F53 death wobble?

[nehuge]

Hey all:

I've heard about this 'death wobble' and I hear that it can be remedied with some sort of bar in the front?

Can you tell me in the pic just by looking at it if the front end I have is stock and that any 'bars' I see are factory? The curved one highest in the pic, is that factory or an aftermarket?

Not sure what a steering stabilizer or that sort of thing would look like really...

[webhannet]

So funny! Answers saying it never happened to them - as though they've experienced ALL. This can happen so easily with the right circumstances - tar seams, railroad tracks, broken pavement, or just the right motion to begin the dance.

The DEATH WOBBLE in a Jeep is more devastating than in an F53 - but the effect on the driver' control is the same. Motion and energy within the suspension builds to a point where the wheels and the suspension are uncontrolledly flapping around, and the driver has no control. Slowing down a Jeep to around 10 MPH will stop it - on a F53, I don't know. Supension parts - shocks, steering stabilizer, and other "wear items" reach that special point where the problem happens. Fortunately, parts seldom fail totally.

To cure (in order of cost) - tire pressures, steering stabilizer (heavy duty, please) - alignment - heavy shock absorbers - TracBar. A F53 doesn't need extra help to achieve good handling... seriously? One other suggestion - rear end additions - bigger sway bar and/or rear TracBar.

[mowermech]

I have never experienced in in my motorhome.
However, I did have it happen a few times in my Jeep. I replaced the steering dampener, and that reduced it but didn't eliminate it.
Then I began having the tires rotated at every other oil change.
No wobble since.

[wolfe10]

The reason it does not happen with the newer F53's is that Ford is now fitting track bars as OE equipment.

Sure, shackle wear, weak shocks, side to side flex in the tires,etc can contribute to the issue, but the primary cause is the side to side motion between axle and chassis. A track bar CURES that.

BTW, track bars are nothing new. Have seen then in museums on buggies built 150 years ago. Yes, they had long leaf spring suspensions. All air suspensions coaches have them (or equivalent), as there is no side to side motion control in an air bag.

[philandterri]

I had owned a 1994 Bounder on a Ford chassis. While driving on a local road at about 40 mph the front end started shaking and felt like the front end was going to fall off.Not only steering wheel but the tires were wobbling. Reduced speed to have it stop. Replaced shocks and damper and it never happened again.

[jerseyjim]

Another new problem I never heard of.....gotta enter in my book......."death wobble".

[Jerry_B]

On certain sharp bumps my stock 1996 will try to start a shimmy but very quickly dampens out. I believe worn steering components may increase the occurance of the shimmy.

[LVJ58]

Is it possible the condition described by RLS7201 is a result of excessive wear in the steering linkage and/or worn king-pin bushings?

Just curious...

[FIRE_UP]

Richard,
Well Sir, as usual, I learn something every day, even at my age. Like stated, not only did I never experience it, but I had friends who had older F-53 chassis and they never mentioned anything about it. We traveled many-a-mile together under good and bad road conditions. We often commented on how bad certain sections of road were at times. Oh well, live and learn.
Scott

[RLS7201]

wolfe10 wrote:
Some correct and some "does not apply" answers.

"Death Wobble" on an Ford F53 chassis was caused by side to side harmonic motion between the chassis and axle as those LONG leaf springs and shackles flexed side to side.

On later model chassis, Ford installed a track bar (aka panhard rod). Aftermarket track bars are also available for older chassis-- the Davis Tru-trac is an example. It attaches to the chassis on one side of the front and to the front axle on the other side. It allows full vertical movement, but significantly reduces side to side movement between axle and chassis.

Death wobble most often occurred with crossing things like RR tracks at a diagonal to the direction of travel. This induced flexing of the springs which could continue to get progressively worse as the springs flexed left/right/left.... The cure (other than adding a track bar which is the correct answer) is to slow down until you are back under control. THEN buy a track bar.

I suggest your assessment is incorrect. If you assessment of the problem is correct, how come the newer V10 F53 chassis don't exhibit the "Death Wobble", when it has the same long leaf mono spring and shackles. Workhorse "W" chassis also has long leaf mono springs with out "Death Wobble". "Death Wobble" is initiated by the tires whipping from side to side dynamically and not the axle moving harmonically in the frame. "Death Wobble" has been experienced on vehicles with unequal "A" arms and coil springs. From my early years of working in an alignment shop, I can assure you those long leaf springs are not the primary cause of "Death Wobble".

Richard

[BobR]

I never experienced the dreaded "Death Wobble" with my 1991 F53. Never even heard of it until today.

[wolfe10]

Some correct and some "does not apply" answers.

"Death Wobble" on an Ford F53 chassis was caused by side to side harmonic motion between the chassis and axle as those LONG leaf springs and shackles flexed side to side.

On later model chassis, Ford installed a track bar (aka panhard rod). Aftermarket track bars are also available for older chassis-- the Davis Tru-trac is an example. It attaches to the chassis on one side of the front and to the front axle on the other side. It allows full vertical movement, but significantly reduces side to side movement between axle and chassis.

Death wobble most often occurred with crossing things like RR tracks at a diagonal to the direction of travel. This induced flexing of the springs which could continue to get progressively worse as the springs flexed left/right/left.... The cure (other than adding a track bar which is the correct answer) is to slow down until you are back under control. THEN buy a track bar.

[frankdamp]

It's an 11-ton, slab-sided, square ended box truck and about as aerodynamic as an iron cowshed. It drives like one.

Is it worth $5 or $6K to get a 5% improvement, or spend the money on gas and CG fees and live with it. I know what my choice is.

[mblaster]

What is this death wobble?...been driving mine foe 5 years and 25k miles. The moho is a plank going down the road.

[RLS7201]

FIRE UP wrote:
nehuge,
Your front end is bone stock. Yep, that top bar in the pic is the anti-sway bar. The tie rod on that modle is behind the axle and, in our '99 Bounder with the F-53 chassis, there was no steering stabilizer. It didn't need one. The front end, while seriously under loaded, was always stable and had no "death wobble" what so ever. I personnaly don't know anyone with an F-53 chassis that's ever experienced the dreaded Death wobble on their coach, or any motor home for that matter.
It doesn't mean it doesn't happen, it just means I've never experienced it, or know anyone that has. 99.9% of the time, the death wobble is normally assosiated with certain model four wheel drive vehicles. I've built 7 different Jeep wranglers and still, have never had that death wobble. And I installed every kind of lift there was/is. I've put on multiple sizes and types of tires and NO death wobble.

So, are you experiencing any form of steering wheel shake? If so, at what speed and, what kind of conditions were/are provoking it, rough road, pot holes, concrete seams, rain grooves on the freeway?
Scott

But Scott, your 99 F53 is a totally different chassis than the OPs 94. Death wobble on the older 460 F53s is well documented. Ford stopped installing the dampener on the new V10 F53s.

Richard

[FIRE_UP]

nehuge,
Your front end is bone stock. Yep, that top bar in the pic is the anti-sway bar. The tie rod on that modle is behind the axle and, in our '99 Bounder with the F-53 chassis, there was no steering stabilizer. It didn't need one. The front end, while seriously under loaded, was always stable and had no "death wobble" what so ever. I personnaly don't know anyone with an F-53 chassis that's ever experienced the dreaded Death wobble on their coach, or any motor home for that matter.
It doesn't mean it doesn't happen, it just means I've never experienced it, or know anyone that has. 99.9% of the time, the death wobble is normally assosiated with certain model four wheel drive vehicles. I've built 7 different Jeep wranglers and still, have never had that death wobble. And I installed every kind of lift there was/is. I've put on multiple sizes and types of tires and NO death wobble.

So, are you experiencing any form of steering wheel shake? If so, at what speed and, what kind of conditions were/are provoking it, rough road, pot holes, concrete seams, rain grooves on the freeway?
Scott