Hey guys, I've been having a little trouble with my truck lately and have done all the work myself, but I can't seem to figure out a couple of problems. First off my truck is a 1999 Ford Ranger XLT Stepside 3.0L V6 4x4 with cranked torsion keys and 2" shackles sitting on 33s. recently my passenger side axle shaft, wheel bearing, and manual locking hub broke. I installed a new axle shaft and wheel bearing myself and threw the truck back together to take it for a test drive. I drove it a few miles and it had a slight pull to the right but seemed OK. Then I hit a bump and it went into this death wobble. The entire steering wheel was shaking violently and I had had somewhat hard time keeping it on the road. My shifter (It's a standard) was also flying all around. I took it home and checked the tire to make sure I didn't forget to tighten the lug nuts but it was seated on there just fine. That's when I noticed that my power steering fluid was leaking from what I believe is the steering gear (#4 in the picture in this link) http://repairguide.autozone.com/znet...3f8021b9de.jpg

Should I have a front end alignment done? I checked the bolts everything I put back on is tight, and I've done wheel bearings before. Maybe a bent Tie Rod? also the power steering fluid seemed to be leaking a lot as there were drip marks in my driveway but when I checked the level it was perfected but appeared to be almost burnt? Any info will help

thanks in advance,
Tyler

 

actually, I looked at the picture backwards the leek from what I can tell appears to be coming from around where 1,2, and 3 are I believe. (The passenger side)

 

Sounds like you got air in your system. Try working the steering wheel all the way to the left and right 5 or 6 times. See if any bubbles work their way up to the reservoir.

As for the leak I don't know. Your rack may be going out

 

Cause

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Recheck everything, it's sounds like something is not in all the way , check half shaft, nothing courtesy cause a wobble as bad as you say it is ,was a front end tech. for 12 years and never heard of that kind of issue

 

My guess is you didn't install something properly. When you test drove it, it loosened up causing the wobble. Re-check everything you did.. even if it means pulling it all apart again.

 

I know that lifting my vehicle was going to ware parts out more. I was looking online and read some stuff about this happening in other vehicles after having the shaft replaced. I will recheck everything but I had doubled checked it as I was going. Kinda like taking two steps forward and one step back. All i can think of is that the tie-rod was possibley moved after i dropped the upper control arm or that something somehow loosened up after i drove it?

 

so you were a front end tech for 12 years but couldn't figure out what was squeaking (the ball joint) on your own truck? LOL



In regards to the original post, the death wobble could be a simple outer tie rod end. Happened on my 99 right after i got it aligned. I replaced the tie rod end and got it realigned for free because the idiots aligned it without checking them.

I have a video of my death wobble on youtube somewhere. It was pretty bad

 

That was 15 years ago, I apologize, but something didn't go back together properly

 

Did you ever find out what the problem was

 

I haven't had a chance to look at it yet. Hopefully I will tomorrow and I will let you guys know!

 

Lol I'm just busting your chops, no need to apologize

 

They still had twin I beams at that time LOL

 

My 2009 just started the death wobble (@ 60+MPH no less). I have looked at it a number of times. Took it to 5 different shops plus tire shops they say every thing is tight (it has 130 K miles on it). The only thing that I think it might be is that I purchased a new set if 16" rims just after I got the truck (running 265 R70 16's) that need the stick on tape weights to balance them. One rim takes a lot of weight to bring it into balance and keeps loosing about half of them within a few days. The alignment shop has spun this thing too many times its not funny any more and they tell me that it is in tolerances (I don't think so but ok). Has any one else having this problem?

 

Sounds like new rims are in your future

 

I have been thinking along those lines for awhile.

But after paying $1,200 plus tax plus shipping, for the ones I got it is hard to just scrap them.

Sometimes I feel like I was better off with the stock 16" 'saw blades'.

 

I have the same issue and I have been all over the truck I went from 245's to 265's this increase in the tire diameter reaked havok on the steering, I put a stabilizer on the rack and the issue went away, I also hahad to put some V-centric rings on the new wheels as the cnters of the wheels were larger than the center ring of the hub. the lugs didn't center it properly so I got a wobble. Hope this helps

 

Thanks for the info, but the rims and lugs fit perfect. I am thinking that it is still one rim that wasn't centered properly at the factory. When I rotate the tires it seems to me that the truck gets a "butt wiggle" in back instead of a front end wobble. However I could be that I am reading something into it that is not there. I can see it in my steering wheel as I drive down the road most of the time. The steering wheel is shaking back and forth as I drive. Had that problem on my (early) 64 mustang that had a bad ball joint on the pitman arm. I couldn't find the problem until it separated one day while driving in a parking lot. Glad it didn't break on the highway!!!!