FORD DEATH WOBBLE

[Daren Todd]

I had one, shop truck (18 250)

chevy guys will always give you a hard time about aluminum but it's not any different than steel other than it doesn't rust. It's quieter interior too for some reason, perhaps the frequency of vibration is different between the steel body and aluminum? Dunno. GM has said that they're gonna go to aluminum at some point too. Why not, it works.

I like the F250.

Death wobble is a thing of the past. I have a 2003, 230,000 miles and have never ever experienced it. I also have a 95 F250 with over 300K and have never experienced it, but it's 2wd (03 is 4wd)-and the 95 also doesn't have a straight front axle. It is twin i beam. Rides better than the 03 by far but has about half the power (who cares, it's still slow!). Actually I don't know a single person personally that has experienced any death wobble, ever, and I know many who own/drive the same truck as I. My brother is one of them (his is a 2001, same as mine, crew cab 7.3 but his is a 6 speed manual which I wish I had). I think it was an internet thing where a couple people had it happen and of course the internet blew it out of proportion.

There is only one reason I haven't bought a new F250. Price. I refuse to pay more for a pickup than I paid for my house, and lose my butt the day I decide I don't want it anymore. Ain't going to do it. I keep stuff too long and pay it off so that's a very real possibility.

Actually, you do know someone that experienced the death wobble.

We had a 2013 f250 regular cab at work. I experienced the wobble when they were adding the second merge lane on 430 for 40 west bound.

It kicked in when I hit one of there craters on the overpass at about 60mph.

Trucks 4wd and it felt similar to the 4wd being kicked in and turning sharp on dry asphalt.

Coasted down to 45mph and the steering wheel settled down.

 

[JimmyJazz]

Lugbolt, do like I do and buy an off lease truck with low miles.. let the original lessor take the depreciation hit. Bought the last 3, wife's Burb, my Focus and her brother's Lincoln all off lease with the balance of the factory warranty which I extended on all 3. Her Burb stickered for close to 75 and I got it for 30. My Focus stickered for 20, I got it for 11 and the Lincoln stickered for 45 and I got it for 20.

I have to say, that Focus is really shaping up to be the deal of the day with gas prices going north quickly and it getting 40 mpg. Burb cannot pass a filling station and don't know about the Lincoln, I don't drive it.

Told the wife, you want to drive it, you fill it. Takes close to 70 bucks to fill it now. Hate to think what it will cost in 6 months.

what's the best way to buy one "off lease" ? Do you contact a dealer or leasing company? I like your idea. Thanks.

 

[B737]

My Focus stickered for 20, I got it for 11 and the Lincoln stickered for 45 and I got it for 20.

SCFlop, you expect to not be laughed out of the room talking about how awesome your Focus is after making posts like these??? haaaaahhaaaaa!!!!!

 

[B737]

@JimmyJazz if you search on ford-trucks.com you will find posts with some recent trucks getting DW, like 2017+. In all the instances ive read, they were resolved by the dealer, or permanently resolved by the owner using aftermarket parts.

 

[Daren Todd]

what's the best way to buy one "off lease" ? Do you contact a dealer or leasing company? I like your idea. Thanks.

Check the dealer lots. They usually have some "Dealer certified" pre-owned vehicles on the lot.

Those are usually the off lease vehicles under 36,000 miles still under factory warranty. Usually pretty good deals versus buying new.

I compared apples to apples new versus the certified pre-owned vehicles recently.

On trucks, there was about a $20k difference in price.

I wouldn't believe flips 1/2 off difference in price in his earlier comparison though. Those were probably his out the door cost after a trade in.

 

[JimmyJazz]

Check the dealer lots. They usually have some "Dealer certified" pre-owned vehicles on the lot.

Those are usually the off lease vehicles under 36,000 miles still under factory warranty. Usually pretty good deals versus buying new.

I compared apples to apples new versus the certified pre-owned vehicles recently.

On trucks, there was about a $20k difference in price.

I wouldn't believe flips 1/2 off difference in price in his earlier comparison though. Those were probably his out the door cost after a trade in.

Thanks. Say a third off for a vehicle a third "used up". Not a great deal in my book. I keep mine ungaraged/outside and by 10-12 years you have rust issues here in the North East. I consider myself pretty thrifty but used car prices are ridiculous. I came to the same conclusion 11 years ago when I reluctantly bought new. I can understand why Subarus are so prevalent. I find the prices on new trucks offensive.

 

[Daren Todd]

Thanks. Say a third off for a vehicle a third "used up". Not a great deal in my book. I keep mine ungaraged/outside and by 10-12 years you have rust issues here in the North East. I consider myself pretty thrifty but used car prices are ridiculous. I came to the same conclusion 11 years ago when I reluctantly bought new. I can understand why Subarus are so prevalent. I find the prices on new trucks offensive.

I agree on the used truck prices. And it really depends on the region, location, ect.....

The city i live next to is pretty good on prices. But 30 miles south in the big city, they are ridiculous.

I did pretty good on my new truck. But can't justify what they cost new.

 

[SidecarFlip]

SCFlop, you expect to not be laughed out of the room talking about how awesome your Focus is after making posts like these??? haaaaahhaaaaa!!!!!

Two different things for 2 entirely different end uses. Sure as hell not driving my tractors to the grocery store and likewise, not using my Focus to pull implements..

I want good fuel mileage. I REQUIRE power when farming. Neither of them coincide or have anything in common..... duh.

I don't do toy tractors. Toy tractors have zero use here. I don't require a gas hog car either. Gas pig cars have zero use for me as well.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Check the dealer lots. They usually have some "Dealer certified" pre-owned vehicles on the lot.

Those are usually the off lease vehicles under 36,000 miles still under factory warranty. Usually pretty good deals versus buying new.

I compared apples to apples new versus the certified pre-owned vehicles recently.

On trucks, there was about a $20k difference in price.

I wouldn't believe flips 1/2 off difference in price in his earlier comparison though. Those were probably his out the door cost after a trade in.

I never trade anything in. I sell outright privately. I always pay cash as well and I always buy low mileage off lease from a selling dealer that sells the particular make I'm looking at and I research carefully, what I buy. No impulse buying ever. I don't 'romance any vehicle or tractor for that matter. All are tools for different uses.

In the case of the Focus, I sold outright my Tracker ZR2 which was high mileage and rusting but before I sold it, the newer tires came off and went on my wife's van, replaced with the cheapest skins I could find. Sold it for 2500 cash on CL which as about what it was worth. I drive them to 'beater status' and get rid of them. Like I said, don't 'romance' vehicles or farm tractors. Never have, never will. Getting time to get my wife a new van. Her old one has terminal cancer but it runs well. I'll off it before the frame rusts out as a beater. Only has 150K on the clock. I'd like to see it it go 200K at least.

She keeps her late model off lease Burb garaged just like I keep my 1997 F350 crew cab 7.3 garaged, in the case of the 97, garage is all winter. Never seen snow or salt and OBS trucks in mint condition demand a high resale price.

 

[B737]

Two different things for 2 entirely different end uses. Sure as hell not driving my tractors to the grocery store and likewise, not using my Focus to pull implements..

I want good fuel mileage. I REQUIRE power when farming. Neither of them coincide or have anything in common..... duh.

I don't do toy tractors. Toy tractors have zero use here. I don't require a gas hog car either. Gas pig cars have zero use for me as well.

Many of us dont do toy cars either. To each their own is my point. Please stop going into other peoples topics and defecating from your keyboard wasting bandwidth. It's sad, and unbecoming. The OPs question was specific.

 

[802Driver]

Unfortunately, all trucks with solid front axles are susceptible to the rapid oscillation called "death wobble", if you haven't experienced it yet, it's quite enlightening. Due to a poor steering design, (dodges, fords) it leaves the potential wide open for it. It can be a combination of items or isolated items that cause the onset. The good part, there are only so many moving parts in the front end of these trucks, when wear items are left unchecked, (worn balljoints, drag link, control arm, steering gear box, improper castor adjustment, tires, or even wrong selection of tires can affect the outcome.) When there is any amount of play allowed to continue, your opening the door to set it off.
I've done a load of research and addressed almost all of it by upgrading aftermarket parts in my truck, I experienced it once with my truck. Now it's as solid as solid gets and steers like brand new.
Brand new trucks (Ford or Dodge) can have it happen with something as simple as wrong castor adjustment from factory.

 

[B737]

I didnt know other HD trucks were also susceptible to this phenomenon. I did read one post today actually where a guy had a buy back on his F250 for DW. All the other posts I've read were addressed under warranty and repaired. When ppl are out of warranty, it seems if they replace with the right parts and it's good to go.

 

[tradosaurus]

I have a 2014 F250 I bought used with 125,000. It experienced a death wobble shortly after I bought it.
Took it to an alignment shop that specializes in fixing the death wobble. New track bar joint and proper alignment cured it. The steering stabilizer just masks the problem temporarily. Although I did replace mine with an aftermarket.

Powerstrokehelp.com has info on the alignment specs.

 

[Botamon]

Any solid-axle front end is susceptible to death wobble. If you think Ford and Dodge are bad, go do some reading on the Jeep Wrangler forums. I've been on there for over a year, thinking about getting a new Wrangler. Lots of horror stories...one only yesterday where some guy bought a brand spanking new Rubicon and wrecked it on the way home. It went into a wobble so bad that he hit something on the side of the road and then took out a bunch of fencing. Brand new Jeep. After reading all those horror stories I'm now thinking of waiting and getting a new Bronco instead. At least it has independent front suspension so death wobble shouldn't be a concern.

 

[Lil Foot]

All three of the FJ40s I owned (used) experienced death wobble, all with lots of miles & huge tires. (compared to stock) Loose or worn kingpins was the cause, easily fixed once you knew the problem.

 

[Ikc1990]

Trucks are like relationships some get wabble some get traded, some get cared for some get used, someGet pampered... lol I can keep going

 

[lugbolt]

LOL @ powerstrokehelp that guy thinks he knows it all and there have been many errors

Gas hog? Yeah I own one. 92 Mustang, well north of 600hp 427" windsor 6 speed manual....maybe 15 mpg if I am really lucky. Oh what fun. Just bought a used 19 mustang ecoboost and kinda of nice to have a smooth quiet ride...and almost 40mpg to boot. Gutless in comparison to the 92 though.