Help! Dana 60 front axle death wobble

[DaveB]

I was driving my 85 1 ton chevy 4x4 truck down the road at about 30 mph when one side dropped into a deep chuck hole. The truck started to wobble side to side in the front so badly that it felt like it was going to go out of control. I pulled over and nothing looked bad so I drove it home and have started to try and figure out what could cause this. Last summer I changed all of the front sway bar bushings, the springs, and the upper steering knuckle bushings (the nylon cone shaped piece), and repacked the bearings. It has been steering very well.
I tested the tie rod ends and found the right tie rod is worn and the pitman arm drag link joint is also worn. The right front tie rod doesn't have many miles on it so I don't know why it has gone out so quickly. Would the tie rod and drag link ends cause the death wobble ? or do I need to look for other things ?
Any ideas would be appreciated,
Dave

 

[Caleb]

yes, the tie rod and grag link would cause it...also something else is on the king pin, the big spring where the poly bushing is wears out...a lot of guys will usually shim it by putting about 1/4" worth of washers (same size diameter or so as the spring) under the cap and this will preload the spring...

 

[Andy]

Have someone turn the wheels and watch the spring bushings, or as Caleb said check the drag link. On 1 tons I usually see the spring bushings are wasted when that happens.

Andy

 

[DaveB]

I think I fixed it tonight. I replaced the worn draglink and tie rod ends plus I put in new upper kingpin springs. It turns out that the new kingpin springs only cost $2.52 each at Six States. I drove all over the neighborhood hitting the manhole cover holes and didn't get the wobble to happen again.
Thanks for the ideas,
Dave