Go Bottom Go Bottom

shimmy in truck

View my Photos
Doughboy
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 10 st. louis
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2004-12-04          101601

I have a 2002 ram quad 4x4 360. I have this shimmy in the steering wheel that starts about 55 mph and stops about 65-70 mph.nothing to bad just enough to let you know its there. You can feel it in the steering wheel and the passengers can feel it also. The next time you drive the truck nothing.

I brought it the dealer and they said it was "bad tires" just bought new one about 500 miles before I brought it to them. So I know its not the tires because it did it before and after new tires. My neighbor also has a 2002 quad 2x4 and he has the same thing. Dodge says there is nothing wrong with his.

Does anybody out there have the same problem or know of a fix? This is driving me crazy.


Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-12-05          101605

I have the same truck except with the Cummins diesel. Try checking tire pressure and set to around 50 psi and rear around 45 psi. I set mine at 65 front and 60 rear. You may want to also look into tire balance beads. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
Ducati996
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 347 New York
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-12-05          101614

Rotating tires frequently are a must, but if not that have your tires high speed balanced...since it starts at 55 mph, its more tires or rim related then anything else...

Good luck and let us know


Ducati ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-12-05          101615

I'd be looking at the tires or rims. Rotating would help isolate the problem as rear tires other then for broken belts should always be square to the road surface. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
Doughboy
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 10 st. louis
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2004-12-05          101632

I have the tires rotated and balanced on a regular basis. Check the tire pressure often also and still the same problem. If the balance was off wouldn’t I have the problem all of the time not intermittently?? ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-12-05          101644

This has been a common problem often discussed on the Turbo Diesel Register web site (Dodge-Cummins diesel owners organization) on the 2003-2004 trucks. There is a problem with the fron driveshaft angle causing a vibration. I think they are doing a differant setting on the caster setting on the front axle to correct the problem. This may be a fix for your 2002 also. Some owners (on TDR site) are getting the trucks bought back by DC because of the problem, in exchange for 2005's. ....


Link:   TDR website

 
Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
Doughboy
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 10 st. louis
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2004-12-05          101664

av8tr,

hmmmm, how do i exchange my 2002 for a 2005????? is the drive shaft problem something that dodge really knows about. the service department said multiple times that is was the tires. i just never thought it sounded right. thought i was getting the run around.

is there a contact person or some place i can call to do some additional complaining?????

thanks for the help ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-12-05          101670

The people with "new" '04 trucks have been able to get DC to buy them back. The 3rd generation Rams (2003+) do not have a central axle disconnect, so the front driveshaft allways spins. This is where the vibration is comming from on these. 2002 still has the axle disconnect which stops the front driveshaft from turning in 2wd.

I would suggest to take your truck to a good allignment shop and have the alignment, especially the track bar, checked. How many miles do you have on it? Is it lifted, winch, snowplow? All these things effect the steering and can cause vibrations. Maybe check the u-joints too, even the axle joints can cause a vibration. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
Doughboy
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 10 st. louis
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2004-12-06          101688

av8r,

It has done it since I had the truck.... the truck is bone stock. However, I am going to buy new tires next week. Got stuck in some very superficial mud and could not get out.. kinda p/oed me. I am going to go from the stock 265-75-17 to a 285-75-17. Should not be a big deal...

I just thought it was kinda funny that my neighbor and i have the same year truck except his is a 2x4 and we have the same problem.... dodge told him the same thing and his truck only had a couple of thousand miles on it. kinda makes you wonder..
....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-12-06          101691

Doughboy: The track bar (5th link holding the front axle side to side) will cause a shimmy or vibration problem on these 2nd generation (1994-2002) trucks. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-12-06          101692

The track bars can wear out quickly if conditions are right. Off-roading, heavy hauling or large tires will cause the bar to quickly go bad allowing the front axle to be able to shift from side to side causing the shimmy. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-12-06          101693

Check the track bar by having a friend turn the steering back and forth and watch the tie rod end on the track bar for movement. Sorry for the multiple replies, but you can't see all of a long message unless you are a member. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
Doughboy
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 10 st. louis
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2004-12-06          101698

Thanks AV8R,

I will give that a try the next warm and dry that we have here.... did i mention that i hate the weather is St. Louis!! ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-12-07          101779

I had a '95 Ram that went through 7 track bars and a wheel bearing both of which caused shimmy. My '99 went through 4 track bars, upper and lower ball joints, all tie rod ends and the steering sector shaft had to be adjusted. The my '03+ 2500 Ram does have a center axle disconnect (straight axle carry-over from previous years)---the 1500's have independent front suspensions. Also, a warped brake rotor and/or seized caliper will cause a shimmy. My '03 2500 quad cab, heavy-duty, High-Output diesel, automatic is the best truck I have ever had. Mileage at 55mph can be as much as 28MPG and as low as 17. Pulling 15,000 lb. of heavy equipment around town I get about 14-17mpg. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
Doughboy
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 10 st. louis
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2004-12-07          101804

WOW!!!!!!!! I wish I got that kind of gas mpg..I only get 13-14 mpg. on highway, city, towing. It does not change.

Went through the front brakes today. Had the rotors turned and replaced the pads. We shall see. If get my larger tires and want to lift the front cant I just crank the torsion bars a couple of turns. I only want to lift it about two inches.
....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-12-07          101809

WAIT A MINUTE!!!

Torsion bars? Is your truck IFS? A 2002 Dodge 2500 has coils and a solid front axle. Are we talking about something completely different? ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
Doughboy
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 10 st. louis
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2004-12-07          101813

av8r,

Sorry for the confusion.. my truck is a 1500 with a 5.9 gas. I only wish I could buy a 2500 diesel. my brother inlaw ahs the ford version of the 2500... gee i just love that truck.... ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-12-07          101817

Okay. I was assuming it was a GenII body, like mine, not the GenIII. You can now disreguard everything I've told you. I thought you had a solid front axle truck.

IFS, ick! :P ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-12-08          101896

DOUGHBOY: Mileage and power--that's why I went with the H.O. diesel (555 lb.ft. torque). And it's 85% quiter than an '02 diesel. It was about $500 more for the High Output but well worth it---everything engine/drive train is upgraded to heavy duty as a package. There is virtually no perceptable "turbo-lag" either, unlike my '99 diesel. Driving it is like driving the same truck with a gas engine only it goes through the gears so quickly it's in overdrive at 35-40 mph when unloaded, 45-50mph when heavily loaded. Even pulling 15K lb. it stays in overdrive. The '95 with a gas 360 (diesel is also 360 c.i.d.) couldn't get out of its own way---it was such a dog (Chrysler bought it back in '98---got all my loan payments plus interest, my downpayment and $3000 of $8000 in aftermarket accessories) ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



shimmy in truck

View my Photos
k9fletch
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 52 Whittemore, MI
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-12-09          101927

Doughboy, I highly recomend that you get some advise on conducting a lift, many torsion bars cannot be cranked a in order to get more lift(however some say you can inorder to get 1.5-2" which you want.) Most of the lift kits for this type of IFS require the elimination of the torsion bars and going with a coilover shock system or remounting the front end with special brackets to accept your existing torsion bars. I am certainly no expert in this field but I recomend a second opinion especially if you are under warrenty.

As far as the shimmy issue, I the think AV8R's above posts are on the mark, I would also find a shop in your area that is not affiliated with any dealer and take their top tech for a ride. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo


  Go Top Go Top

Share This
Share This







Member Login