85 K1500 front end/wheel problem ?!?!?!

[HotRodPC]

One thing about my K1500, since the day I got it, then installed the rebuilt Th350, this truck had drove smooth. Straight down the hwy at any speed, correct steering wheel spokes and no slop in the steering, so I've always considered the front end in good shape and in alignment. Also the tires are wearing very well and even with no cupping or innner/outer wear.

Today, I'm cruising along about 45-50mph, and all of a sudden the front end started shaking uncontrollably very bad. I actually thought I was about to lose a front wheel. I stopped right where I was at as far to the right as possible but there was no shoulder. I got under the front end looking for a bad tie rod or drag link, all looked good. All wheel studs looked tight, shook the tires what I could and seemed firm in place. Took off about 20mph and I can feel the front end wobbling badly. I went ahead and continued to the house about 20mph for the 4 miles I was from home, knowing if it came apart I could call one of my coworkers to tow it home for me. Just having a tooth pulled I just went in the house and laid down to get this bleeding to stop and didn't go jack up the truck to find out what was wrong.

Anyone have an idea of what I'm going to find wrong? Whatever it is, it's pretty bad. Honestly, I've never felt a front end come this loose before. Espeicailly on a truck that is normally just about as perfect as can be as far as steering, espeically for a 4x4 straight axle truck. I'm guessing maybe a hub bearing??? Both tires still seem to be standing straight up, or I would have just left it right there and called for the boss lady to bring me my roll back.

Any suggestions what to check for, what to suspect or a good guess will be appreciated.

 

[HotRodPC]

I'll add, this is OEM suspension. Even though it's a 4x4, I put it in Street Suspension since it's not lifted in anyway at all. Stock OEM tire size too. 31's. To the best of my knowledge, all the suspension is pretty much factory set up.

 

[Jims86]

Just figured this out on mine....Front leaf spring forward bushings. The one on the left side got so bad, the whole leaf spring/axle would move back and forth when i had someone jerk the steering. Death wobble like you describe, but only when braking. power steering link made the bushing into a mushing. replaced both in a 1/2 hour, no more wobble.

 

[HotRodPC]

This was nothing like that. I was just cruising. No hard on the brakes, not turning, not on the gas hard. Just cruising along and all of a sudden, all hell broke loose with no warning at all. Hopefully tomorrow, I'll get a chance to jack it up and give a more thorough inspection. I"ll look over those bushings though. Maybe I can use this failure as a rush on that kid for the 10 bolt front with the 3.73 and Air locker front end.

 

[smurph20]

Id be looking at axle joints maybe

 

[towman]

steering stabilzer probably bad

 

[crazy4offroad]

Definately sounds like something suddenly let go, and never went back to normal. If you dont see anything obvious like TRE, DLE, ball joints, wheel bearings when you get it on a jack you may want to start looking at suspension parts. Leaf spring bushings like Jim said, eye bolt maybe broke, centering pin maybe broke, U-bolts, shackles, etc. Also check the steering box mount and pitman arm. The truck may have had that shimmy for a while but masked by the shimmy shock, and whatever stress it was putting on the parts something finally let go.

 

[HotRodPC]

Just to get a premilimany idea of what happened, jack up each wheel seperatly. All seems fine. Then I rolled the driverside wheel. And holly damn, tire failure batman !!! Looks like the tire blew a hernia and a big one. There is bubble about the size of a soccer ball in the tread. I did get pics of it, but not sure how well it will show when I post them since it's all black. From the center of the tread all the way to the outter edge sidewall, and a bit longer than that going around the tread. I'd say that is likley the problem. I've seen bubbles and ruptures in tires, but never one like this. Everything else seemed OK, other the front leaf bushing do appear to have some wear on them, but not severe, and the right hub bearing might be a tad loose. Otherwise all is well. Guess, I'll swap that tire out later on with a tire off the K10 and see how it does. Outta here.

 

[Jims86]

This was nothing like that. I was just cruising. No hard on the brakes, not turning, not on the gas hard. Just cruising along and all of a sudden, all hell broke loose with no warning at all. Hopefully tomorrow, I'll get a chance to jack it up and give a more thorough inspection. I"ll look over those bushings though. Maybe I can use this failure as a rush on that kid for the 10 bolt front with the 3.73 and Air locker front end.

Pop yer hub locks off and check the spindle nuts. Mine were very loose while i was looking for the wobble.
My ride is rock solid after everything i have don in the past week. Woops...didnt read through all the way. still, check the hubs. Mine apparently came loose on their own.

 

[Jims86]

Just to get a premilimany idea of what happened, jack up each wheel seperatly. All seems fine. Then I rolled the driverside wheel. And holly damn, tire failure batman !!! Looks like the tire blew a hernia and a big one. There is bubble about the size of a soccer ball in the tread. I did get pics of it, but not sure how well it will show when I post them since it's all black. From the center of the tread all the way to the outter edge sidewall, and a bit longer than that going around the tread. I'd say that is likley the problem. I've seen bubbles and ruptures in tires, but never one like this. Everything else seemed OK, other the front leaf bushing do appear to have some wear on them, but not severe, and the right hub bearing might be a tad loose. Otherwise all is well. Guess, I'll swap that tire out later on with a tire off the K10 and see how it does. Outta here.

Quit profiling, and post the pic!

 

[bucket]

Check your ball joints really well and give everything a once-over again. A bad tire will cause a severe shake, but not an uncontrollable shake. I'd guess that your separated tire combined with a loose part or two is what caused your death wobble.

 

[oneluckypops]

Check your ball joints really well and give everything a once-over again. A bad tire will cause a severe shake, but not an uncontrollable shake. I'd guess that your separated tire combined with a loose part or two is what caused your death wobble.

if the knot on the tire is as bad as he described. It will DEFINTLY cause the uncontrollable vibrations.

EDIT: But yes its always a good idea to check EVERYTHING out, as bad as it was shaking it could have caused something else to work loose on the wheel.

 

[bucket]

if the knot on the tire is as bad as he described. It will DEFINTLY cause the uncontrollable vibrations.

EDIT: But yes its always a good idea to check EVERYTHING out, as bad as it was shaking it could have caused something else to work loose on the wheel.

I can imagine how bad the knot is. I've seen them so bad that I actually took pictures or else nobody would believe me, but they were still able to be driven and controlled.

Although oddly, I did once have a ridiculous tire shake on my old Corsica (my buddy wanted me to stop and let him out of the car, lol) and the tires were not visibly out of round.

 

[HotRodPC]

Here are the 2 best pics. Bummer that the pics can't actually show how bad it really is. I"ve never in my life seen a tire do this, and this bad. Sure I've seen knots in tread, and softballs in sidewalls, but this is like a soccer ball right in the tread. Maybe even 2/3 the width of the tire, but at least 1/2 for certain. What's really wierd, it just happened all of a sudden.
No doubt the front end is in good shape, but it's not perfect by any stretch.

 

[Jims86]

Those are some skinny ass 31s!