Stock suburban "death wobble"?

**neilim'burbans** · 10-15-2007, 04:08 PM

I have a stock '89 suburban, 4x4, 1500, auto that I picked up this weekend. It has a slight shake in the wheel that seems like a combination of a warped rotor(s) and soft brake hose(s). The kicker is when going over a road paved road with many shallow potholes the front end suddenly starts oscillating left and right nearly uncontollably until i swerve left or right loading everything to one side....this acts similar to "death wobble" typically seen more with large tires and suspensions. I just got it and haven't had a chance to crawl under it and see what's up. If anyone has encountered something similar. please give me a shout.

Thanks

**Davandy** · 10-15-2007, 04:42 PM

Welcome to the site

I suspect the sway bar, but I never had something like that.

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**tbplus10** · 10-16-2007, 12:47 AM

Check the shocks.

**unplugged** · 10-16-2007, 02:17 AM

Ditto, check the shocks and other suspension items like tie rod ends, and control arm bushings.

**Cableguy** · 10-16-2007, 07:10 AM

A full front end inspect would be in order. Sway bar to wheel bears and everything in between. Keep the trips short until you get it done. It doesn't sound very safe. Cuz' spilling your coffee in a roll over is not cool.

**unplugged** · 10-16-2007, 10:22 AM

Cuz' spilling your coffee in a roll over is not cool.

I hate when that happens! Been upside down twice, and I can laugh now but it wasn't very funny when it happened.

**cao88c** · 10-16-2007, 03:13 PM

Check/replace the tie-rod ends, but 8/10 times a good alignment and tire balance will fix it.

Whatever you do, don't try to hide it by getting a new steering stabilizer!

**FireRed** · 10-18-2007, 10:23 AM

Also take a look at the idler arms grab them at the ends any up and down motion they are shot! That will cause one hell of a wiggle!

**neilim'burbans** · 10-19-2007, 01:23 PM

thanks guys I'll inspect the front end throughout as intended

**JayMack75** · 10-28-2007, 05:31 PM

These guys are all right, because when something similar happened to me I did everything that they have suggested to you in this thread. None of what they have suggested to you worked for me. I ended up listening to my girlfriend (I should have done that from the beginning) and I bought a new set of tires. It ended up being sidewall problems on the insides of my tires, and now I have no problems at all.