touchy steering with a death wobble

[wobbedennis]

My 79 210, has really touchy steering. any rut in the road can move me in either direction, fast. It's almost dangerous to drive, and not just to me. and at 40-50 mph, it just starts to shake in the front end. I adjusted the box, and it's not as bad, but it's there still. Ideas? I have looked at the tie-rods, and ball joints, all appear to be in good shape. The tie-rods twist, but there's no left to right, or up and down movement. I'm out of ideas.

[datzenmike]

Take a good look at the idler arm. It should turn side to side only.

 

Rim damaged (bent) or out of balance, possibly a wheel weight has fallen off.

Tire damaged or out of balance. Lift of ground and spin by hand watching the tread for bulges or abnormalities.

 

Swap fronts to the rear and see if any changes.

 

Wheel bearing pre load incorrect.

 

Front end alignment?.

 

Loose lug nuts.

 

Worn out tension rod bushings.

[thisismatt]

Put the front end up on jack stands and then use your jack to lift push up the lower control arm so that the suspension is compressed with the wheel off the ground and the wheel is closer to ride height.  Then try pivoting the front wheels and shifting them back and forth from the top and bottom.  Similarly to how your steering box can wear in the middle and be tight at the extremes, your ball joints can wear at ride height but be tight feeling when you jack up the car to where the suspension is at full droop, where they next to never see use.

[q-tip]

If it is excessively darty either a bad component in the steering or the toe angle is off

[datzenmike]

I had extreme toe on my truck when I bought it. It wandered when driving and on sharp turns in town, like a driveway, when the wheel was turned to 3/4s or more, it would actually turn into the corner by itself!!! It was weird... but the worst was driving in the rain when traction on the pavement was less. If you hit a puddle with one wheel the truck would dart to that side. Yeah that was scary to suddenly be in the on coming lane. I guess both wheels were fighting each other and when one would reduce or loose traction the other was already turned in and would take over the steering.

[JoeCool]

Mine did that until I replaced the ball joints. They looked Okay, but like the above poster said when I put it on a lift I could rock the wheel in and out about two inches...NOT GOOD!

[wobbedennis]

Not loose lugs, I've checked the wheel bearings, their good, I'll have to try the jack and ball joints. What about the sway bar. the rubber mounts holding it are rotten. I wouldn't think this would cause a death wobble, but could it?

[thisismatt]

Don't think so.  Check the lower control arm bushings too.