: Scout Death Wobble???


ScoutsHonor
03-05-2006, 08:57 PM
Yeah I know.. shoulda searched... but seeing as how thats disabled I'll just ask.

Buddy of mine just bought a 77 SII. When he picked it up it had some 33s on it... took it to a tire shop and put an almost set of brand new 36" SXs on it... on the same wheels the 33s came off of. With the 33s on it, he drove 65-75 MPH down the highway, no problems at all. After putting the 36s on it... driving it through town, down dirt roads (30-40 MPH MAX) he develops a major problem. After hitting a bump, and sometimes un-provoked, the Scout develops a MAJOR VIOLENT shimmy in the front end. There is little or no movement in the steering wheel, but if you're riding passenger and look out at the front tires it almost appears that the rim is warped or something. As soon as you slam on the brakes, the movement stops. Haven't gotten it to high speeds, cuz frankly, its dangerous. Let me give you the stats on the rig and then will tell you what we've attempted to fix the problem:

77 SII, 304 V8, 4 spd, D20 (not that any of this matters)
Sprung over w/ rancho 2.5" lift springs
High Steer Kit, new ball joints, etc.
Of course locked & geared f&r
Does have D&C Xtreme shackles on it... no reverse shackle at this time
Driveshafts are almost at full extension, just a little bit of spline left in the shaft

The only thing we can find thus far that is actually rubbing is the passenger side high-steer arm is rubbing the tire... but its just a LIGHT rub... enough to rub the paint off of something and leave a little rub mark on the tire, but no actual damage to either. We have gone through and double checked tightness on EVERYTHING in the front end, as well as the rear... still no fix to the problem.

Hoping that the minds greater than ours will have a few ideas as to what it might be???? Thanks in advance!

corncrasher
03-05-2006, 09:08 PM
swap the front tires to the back and see what happens. The average tire shop has problems balancing the average swamper.

Eagle-Mark
03-05-2006, 09:15 PM
I guess we know why that set of almost new SX were for sale? :laughing:

It doesn't take much with that big a tire to cause death wobble. One tire out of round or balance and it will find any, little, tiny bit of play in the front end and exaggerate it. Including steering box play and frame flex.

I know a steering stabilizer is a band aid but they do help, my whole front end is new, ball joints, TRE, etc.. the 36 swamper's still had a little wobble and a stabilizer stopped it and made it drive on road much better.

RustoleumWhite
03-05-2006, 09:22 PM
Ball Joints?
TRE's?
Bearings?


33" to a 36" tire is a pretty big swap, plus a substantial change in weight. Compounded with an out of balance condition and it could make marginal parts turn into crap real quick.

Just a thought.


What’s the caster?