100% cure for death wobble
100% cure for death wobble
Must use a OEM steering stabilizer
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2005 Mineral Grey PW
2005 Mineral Grey PW
Re: 100% cure for death wobble
Although I figured this out about 10 years ago... I figured I would share. Like many of you I was throwing parts at the problem. Finally broke down and took it to the dealership. The mechanic came back after 10 mins and said it was the steering stabilizer. I proceeded to argue with him that I just put a brand new bilstein stabilizer on. He was very adamant that it was the stabilizer. So I said ok. Sure enough it worked. 10 years later and not a whiff of death wobble.
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100% cure for death wobble
Death wobble is developed from the axle being unable to correct tire direction, or from over correction. Death wobble comes from an issue with alignment-affecting components. Tie rod, ball joints, axle straightness, wheel bearings, tires, control arm bushings, and alignment angles.
The steering damper aids alignment components by preventing over correction and by lessening external inputs. The OEM damper is surprisingly good and I only recommend the OEM damper or the Thuren tunes King damper.
The damper can stop death wobble from happening, but the damper itself is not the cure. Neither is caster alone as I hear frequently said. Every alignment components plays a part, and any one of these listed parts can cause death wobble if worn out or not set correctly.
The steering damper aids alignment components by preventing over correction and by lessening external inputs. The OEM damper is surprisingly good and I only recommend the OEM damper or the Thuren tunes King damper.
The damper can stop death wobble from happening, but the damper itself is not the cure. Neither is caster alone as I hear frequently said. Every alignment components plays a part, and any one of these listed parts can cause death wobble if worn out or not set correctly.
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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
I have always been a believer that a steering damper does have its purpose, but curing death wobble is not one of them...but they can often mask it, however.
Well, I guess if they can mask/stop it, then its a win win regardless LOL.
Well, I guess if they can mask/stop it, then its a win win regardless LOL.
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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
My OEM damper with a bent shaft, puking oil, with two massive dents in it, kept DW away while I drove 60 miles to a buddy to press in new ball joints. Truck had tires coming off the ground going 40 on the road from DW without the damper.
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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
I had the same issues years ago. Throw a ton of money at it. Pin pointed it to the steering stabilizer. Had a discussion about it on here. Most guys here didn't want to hear about the stabilizer.ACL123 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 9:45 pmAlthough I figured this out about 10 years ago... I figured I would share. Like many of you I was throwing parts at the problem. Finally broke down and took it to the dealership. The mechanic came back after 10 mins and said it was the steering stabilizer. I proceeded to argue with him that I just put a brand new bilstein stabilizer on. He was very adamant that it was the stabilizer. So I said ok. Sure enough it worked. 10 years later and not a whiff of death wobble.


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AOAA Summer '19.
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My build thread. http://forum.powerwagonregistry.org/vie ... =13&t=2826


Moab '09, '10, '12, '14, '20, '22
Rausch Creek - Summer '10, Spring-Fall '11, Spring '12, Summer '13, Summer '14, Summer '15, Summer '16, Summer '17, Summer '18, Summer '20, Summer '22, Summer '23, Summer '24,
AOAA Summer '19.
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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
Are you over it yet?RustyPW wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 12:51 amI had the same issues years ago. Throw a ton of money at it. Pin pointed it to the steering stabilizer. Had a discussion about it on here. Most guys here didn't want to hear about the stabilizer.ACL123 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 9:45 pmAlthough I figured this out about 10 years ago... I figured I would share. Like many of you I was throwing parts at the problem. Finally broke down and took it to the dealership. The mechanic came back after 10 mins and said it was the steering stabilizer. I proceeded to argue with him that I just put a brand new bilstein stabilizer on. He was very adamant that it was the stabilizer. So I said ok. Sure enough it worked. 10 years later and not a whiff of death wobble.Said it was something else.
Pissed me off to no end.

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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
olyelr wrote: ↑Thu Feb 27, 2020 1:00 pmAre you over it yet?RustyPW wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 12:51 amI had the same issues years ago. Throw a ton of money at it. Pin pointed it to the steering stabilizer. Had a discussion about it on here. Most guys here didn't want to hear about the stabilizer.ACL123 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 9:45 pmAlthough I figured this out about 10 years ago... I figured I would share. Like many of you I was throwing parts at the problem. Finally broke down and took it to the dealership. The mechanic came back after 10 mins and said it was the steering stabilizer. I proceeded to argue with him that I just put a brand new bilstein stabilizer on. He was very adamant that it was the stabilizer. So I said ok. Sure enough it worked. 10 years later and not a whiff of death wobble.Said it was something else.
Pissed me off to no end.
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PWOC #53
2008 POWER WAGON RC
My build thread. http://forum.powerwagonregistry.org/vie ... =13&t=2826
Moab '09, '10, '12, '14, '20, '22
Rausch Creek - Summer '10, Spring-Fall '11, Spring '12, Summer '13, Summer '14, Summer '15, Summer '16, Summer '17, Summer '18, Summer '20, Summer '22, Summer '23, Summer '24,
AOAA Summer '19.
Russ
NRA - Benefactor, Golden Eagle.
2008 POWER WAGON RC
My build thread. http://forum.powerwagonregistry.org/vie ... =13&t=2826


Moab '09, '10, '12, '14, '20, '22
Rausch Creek - Summer '10, Spring-Fall '11, Spring '12, Summer '13, Summer '14, Summer '15, Summer '16, Summer '17, Summer '18, Summer '20, Summer '22, Summer '23, Summer '24,
AOAA Summer '19.
Russ
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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
RustyPW wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 12:51 amI had the same issues years ago. Throw a ton of money at it. Pin pointed it to the steering stabilizer. Had a discussion about it on here. Most guys here didn't want to hear about the stabilizer.ACL123 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 9:45 pmAlthough I figured this out about 10 years ago... I figured I would share. Like many of you I was throwing parts at the problem. Finally broke down and took it to the dealership. The mechanic came back after 10 mins and said it was the steering stabilizer. I proceeded to argue with him that I just put a brand new bilstein stabilizer on. He was very adamant that it was the stabilizer. So I said ok. Sure enough it worked. 10 years later and not a whiff of death wobble.Said it was something else.
Pissed me off to no end.
ALL THE STABILIZERS!!!!
STABILIZE ALL THE THINGS!!!

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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
Thuren's note on this is is interesting "There are a lot of trusted brands out there producing steering dampers, but they are often very lacking, in actual effectiveness."
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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
The most important jobs of a steering stabilizer are to damp the smallest initial movements, and to output a lot of force at a very low shaft speed to resist big jerks to the steering. Emulsion shocks like almost every Rancho, Bilstein, Fox, etc. do poor jobs of these because the mixed nitrogen in the oil can flow easily through the valves. There’s a lot to be said for a high quality IFP shock in that job.
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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
There's a better way.


Re: 100% cure for death wobble
What are we looking at here?
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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
I know for a fact that Rancho takes a regular shock and lays it on it's side to use as a stabilizer. Because of this, the valve is not fully in the fluid. This creates dead spots in the travel. Had a nice long ass chewing session with them a few years back.DamageWagon wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2020 12:26 pmThe most important jobs of a steering stabilizer are to damp the smallest initial movements, and to output a lot of force at a very low shaft speed to resist big jerks to the steering. Emulsion shocks like almost every Rancho, Bilstein, Fox, etc. do poor jobs of these because the mixed nitrogen in the oil can flow easily through the valves. There’s a lot to be said for a high quality IFP shock in that job.
PWOC #53
2008 POWER WAGON RC
My build thread. http://forum.powerwagonregistry.org/vie ... =13&t=2826
Moab '09, '10, '12, '14, '20, '22
Rausch Creek - Summer '10, Spring-Fall '11, Spring '12, Summer '13, Summer '14, Summer '15, Summer '16, Summer '17, Summer '18, Summer '20, Summer '22, Summer '23, Summer '24,
AOAA Summer '19.
Russ
NRA - Benefactor, Golden Eagle.
2008 POWER WAGON RC
My build thread. http://forum.powerwagonregistry.org/vie ... =13&t=2826


Moab '09, '10, '12, '14, '20, '22
Rausch Creek - Summer '10, Spring-Fall '11, Spring '12, Summer '13, Summer '14, Summer '15, Summer '16, Summer '17, Summer '18, Summer '20, Summer '22, Summer '23, Summer '24,
AOAA Summer '19.
Russ
NRA - Benefactor, Golden Eagle.

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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
Well you done told them!RustyPW wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2020 4:07 pmI know for a fact that Rancho takes a regular shock and lays it on it's side to use as a stabilizer. Because of this, the valve is not fully in the fluid. This creates dead spots in the travel. Had a nice long ass chewing session with them a few years back.DamageWagon wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2020 12:26 pmThe most important jobs of a steering stabilizer are to damp the smallest initial movements, and to output a lot of force at a very low shaft speed to resist big jerks to the steering. Emulsion shocks like almost every Rancho, Bilstein, Fox, etc. do poor jobs of these because the mixed nitrogen in the oil can flow easily through the valves. There’s a lot to be said for a high quality IFP shock in that job.

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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
Felt like TwinSticks on the phone.olyelr wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2020 6:51 pmWell you done told them!RustyPW wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2020 4:07 pmI know for a fact that Rancho takes a regular shock and lays it on it's side to use as a stabilizer. Because of this, the valve is not fully in the fluid. This creates dead spots in the travel. Had a nice long ass chewing session with them a few years back.DamageWagon wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2020 12:26 pmThe most important jobs of a steering stabilizer are to damp the smallest initial movements, and to output a lot of force at a very low shaft speed to resist big jerks to the steering. Emulsion shocks like almost every Rancho, Bilstein, Fox, etc. do poor jobs of these because the mixed nitrogen in the oil can flow easily through the valves. There’s a lot to be said for a high quality IFP shock in that job.![]()

PWOC #53
2008 POWER WAGON RC
My build thread. http://forum.powerwagonregistry.org/vie ... =13&t=2826
Moab '09, '10, '12, '14, '20, '22
Rausch Creek - Summer '10, Spring-Fall '11, Spring '12, Summer '13, Summer '14, Summer '15, Summer '16, Summer '17, Summer '18, Summer '20, Summer '22, Summer '23, Summer '24,
AOAA Summer '19.
Russ
NRA - Benefactor, Golden Eagle.
2008 POWER WAGON RC
My build thread. http://forum.powerwagonregistry.org/vie ... =13&t=2826


Moab '09, '10, '12, '14, '20, '22
Rausch Creek - Summer '10, Spring-Fall '11, Spring '12, Summer '13, Summer '14, Summer '15, Summer '16, Summer '17, Summer '18, Summer '20, Summer '22, Summer '23, Summer '24,
AOAA Summer '19.
Russ
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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
Bahahahahahahaha
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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
I would like to see better pics of that hydro assist
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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
Twinstick did set the standard for giving vendors feedback - but I suspect he was most effective in person.
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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
MoparFanatic21 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 01, 2020 7:02 amI would like to see better pics of that hydro assist

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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
Who engineered that tie rod mount for the Synergy bar?
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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
It is from PSCReloaderguy wrote:Who engineered that tie rod mount for the Synergy bar?
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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
Kind of miss that saw off runt.


PWOC #53
2008 POWER WAGON RC
My build thread. http://forum.powerwagonregistry.org/vie ... =13&t=2826
Moab '09, '10, '12, '14, '20, '22
Rausch Creek - Summer '10, Spring-Fall '11, Spring '12, Summer '13, Summer '14, Summer '15, Summer '16, Summer '17, Summer '18, Summer '20, Summer '22, Summer '23, Summer '24,
AOAA Summer '19.
Russ
NRA - Benefactor, Golden Eagle.
2008 POWER WAGON RC
My build thread. http://forum.powerwagonregistry.org/vie ... =13&t=2826


Moab '09, '10, '12, '14, '20, '22
Rausch Creek - Summer '10, Spring-Fall '11, Spring '12, Summer '13, Summer '14, Summer '15, Summer '16, Summer '17, Summer '18, Summer '20, Summer '22, Summer '23, Summer '24,
AOAA Summer '19.
Russ
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Re: 100% cure for death wobble
Is that it's intended use? I don't see it surviving Moab on the end of a hydraulic ram.DamageWagon wrote: ↑Sun Mar 01, 2020 5:36 pmIt is from PSCReloaderguy wrote:Who engineered that tie rod mount for the Synergy bar?