Help with 75 series death shimmey!

Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Location: Manjimup, Western Australia

My brother has a 75 series cruiser ute and sometimes when you hit a bit of a bump in the road it gets a really nasty wobble up (Jerks the wheel side to side!).
It has stock suspension, 31s, new steering stabilizer, rims have been swapped front to rear to rule out tyre or rim problems.
So Im thinking it has to be something to do with steering.
Anyone else had simmilar probs?
Anyone know how to fix it? The local guys around here have looked at it but couldnt figure it out.
Paul.

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2003 8:42 pm

gea wheel alignment Very Happy

maybe one of the steerin joints are flogged out? get under neath the bugger and try and move everything(with abit of force) thats what i did and found a one over the steering joints where floggeed out Very Happy

Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Location: Manjimup, Western Australia

It has been to 2 different local wheel alignment places and they recon they cant find anything wrong.

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2003 9:37 pm

hmmmmm... is there any slack in the steering column? if so one of the unis might be fawked.....

Joined: 06 Jul 2003 Location: perth west australia

Ausyota Did it come on slowly or was there a point where it was ok one day then the next it wasnt, maybe after the new stabiliser was fitted perhaps?
Sounds to me like the camber or toe-in.
Whats the springs/shocks like
Did you go to a proper 4wd alignment shop.
The places that do cars all day cant do 4wds properly or so Ive been told.

Joined: 31 Jul 2003 Location: Darwin

check all the suspension bolts and swivel pin bolts. Check for loose wheel bearings as well

Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Location: Geelong Vic

its sounds like its toeing out. when you drive does track straight or does it wander over the road.

Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Location: Manjimup, Western Australia

Rosco Im not sure when the problem started but it was before he fitted the steering stabiliser caus he put that on to try and help fix it.
It went to two different aligners both do cars but being a country town do more than their fair share of 4wds.
I havent really had a propper look at it yet he just told me to post and see if anyone new what to look for, so Ill have a good look at it tomorow if I can catch up with him and report back Smile

Thanks guys.
Paul.

Joined: 22 Oct 2002 Location: Your Mummas House!

Dude it sounds expensive.

Sell it cheap!

Sell it now!

I might consider it, if it was cheap enough Twisted Evil

Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Location: Manjimup, Western Australia

Its not mine to sell Smile

Joined: 26 Jun 2003

1st thing to do, check that all of the ubolts are tight on the front end. If they are fine your truck will need caster wedges.

Mine used to do the same thing

BTW Toe and Camber won't make the death wobbles

Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2003 8:55 am

spot on diagnosis MQ080 Very Happy

Joined: 22 Oct 2002 Location: Your Mummas House!

he has probably fitted a lift and the steering geometry is out!

Joined: 12 Aug 2003 Location: wollongong

Gday
Had thesame thing with my 60, turned out to be caster was too close to zero, once the shimmy got going, the car had to be slowed down till it stopped, gearstick used to hit me in the leg it was that bad.
Attributing factors were
1 raised to much
2 worn swivel hub bearings
3 slight out of balance tyre/s
4 loose wheel bearings
Any of these could be the main cause, mine was no1, but yours might be no2
Andrew

Joined: 15 Feb 2003 Location: Shed.

what MQ080 said. Castor Castor Castor. if your springs have got bent or sagged your castor angle will be wrong, and nothing causes death wobbles like bad castor. happens a lot with lifted bundys, 80 series, and GQ/GU patrols

Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Location: Manjimup, Western Australia

Thanks for all the replies people!
OK its got nothing to do with lift as it is all stock.
But Ill get someone to check out the castor angle.
Springs could be a bit shagged. A couple of days ago my bro managed to invert one of the front shackles and drove around for the day wondering why it was driving funny Rolling Eyes

hes not the sharpest tool in the shed #Rofl

He is planning on towing a car trailer a few hundred Ks in a couple of weeks so I said he has to fix its wobbles before then!
Could be fun trying to controll a few tons worth of two vehicles and trailer when it gets the shakes up!!!
Paul.

Joined: 15 Feb 2003 Location: Shed.

if it has stocker springs and the rear is sagged significantly this can make bad craziness with the castor angle.

Joined: 12 Aug 2003 Location: wollongong

Something doesnt add up with the springs if they are std, they shouldnt invert shackles, this only seems to happen to lifted springs.
Might find that the springs are off another model 70. i know that troupy and uterus have different springs to 73/74/70 shortys
Andrew

Joined: 02 Jan 2003 Location: Brisbane

Quote:

Could be fun trying to controll a few tons worth of two vehicles and trailer when it gets the shakes up!!!

Bloody hell Shocked

If you cant find the problem in time at least let us know which way he's headed so we can all stay out of his way Confused

Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Location: Manjimup, Western Australia

Well he took it in to the local toyota workshop for them to look at.
They test drove it and said it was the worst wobbles they had felt in a cruiser.
They found the problem - one of the centre bolts in the front springs had sheared and diff had been flogging around!!!
It had worn the crap out of the U-bolts too.
So hopfully problem solved.

Thanks for everyones help Cool

Paul.