8lugnuts

I've got a stock T100 SR5 4x4 that eats ball joints. I just installed the uppers on it after about 50K mi. checked the lowers, tie rods, control arm, idler, pitman, all bushings, etc. everything is tight. I installed all four shocks with KYB Gas-a-Justs same time I installed the BJs. Wheels & tires(10.5x31.15 Falken A/Ts) just balanced. It still has that Jeep like death wobble. Only thing I did not replace is the steering damper and I know it needs to be replaced but I cannot reconcile the difference in cost for an OEM one ($230 & up) .vs. the El Cheapo Monroe type from one of the big box stores (~$30).
There's an aftermarket KYB on it now but I cannot find anyone who has it in stock using the part#. The OEM one is the tie-rod style design with polyurethane bushings and obviously is a perfect fit. Do you know if the OEM stabilizer is that much better than aftermarket?

vital22re

iTrader: (2)

I ran a rancho version on mine. Most of the lower cost ones will be just about the same thing but with different labels. The OEM one fits like a glove and is rated for all stock components. The after market ones will take a little more effort to fit. But they will work just fine. Make sure you get your alignment checked and set.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

I can`t say I never had a factory one that ever worked .

I always used any after market one that I could get Local

Napa or Monroe .did whatever fabrication needed to use on the vehicle it needed to be installed on

Yours is a T100 parts are few and far between and suspension parts seem not to fit anything else .

Most times you say T100 you get a blank look

Yotard

Did you have the alignment checked? I doubt it is the stabilizer. Anytime you replace any of those components alignment should be checked.

8lugnuts

Yotard, yup, alignment is good, it flies straight. I'm pretty sure it needs to be replaced since I installed it with the last batch of shocks several years and approx. 50K mi. ago.

Yotard

You can take the stabilizer off and it won't cause death wobble. It's just supposed to help not transfer big jolts into the steering wheel.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

I have to play Devils Advocate I have run tires with aggressive tread that removing the steering stabilizer made for an interesting .drive

I have really never figured out just what this so called Death Wobble is from.

I have experienced it I think on vehicles with all new suspension and steering parts

8lugnuts

Yeah Wyoming, I agree. There are so many variables to consider when trouble shooting d-wobbles. I think the bigger the tire the greater the probability for shaking up the front suspension. Maybe something like urethane bushings all around might help? I have always run the optional bigger tires on my T, 10.5x31s and always A/Ts. No matter how many times or ways I rotate em or re-balance them it seems they seem to get worse as the tread gets thinner and thinner.

I appreciate everyone's input but I still haven't heard from anyone with some experience with stock stabilizer .vs. aftermarket.

Yotard

I replaced the stock stabilizer with the old man emu at 140,000 mi when I put 32x11.5 bfg km2 mud terrains. I replaced ball joints at the same time got it aligned when I installed all that and I am now at 170,000 mi no death wobble and I rock crawl the Rubicon and parts of the fordyce trail with Spartan lockers front and rear. I drive to and from the trails on the highway and I have absolutely no death wobble.

8lugnuts

Yotard, do you have a part# for that OME stabilizer? Will it fit my stock T or is it for lifted suspensions only?

Yotard

OMESD33 is the stabilizer. The lift doesn't effect the stabilizer position so it's a stock replacement but it's about twice the size in diameter. I am not sure if the T100 uses the same part or not honestly but Google can probably tell you.

highonpottery

iTrader: (1)

I like the OME stabilizer too. Compared to the stock one, it's like comparing the diameter of a hotdog vs a salami.
I've only replaced one side's BJs, my idler arm and my steering stabilizer on my truck, I've even removed my swaybar - it's got 200k on all the other steering parts with 33x12.5 tires - I can run it at 85mph with my pinky on the steering wheel and feel safe, so something definitely sounds up with your rig.

50k from new BJs doesn't sound right to me on a Toyota with 31" tires. OEM or off-brand aftermarket parts?
You mention replacing the BJs after 50k...did you replace the 4 bjs, inner/outer tie rods, idler and pitman arms 50k miles ago, or just the BJs? How are you inspecting things for play? When's the last time you touched your wheel bearings?

8lugnuts

Here's my T's suspension saga timeline:

• 2007 bought it with 53K and nearly new Firestone Destination A/Ts. Rode smooth
• Around 80-85K F-Stones started wearing thin, front end shake got progressively worse, I let it go too long and by the time I got it in the shop it had worn out just about every front end suspension part.
• 87K put on new Yokohama Geolander A/Ts, all 4 BJs, idler, pitman, tie rod ends, shocks, stabilizer. checked & repacked bearings, re-aligned. Rode smooth again.
• Around 125K front Yokos were starting to cup and causing shake in front end so I rotated to the rear. Around 131K replaced all four BJs with Moogs. WORST BJ!, grease fittings would not seat properly, just kept turning when tightened and when I pumped grease into them it squirted out around the hole. The lowers grease fittings face the inner control arm, can't get a grease gun fitting in between! I didn't think these were going to last but too stubborn to remove & return them to Advance Auto and start all over again..
• By 145K front Yokos were nearly worn out and none of them would pass inspection, front end shake was bad. That was about a week ago.
• At 145K got a set of nearly new Falken A/Ts, had them mounted and balanced, re-algined. Checked BJs, lowers good, uppers worn and grease boots were worn, torn, & leaking so replaced uppers with NAPA premium BJs, got the lowers just in case and keeping them on deck. Installed four new shocks. Checked everything else, all tight, including bearings. It still vibrates more than it should.
• The only thing I haven not replaced since 87K is the stabilizer. That's next.
• I'm also taking it back to the tire shop to have them re-check wheel balance.
• Every set of tires have been the same size and style, 10.5x31x15 A/T's.

There's a possibility the Falkens I got are flat spotted but I don't think so, Guy I bought them from bought them new for his S-10 and ran them for about a year until the truck died. I am a little surprised my T's bearings have held up so well since I bought the truck. They may even be the originals.

highonpottery

iTrader: (1)

Well the normal service interval for wheel bearings is 30,000 miles, so I would check those out again and see if you have movement up front when you jack up the truck and manhandle the tire at 12 and 6 oclock positions. You shouldn't really have any movement. If you to, try just repacking the bearings and then reset the preload and reinstall. On my truck I thought the bearings were bad and turned out to be just loose and not enough grease, but I ended up replacing the bearings anyways since I ordered the parts before opening things up - IIRC I kept some of the original races because I didnt' have access to a press to R/R.

You can check for play in everything else by grabbing the tire at 9 and 3 oclock and see if you can see movement (or have someone inside moving the steering wheel).

Just thinking out loud: have you tried swapping around your tires? Maybe you have a bad wheel? My gut leans more toward an issue with out of balance tire or wheel.

8lugnuts

Hi-Pot, I think my wheels are okay and I think the tire shops I've used to mount my last three sets of tires since I got it would have noticed if one was bent. It has the original wagon wheel steelies, pretty strong compared to the aluminum ones, and heavy too. I was thinking about how heavy they are and thinking about what difference aluminum would make. If I have time and the weather permits I'm going to swap the backs & fronts to see if it makes any difference. It feels more like a tire/wheel bounce than anything else. It is very bad around 45-55. I hardly notice it when I cruising around the back country roads at 35-40.