Cant shake death wobble

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ianallen2

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17
I have been through the threads regarding steering wobble/shake and tried just about everything mentioned. I am now stuck for ideas to cure it.
I have a Disco 200 TDI L reg 2.5 diesel. It has the death wobble and I have tried all sorts to cure it but it is still there. Work done includes, new track rod ends (all four on the front), New shocks, New steering box, New steering damper, swivel pins re-shimmed, tracking and camber has ben sorted as well. It still happens if driving over 60mph.
Has anyone got any ideas what could be causing it. I am not sure about the radius arm bushes as it has not long passed its mot and the bushes were ok then, even though it had the death wobble then. Has anyone cured theirs 100%, if so, can you please tell me how as I am coming close to getting rid of the car for a van.
 
Wheels balancing is next, but on a smooth road at 70mph, there is no wobble, not even as if wheels are unbalanced.
If drive shafts are out of balance, wouldnt there be a vibration all the time at speeds, and not just the wobble after hitting a bump or pothole.
 
Rear A-frame pivots and bushes, trailing arms and bushes ... Don't forget that if the rear axle is mis-aligned, even slightly, or moves about too much it can affect the steering pretty badly.

I know you say you have new shocks, but I'd also check they, and the steering damper, are actually damping with no free movement.
 
ianallen2 said:
Wheels balancing is next, but on a smooth road at 70mph, there is no wobble, not even as if wheels are unbalanced.
If drive shafts are out of balance, wouldnt there be a vibration all the time at speeds, and not just the wobble after hitting a bump or pothole.
Click to expand...

so, let's get this right - you've got a wobble at speed, so you've replaced ALL of the steering components - which no doubt would have taken a good while and a fair amount of money

yet - you've not done the simplest, easiest, cheapest - and in my mind - the single most likely cause of the problem

am baffled
 
Wheels were replaced. Had wobble before and after wheels were put on. Most of the other work was done by previous owner.
I had all 4 wheels tracked and aligned and the camber was way off.
I know the previous owner and what he had done to it. He had enough spending out on it and I thought with all the major components changed, it would not be much. I put it in for wheel alignment and everything was checked before and after re-alignment. It was done via computer and had before and after print outs. It seemed to be ok at first, but 2 weeks later, the wabble was back again.
 
Sean said:
so whoever did the tracking told him the camber was way off ?
Click to expand...


The previous owner said he had the tracking done, but I could see the camber was way out.
I had the tracking done at a place that does 4x4's and the results were, (after tracking done in brackets)
nsf track -0 deg 20' (-0 deg 16'), caster 2 deg 49' (2 deg 49'), osf track -0 deg 12' (-0deg 11'), caster 3 deg 06' (3 deg 07'), toe in 1 deg 44' (-0 deg 09'). nsr track -0 deg 07' , osr track -0 deg 04'.
Drive shaft/ half shaft balance, nsf 1 deg 33', osf 0 deg 11', prop 0 deg 14', nsr 0 deg 21' osr -0 deg 07'.
Final alignment of caster nsf 2 deg 49', osf 3 deg 07',
Camber nsf -0 deg 16', osf -0 deg 11'.
Camber nsr -0 deg 05', osr 0 deg 02'


Final results

Toe nsf -0 deg 03', osf -0 deg 05', total toe -0 deg 08'.
Toe nsr 0 deg 21', osr -0 deg 07', thrust angle 0 deg 14'.

Does this mean anything to anyone.
 
GRATCH said:
I'd be going over what he did and checking it'd been done right especially swivel pins. Did he renew swivel components or just re-shim them?
Click to expand...


Shims were removed as they were too loose. Swivels were done and then checked a week later. The weight of pull on the hubs are 12lbs each side (without callipers attached). This is the weight after the shims were removed.
 
ianallen2 said:
Shims were removed as they were too loose. Swivels were done and then checked a week later. The weight of pull on the hubs are 12lbs each side (without callipers attached). This is the weight after the shims were removed.
Click to expand...

What if the swivel pins or swivel bearings are worn? You can shim it to get right pull but if components are worn you're masking the problem.
(The pull should be checked without the big seal on the ball fitted, don't think the calipers make a difference)
 
ianallen2 said:
The previous owner said he had the tracking done, but I could see the camber was way out.
I had the tracking done at a place that does 4x4's and the results were, (after tracking done in brackets)
nsf track -0 deg 20' (-0 deg 16'), caster 2 deg 49' (2 deg 49'), osf track -0 deg 12' (-0deg 11'), caster 3 deg 06' (3 deg 07'), toe in 1 deg 44' (-0 deg 09'). nsr track -0 deg 07' , osr track -0 deg 04'.
Drive shaft/ half shaft balance, nsf 1 deg 33', osf 0 deg 11', prop 0 deg 14', nsr 0 deg 21' osr -0 deg 07'.
Final alignment of caster nsf 2 deg 49', osf 3 deg 07',
Camber nsf -0 deg 16', osf -0 deg 11'.
Camber nsr -0 deg 05', osr 0 deg 02'


Final results

Toe nsf -0 deg 03', osf -0 deg 05', total toe -0 deg 08'.
Toe nsr 0 deg 21', osr -0 deg 07', thrust angle 0 deg 14'.

Does this mean anything to anyone.
Click to expand...

It shows there's not a lot wrong with the tracking, caster or camber .. or even if 'technically' the numbers are out, they're balanced on each axle and shouldn't contribute to the wobble.

...and sean's right, wheel balancing should have been 1st on the list ... and tyre pressures .. ;)
 
I had a similar problem on a TDi 200 Disco and cured it 100% by rebuilding the hub/swivel assy. Afterwards it drove quite literally like a new car.

What I did:

Replaced all wheel bearings & all seals

Replaced swivel pins top and bottom; bearings top and bottom and shimmed to 3kgs with the large swivel ball oilseal off.

Ran great after the work - wish I'd never sold it but rust was creaping in all over.
 
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