Wobble/shake In Front End

[vortec22]

Hi there. I have a 2003 2500 4X4 with 60,000 miles and it recently started having the shakes, mainly at slower speeds <40 mph. Sometimes it is smooth as can be, and sometimes it wobbles bad enough I can let go of the steering wheel and watch it jerk back and forth. I jacked it up and tried cheking tie rod ends, pitman arm joint, and the idler arm, but nothing there seemed bad to me. If I jack up one front time I can grab it at 9 and 3 and move it a little, but I don't know how much is too much. Rotated front tires to the back and the wobble stays in the front, so I don't think the tires are out of balance. The wobble is not there at highway speeds. Any ideas on this before I start throwing money at it? Thanks!

[Kodiak450]

Sounds like bad ball joints. Either that or warped rotors? Does wobble get worse when you break?

[vortec22]

The wobble does not get worse with braking, it actually feels like it lessens but I think it is due to the changing vehicle speeds. Any good way to check the ball joints before changing them? I can grab the tire at the top and/or bottom with the truck jacked up and push and pull and it will not move at all.

[Heavy Cruiser]

With a floor jack under the lower control arm, as in straddle the spring pocket, jack up the tire just enough to bring it off the ground.

 

Now with a crowbar, place it under the tire with one hand and place a finger on the joint of the spindle-to-ball joint stud. Pry the tire up & down, should be less than 0.060" movement felt by the finger.

[vortec22]

Ok, I will try that out either tonight or tomorrow night. Thanks!

[Heavy Cruiser]

My mistake - place your finger between the spindle and the lower control arm and feel for movement, not the spindle and ball joint stud - those two are bolted together.

 

Could be an out-of-round rotor, unbalanced yoke, or half-shaft or faulty U-joint.