Too much TRE play? Video - guidance appreciated (1 Viewer)

[joyRidaz]

Well my 40 has been kept off any highways due to a scary death wobble that kicks in around 45-50mph.

I’ve replaced the suspension bushings and tightened up the play in the steering wheel.

Today while finally getting an exhaust, I took advantage of the lift and got to play with the TRE’s.

Took a video of the amount of play. Not very scientific but was just really surprised at how much movement there is. I probably have a lot of other items also contributing, but does Mud approve and agree I’m good to drop a hundred bux with Kurt for some 555’s to clean up some of this “slop”?

Is this amount of play normal or terribly excessive?



Sorry for the horrible camera work, wasn’t intending it to be for public consumption.

 

[joyRidaz]

In due time I will do a knuckle rebuild, new suspension/shocks, but for now I’m just hoping to go 50mph without having an accident on the road or in my pants.

 

[-MaTTi-]

Is this amount of play normal or terribly excessive?

This is not how to test play of the TRE’s. Test them by swinging the wheels by hand and pressing the joints by pushing and hanging the rods.

 

[AntFarm]

That appears to be the normal direction of TRE movement, not slop from wear. However you are missing at least one boot, any others missing or torn? If the age of the TREs is suspect I would just replace them. Might as well replace all the ends, clean up the rods and threads and rebuild the center arm while you’re in there.

 

[PEOPLES]

Yeah, put it on the wheels, one needs to move the steering wheel and you check the axial play. There should be no play.

What I can assume from the video: Usually those joints needs more force to be tilted like that, they need to go really "slugish" (sorry, no native speaker) but without play. As already mentioned: if the boots are gone, it doesn't take a long time until the joint is gone too. I would replace them.

 

[pb4ugo]

I think new tre's for $100 is a good price, but probably won't fix your issue. New tre's will eventually loosen up. As others have said, thats not how check them. Death wobble could be caused by many
things or a combination of a few. To start, Have someone shake the wheel back and forth and look for unusual movement. Check caster angle, toe in, loose U bolts, loose or bad Wheel bearings, knuckles, tire balance and pressure along with tire condition, loose shackles, etc. This subject comes up a lot. Search and faqs is helpful.

 

[joyRidaz]

Thanks @pb4ugo @PEOPLES @AntFarm @-MaTTi- for taking the time to weigh in. Yep I def know I have a lot more investigating to do by following the 20ish variables in the fsm that could be contributing but was just so surprised at how little resistance there was.

Pretty sure these are original based on the general originality of the truck, so after some real testing I’ll likely order them to at least eliminate one variable for now.

Given the brown glitter I’ll start pb blasting all the threads at least daily.

Cheers and thanx again

 

[pb4ugo]

I usually count the revolutions when removing them. That will get you close when you install them, if they were right in the 1st place.