Community Forums

pivotdoc · 07-29-2013, 09:49 PM

Google Ford death wobble and check out some of those videos posted.........pretty freaky stuff! Must be wear in some components, and it seems to be amplified by larger than OEM tires, alignments are critical. Personally I have driven an F-350 PSD for more than 309,000 miles and never once had death wobble..........

JB

SarahW · 07-29-2013, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cooldude

You Guy's are AWESOME!!!
I do have another question for you though, I have a big truck "Semi" tire and alignment shop down the road from me and Tom Raper Rv's is about 5 minutes from the house.
Would it be better to take the rig to a RV dealer or the big truck Guy's?? I know the dealer will charge somewhere between $500 and 60 million just to look at the thing!! :-) and I have no idea what the big truck guys would charge but, is a dealer the better of the 2?? Just not sure on this one, although I am kinda leaning more towards the big truck Guy's.
Thanks again Everyone!!!
Doug

Personally I would choose a commercial Ford dealership if there is one close by. If not, "big truck guy" would win over the RV dealer. Good luck to you.

Excell · 07-30-2013, 12:48 AM

Let us know what they find ,I suspect the drag link is worn .

RELHUB · 07-30-2013, 05:23 AM

The RV places by me do not have the equipment needed to set up the front ends and they send them out to another shop. If they can't do it in house then look for someone else.

spritz · 07-30-2013, 07:08 AM

I read this Thread because I have this on a 64 caddie not my MH. I have replaced almost everything new shocks, tie rods, bushings, bearings Had to have springs made for it @ $450 a piece and she still shakes starting @ 40 -50 then comes out of it until I hit a pot hole then it shakes but comes out of it after a few seconds. I really like the car too

The last shop I took it too they said they don't work on old cars

Chuck48 · 07-30-2013, 07:16 AM

Had an old 1976 motorhome on a dodge m-500 chassis with the same problem. King pin bushings needed replacement. Any competent mechanic can do this, and not very expensive. Good luck.

usinvestment · 07-30-2013, 04:39 PM

Also have your tires looked at. It could be a side wall breaking down or an inner tire separation which is very difficult to spot.

Stan.Birch · 07-30-2013, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vsheetz

You have described 'death wobble'. . . Something is worn or come loose in the front suspension components. Do not toss aftermarket parts at it - get what is wrong fixed.

X2

BA-in-Mich · 07-30-2013, 05:47 PM

Had this happen years ago on a 72 econoline van. It was a service van that I drove. I could stop it by slamming on the brakes. I believe it had bad radius arm bushings.

djbmsu · 07-30-2013, 06:12 PM

What you describe is the King Pin Bushings are worn and need to be replaced.

Hikerdogs · 07-30-2013, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cooldude

You Guy's are AWESOME!!!
I do have another question for you though, I have a big truck "Semi" tire and alignment shop down the road from me and Tom Raper Rv's is about 5 minutes from the house.
Would it be better to take the rig to a RV dealer or the big truck Guy's?? I know the dealer will charge somewhere between $500 and 60 million just to look at the thing!! :-) and I have no idea what the big truck guys would charge but, is a dealer the better of the 2?? Just not sure on this one, although I am kinda leaning more towards the big truck Guy's.
Thanks again Everyone!!!
Doug

As mentioned a Ford Truck dealer would be the best choice. The second best choice would be the commercial truck shop. They most likely do front end work on F550, F650, and F750 straight trucks. All have similar components to the F53 chassis so they should be familiar with yours.

BA-in-Mich · 07-31-2013, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hikerdogs

As mentioned a Ford Truck dealer would be the best choice. The second best choice would be the commercial truck shop. They most likely do front end work on F550, F650, and F750 straight trucks. All have similar components to the F53 chassis so they should be familiar with yours.

X two

Excell · 07-31-2013, 11:51 AM

If the big truck place will take it go there .RV dealers are generally not good at chassis
repairs .

Hikerdogs · 07-31-2013, 07:47 PM

Most motorhome dealers don't work on the F53 chassis because Ford will not allow them to do any warranty work unless they send their technicians to classes at Ford technical schools and be certified by in a particular discipline by Ford.

Years ago when I worked for Ford they only had schools in major cities. In the midwest it was cities like Chicago, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis. It took big bucks to send a tech to school for a few weeks. The cost became prohibitive for small dealers when adding in things like airfare, salary, motel accomodations, meals, and car rental on top of the cost of the class itself.

It's cheaper for an RV dealer to farm the chassis work out to a Ford dealer or Ford approved private shop than to train and pay a technician and have all the required specialty tools. Even the Winnebago factory in Forest City Iowa doesn't do Ford warranty work, and all their class A gas coaches and the majority of the class C gas coaches are built on Ford chassis.