Death wobble on the highway, wow!

[wavinwayne]

Is this "death wabble" something that happens suddenly, or gradually due to lack of service or neglect?

 

[DriveHard]

agree... most likely a trailer where the load shifted from the front to the back.

 

[CKN]

Pure speculation as to the cause.......

 

[Exhaustgases]

I guess everyone is ignoring the rumble strips on the edge of the road designed to wake people up that fall asleep on boring roads.
I say the person fell asleep and hit the gas to the floor and was doing what ever to stay on the road once they got woke up.

 

[D60]

Is this "death wabble" something that happens suddenly, or gradually due to lack of service or neglect?

Suddenly. Usually triggered by a particular pothole, road irregularity or bridge transition IME.

Once I found a place that set it off, I could reproduce it reliably every time at the same "obstacle"

While people like to argue a steering stabilizer is a bandaid, in many cases it works and the OEMs rely on them to do so in examples such as my '19 Wrangler JL and '11 F350

I'm all for more caster but in many cases you can aim for that or just install or replace a steering stab. The former can get involved while the latter is a DIY driveway affair

 

[Stumpalump]

There are a lot of common fixes that should be addressed like track bar (most common) but note where on the frame it is mounted for now.. Another is having too much caster dialed into alignment or just removing some will fix it. The other is broken or worn motor mounts. The engine is a structure between the front frame rails and needs a tight mount. Once death wobble hits, the violence shakes the vehicle and the oscillating loose engine only exasperates the problem. If not a main problem that violent shake probably ruined your motor mounts anyway. Change them or better yet poly mounts may make be the solid connection your vehicle needs between the front frame rails to finally cure it. The motor ties the frame rails together right behind the track bar mount. Good luck finding this cure anywhere else on the internet but if you are fighting this problem and it just won’t go away then do the less caster alignment and mount that engine down tighter. A stronger non flexible front bumper or sistering in a steel plate between the bumper and front frame horns also stiffens and ties the frame rails together.

 

[nickaluch]

When I first went into business I had a used GMC cutaway probably from the early 80s. I hit a pothole doing about 60 on the expressway got the death wobble steering box snapped off the frame and we ended up in the brush totally lucked out no body damage we didn't get hurt. I saw my life pass in front of me still shocked I didn't crap my pants. My old man a tough guy didn't flinch just said I think we dropped the steering box and puffed on his pipe.

 

[AZjeff]

My vote is that someone was doing a weak burnout and when the weight transferred from one side to another it took the weight off of one of the tires, leaving less rubber on the road.

Or someone's trailer brakes were locking up and the same thing applies.

The marks are slightly over 1/4 mile long, doubt it could be any kind of weird burnout. Since it's at the exit near our house maybe I'll get to see what makes it.