Trouble shooting - front end shake
Over the course of this year, my dually has developed a shake in the steering wheel when driving between 35 to 45 MPH, regardless if the truck is empty or loaded and the problem is more noticable during turns than straight ahead and it is a intermintent problem that on occasion does not occur however, it happens more often than not.
I have replaced the steering gear box, I have had all 7 rims and tires checked for true and balance and have tried rotating tires, and yet the problem persists. approximately 4 years ago it was aligned and the tie rods replaced, any ideas what else could cause this shake? thanks...
update - still need help!!!
Well I am still trying to figure out this mystery, to date since starting this thread, I have replaced the steering gear box, idler arm and all of the front bearings. I have also had all 7 rims and tires checked for balance, trueness and rotation and they all pass. The rotors I purchased new approx four years ago. The idler arm I just replaced this past week and since then the shake is 80% gone compared to before replacement.
BEFORE replacement, the shake was intermittent between 30-45 MPH didn't matter if i was accelerating, slowing or cruising, nor did it matter if I applied the brakes, lastly, the shake was more prevalent at times during turns (S-curves) at these speeds or when towing my RV. Moreover, the shake could be felt throughout the truck and not just in the steering wheel.
Now SINCE the replacement of the bearings and idler arm, the shake is very minor and only in the vicinity of 40 MPH, and slightly more prevalent during deceleration / braking, and at times, during turns (S-curves) at 40 MPH.
Now when pulling the RV, both before and after the replacement of the idler arm / bearings... During accelerating up from stop through the 40 MPH range, the shake at times (intermittently), will get so bad that the whole truck shakes so badly (including the steering wheel) that I have no choice but to stop the truck quickly to maintain control. This has never happened at speed or on deceleration / braking with the RV because when this occurs at this severity, i cannot get through 40MPH. although stopping and then starting again, will diminish the shake but not alleviate it...
The truck has 150,000 Miles on it, and i am considering having the upper/lower ball joints replaced, tie rods and possibly the center link, even though the local shop doesn't find anything wrong with them, I am also entertaining purchasing an after market steering stabilizer shock absorber from JC Whitney (I don't know if it will help) like those seen on most 4X4's.
I have had one mechanic advise me that if the hydro booster / power steering pump go bad (weak pressure from the PS pump)... will let the steering gear box get sloppy. And he advised to replace the power steering pump and get rid of the hydro boost and add a large vacuum pump and a vacuum assist to my brakes in lieu of the hydro boost assist it has now.
Either way, I am looking in the neighborhood of $500 or so, maybe more to rebuild the front end steering components or go with a rather drastic departure from original equipment on a 'maybe' something that I am not comfortable with.
Anyone have any ideas or suggestions on how to solve this puzzle? its driving me nuts and possibly broke ;)
before we get crazy this was my solution
My speed wobble was pretty apparent at 35ish....the answer: A new set of tires. One of the old tires' steel belt separated (invisible from the outside) and caused a condition that it couldn't be balanced...oh it could technically be balanced, but it didn't fix the wobble. I traded out the ultra-vintage cracked up michellins for a new set of Goodyear wrangler silent armors. Problem solved. (The truck looks pretty sweet too)