What is the typical life on a 80 steering stabilizer shock?

[RayRay27]

I've had my lift on my 80 for nearly 13 years now. It was originally installed by Slee in 2013 with their 4" lift kit. About 5 or 6 years ago, I upgraded to Slees by-pass shocks but left everything else. The other night I was driving down the road to the gas station when I hit a man-way cover the sat a few inches below the asphalt, causing the wheel to slightly jerk out of my had and start to death wobble. This is the first time ever I have experienced that in my lift set up.

I recently had some bushings and other front end items addressed in April this year. My question is, at what interval have folks replaced their front stabilizer and is this really a component that wears out over a short time when running a higher lift with 35s?

Gracias amigos!

 

[Corbet]

I'm on my 3rd steering stabilizer at 291K. I let the first aftermarket one go way too long. It was totally blown when I replaced it. Much like you I upgraded to Slee's ADS shocks but left the old upgraded steering stabilizer in at that time. I've since installed the Dobinson's adjustable unit.

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I doubt any death wobble is a result of a bad stabilizer. More likely it's no longer masked by a good one. The panard rod bushings were the cause of my death wobble a while back. Pressed in new and it was gone. Inspect your radius arm hangers for cracks or damage that also could be causing issues. Sounds like you had those bushings already replaced. Hopefully with OEM.

 

[Notyourmomslx450]

Looks for cracks in the front panhard mount at the frame.... panhard bushings, etc....
the stabilizer is not the reason for the DW...

 

[RayRay27]

Looks for cracks in the front panhard mount at the frame.... panhard bushings, etc....
the stabilizer is not the reason for the DW...

I had a cracked front sway bar mount that I got re-welded and the sway bar links replaced but everything else was good. I have tried to replicate the problem by driving over every man-hole cover I see and nothing is happing. I may have hit it just right at the right speed to cause it to do that. Freaked me out pretty good.

 

[Hulk]

I had a big crack in my frame near the steering box. Randy Holmes down at Precision Cruisers in Colorado Springs welded it up with his beefier version of the Delta Frame Support kit.

 

[RayRay27]

 

[Corbet]

I really regret not adding those brackets as preventive when my engine was our for its rebuild.

 

[Corbet]

So yesterday my 80 did the same thing you described. I hit a man hole cover in town and got 3-5 death wobble steering wheel cycles before it returned to normal.

A quick inspection this morning. I crawled under to look for cracks around my steering box. It’s got a slow weep of a leak and will require some cleaning of dirt/oil so nothing conclusive there. I shook the truck side to side by the bull bar and can feel is small clunk. Went to the rear bumper, same but a little louder. Looking under the rear while shaking side to side I can see some movement in the panard bar bushing. I’ll get it cleaned up at the car wash and look closer with the help of my son so I can crawl under while he shakes the truck. But I definitely need to press in some new rear panard bushings. From memory those are the oldest bushings on the truck.

 

[Cruisertrash]

Same on my 60 yesterday. Hit a bump on the ramp from 70 to 25 and got about 5 death wobbles in the span of 1 second. Never happened to me before on any vehicle. I installed a Dobinsons stabilizer 3 months ago, rebuilt the knuckles 4 months ago, rebuilt the steering gear box 18 months ago, replaced leaf springs and bushings three years ago, and did new tie rod ends 4 years ago. I checked torque and everything is tight - everything. I got under there and tried shaking everything and there are zero noises or play.

I suspect either the TREs or the CV joints in the steering shaft, behind the steering wheel. I know my setup is different than an 80, but I wanted to let you know you’re not alone @RayRay27!

 

[Hulk]

I suspect either the TREs or the CV joints in the steering shaft, behind the steering wheel. I know my setup is different than an 80, but I wanted to let you know you’re not alone @RayRay27!

I'm still working on death wobble elimination in my 80. There is a rag joint in the steering assembly that looks to be my culprit. I just ordered these parts:

Flexible Coupling Assembly: 45230-60010 - this is the rag joint that is most essential
Steering Sliding Yoke Sub-Assembly: 45209-60070
Steering Sliding Yoke Sub-Assembly: 45209-60060

The other two parts are the most common worn steering parts (after the rag joint) according to the folks on Mud who have dealt with this issue, so I purchased them so I get it all done at once.

 

[Notyourmomslx450]

I'm still working on death wobble elimination in my 80. There is a rag joint in the steering assembly that looks to be my culprit. I just ordered these parts:

Flexible Coupling Assembly: 45230-60010 - this is the rag joint that is most essential
Steering Sliding Yoke Sub-Assembly: 45209-60070
Steering Sliding Yoke Sub-Assembly: 45209-60060

The other two parts are the most common worn steering parts (after the rag joint) according to the folks on Mud who have dealt with this issue, so I purchased them so I get it all done at once.

@Andrew
take a look at yours...

 

[CardinalFJ60]

WTF is going on?!?! So weird. Things happen in 3’s?