bigger tire question

[glock21]

Ok so I put 32s on my sierra and now if I hit a bump I get a death wobble up front, I took them to get balanced and it worked until I put a heavy load in the bed. My ball joints are all good, any other ideas of what it could be. Never had the prob with stock size and its only at speeds around 30mph. Thanks guys.

[Graves]

Have you checked the alignment?

[Colorado_Outback]

Track bar bushings maybe..

Have someone kick on the truck and crank the wheel from side to side slowly, while you look under the front.

You should see movement in something under there before the tires start to move.

[glock21]

Have you checked the alignment?

Yea that's good. One tire is worn a little weird, don't know if that would cause it.

[Colorado_Outback]

Yea that's good. One tire is worn a little weird, don't know if that would cause it.

Start on the corner with the oddly worn tire, your worn steering or suspension component is probably on that side.

[Colorado Osprey]

back in the day you needed a steering stabilizer when you went to bigger tires.
I'd bet that will fix your steering wobble.

I'd also put money down on a bad idler arm....BC they all have bad idler arms.

[glock21]

I just put them on. They were just some wheels and tires that were lying around. The tires was already worn. I'm thinking maybe I need a stableizer bar or something.

[Colorado_Outback]

back in the day you needed a steering stabilizer when you went to bigger tires.
I'd bet that will fix your steering wobble.


That is a myth, it may reduce the appearance of death wobble at first but wont do any thing to cure it.

Like a bandaid on a bullet wound..

[Colorado_Outback]

I'm thinking maybe I need a stableizer bar or something.




Have someone kick on the truck and crank the wheel from side to side slowly, while you look under the front.

You should see movement in something under there before the tires start to move.


Start here and you will find the problem!

[glock21]

back in the day you needed a steering stabilizer when you went to bigger tires.
I'd bet that will fix your steering wobble.

I'd also put money down on a bad idler arm....BC they all have bad idler arms.

That's what I was thinking. Do you know if that's something I can do with basic tools.

[rockhound]

the stabilizer only hides an issue. if you have one from the factory it could just be worn out.

i have built several custom suspensions. if the rig is set up properly you should not need a stabilizer.

start with the tie rod and drag link. if the ends are good move on to the toe measurements

a larger tire will change a lot of things in the rig. you will be slightly toed in more than with the smaller tire. no you did not change the toe, but with the larger circumference you are increasing exponentially the toe effect. your tires are trying to drive toward each other. this can easily cause death wobble. check that your toe in meets factory standards. check your limits for your particular vehicle, but with a tape measure on corresponding lugs you can measure this in your driveway. if you are toe in more than 1/8-3/16 that is way too much typically.

the larger tire can also shine a light on a rig that was just slight out of alignment. we would typically turn up the caster angles on a larger tired rig. if your factory caster angle was 4 degrees positive you might need 5 or more with a larger tire. on some 38 inch tires we would run 7 degrees or more caster. with more caster the rig will not corner quite as fast, but it will run straight down the road with no wobble and no stabilizer.

[Colorado Osprey]

edited

[glock21]

Sounds like it will be easier to go back to stock

[newracer]

Even if you got back to the stock size tires the problem is still there. The bigger tires are just making it more apparent.

[clublights]

in XJ Jeeps the death wobble SUCKS... been there done that..

90% of the time how you fix it is all about the track bar... if the wheels don't sit in the right place yer screwed.

[glock21]

Yea, I'm bored with the truck already, time for something new

[rockhound]

Even if you got back to the stock size tires the problem is still there. The bigger tires are just making it more apparent.


yep

[soldier-of-the-apocalypse]

death woble comes from bad tie rods most of the time but it can also be the steering box I'd say take it to a allignment shop to have them check it out if you cant do it your self either way it will be fairly expensive. basicly IMO big tires ruins trucks and its a fase you will go through im glad im done with my big tire fase, big diesel power is much more fun.

[twitchyfinger]

Yea, I'm bored with the truck already, time for something new

I'll give you a great deal on my 2000 Dodge Ram SLT 1500 4x4! PM sent Glock21...

[Veritas]

You may need an adjustable track bar.

You may also want to check the the angle of your pinion and driveshaft. I had a vibration similar to yours on my 2001 Wrangler that went away when I lowered the transmission an inch to correct the pinion angle. But this is usually only the case with a 4"+ lift.