what worked for my specific application and may be completely different on others. 😎
Marc just make sure you are checking the joints ends very frequently as this will hide a loose end for a while and it can get bad very fast then. Your soft ford ends will still wear fast and once one gets a little loose it will get worse quickly and the stabilizers will hide that loose feeling for a while. I have had similar kits on jeeps and they can help the shake you felt but it forces the weakest front part to absorb the vibration. If you look at the ends while someone turns the wheel back and forth you will catch a worn end sooner than waiting till you feel it. If ford has better ends you may want to replace them if they are really better than the stock ones. That does not fix the issue it just helps absorb the shake you feel. The shake also wears your bearing in your steering column. Stay safe and healthy.
Perfect video Mark. I've been through this DW ordeal on 3 different trucks. The steering damper Ford is putting on for a fix, is just a band aid. On the three trucks I went through this with, part of my problem was tires and air pressure. I found that the stock 20" Michelin tires have a weak side wall. If the air pressure drops below 70psi, the carcass of the tire works with the loose joints and makes it far worse. So anyone that experiences dw, try airing up your pressure as a temp fix until you can get the loose joints replaced. Great video Mark.
Ford needs to re-engineer the steering and stability linkage system for these solid front ends. The aftermarket solutions greatly improve the situation, if not cure it, by using precision engineered parts, better bushings, dual steering arms, etc. Ford is using "lowest cost" parts and engineering. Caster alignment is usually the quickest fix as Ford's factory tolerances have alot of slop. They claim its a "wear and tear" issue, but some folks have reported this under 20k miles. It's important to note that "death wobble" is not a Ford specific issue and can manifest itself on any live front axle.
Using a straight/live axle is the problem. You can’t fix this issue because it’s a consequence of the design. CV axles resolve this problem but most people complain they are weak and easily broken.
Love your truck and i know your a ford guy but when i saw it on the lift i was shocked to see 70s technology on such a nice truck. The stabilizers will fix your problem though.
Does this wobble happen in the 2015 F250? I have a 2015 crew cab with 8’ bed. I pull a 34’ Outback. I have never experienced a wobble. I bought the truck as certified vehicle 8n 2018 @ 38,000 miles. I believe it has @ leveling kit and is a 4WD.
I had an 06 F250 when i learned about steering geometry and how little wear can cause unstable steering issues. My solution was similar with replacing joints and installing a dual steering stabilizer kit. It really beefed up the response in the steering wheel, however, i feel that it is kind of a bandaid but when you drive a vehicle with this kind of steering setup, it is expected. Just ask the Jeep community. great content! keep it coming! just bought our first travel trailer can’t wait to hit the road 👍
I just want to say I em not brand loyal.I had ram trucks and haven’t experienced death wobble but I do know people that struggled with it. I just got my first Chevy duramax and I love the independent front suspension it rides and handles like a dream. We put a lot of miles on a year so our trucks don’t last long. My next truck could be a Ford I will see if I like them in 5 years when I’m looking for my next truck again .
We had the same Death Wobble issue on our 2019 Super Duty with 60,000 kms on it towing our 5th wheel last year from Canada to ironically Sedona and Precott, AZ ... We had the dual steering stabilizer installed while en route in Cullman, Alabama. It solved the death wobble issue however the mount on the front diff needed to be removed and shaved a few times as it was contacting the subframe when going over speedbumps or small curbs going into parking lots or driveways causing one hell of a clunk. Once I got back to Canada I took the vehicle in to the dealer for 2 tie-rod ends, drag link and a new (updated part number) steering stabilizer from Ford under warranty. No more issues with death wobble and the clunking stopped when returning to stock. My understanding is that the aftermarket dual stabilizer kit is designed for lifted trucks... your kit may be different ... just an FYI
Thanks for showing the Prescott views my son lived there & I am from Philly area I haven't been in a few years but I miss the area! Can't wait to get back out there! Prescott is a town we love!!
So,....what was your Caster set at? How many degrees. The dual set-up is great, but from what appears to be the real fix is increasing the caster above 4-5 degrees.
I was towing yesterday and stopped 5 lanes of Colorado Springs traffic with my Death Wobble experience. Nothing like your vid of one hand on the wheel. Both of my hands were sore it was that extreme. Grooved Concrete is the worst and the end of a bridge for initiating DW. Today I dropped the loaded trailer and the experience was minute in comparison. The 3 dealerships I called and the one I drove to all lied about the fix. They offered for $300 to change out the Steering dampener. When I stated I changed to mine last week they offered to replace it again for the same fee. I have driven 48,000 miles in the last 7 months most of which includes 26,000 lbs and a 40' gooseneck flatbed. The one thing I wish you had included here is the Number of Caster the alignment shop used to correct. As a RU-vidr myself I must Commend you on the quality of picture and editing. Be Blessed
Nice episode, “isn’t great when a plan comes together”, I can appreciate the joy of Everything working better than new and dialled in. Be Well, Safe Travels the “Wind at Your Back with Blue Skies Above. I received my KYD Ball Cap, and I love it now if I can just get a weekend off to show it around Ottawa Canada. 😊👍👍👍
Today's episode was great just as always. By the way, me and my family have been watching your channel for awhile now, and your guys amazing videos have inspired me to make a movie based off of you. I have been working on it for awhile and it is finally done. It is called Furret's Grand Vacation and it is a funny movie about a creature who goes on a realistic RV trip across The United States. I would love for you guys to see it, I want to know what you think of it.
@@KeepYourDaydream Okay, I sent it through the Contact Us section of your website, and the email address in your RU-vid about section. I hope you guys enjoy it. :)
I’m curious. You have a truck with a known serious design defect that the manufacturer has no solution for. Why are KYD and others so in love with Ford? If I had one of these trucks I’d be looking to switch brands. I would also disagree that you’ve solved the problem. Based on what you said the kit you installed will hopefully mitigate the wear issues but that’s really an unknown. The joint could wear again and put you back in the same place though the kit may mitigate the effects of a worn joint. It’s a bit of an unknown.
My 2005 Excursion was cured by a caster adjustment made via F450 front springs and x code rear springs which gave a nice 3 inch lift. Combined with an adjustable Trac bar and aftermarket steering stabilizer it was rock solid. Leaf springs aside, It's amazing how similar the new superdutys are underneath.
![FIXED: FORD SUPER DUTY DEATH WOBBLE [RV Tow Vehicle]](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
