Steering Stabilizer for Lifted Yukon

[Booyahzman]

Hey Truck Experts!

I lifted my 2003 Yukon a couple years ago with Tuff Country's 4" lift kit (picture of the approximate lift parts attached) and love the new stance! However, ever since doing so I will get the "death wobble" when hitting certain bumps or wide crevices on the road over about 50 mph. It's not all the time, but just sometimes when I hit those bumps. The truck otherwise drives smooth, straight, and has no issues, pull or wobble when braking. There's no other shakes regardless of what speed I drive on smooth roads; the wobble only occurs sometimes after hitting that bump at speeds between 45-60 (ish).

Just to make sure none of the front-end parts were bad, I went through checking connections, make sure there wasn't any "wiggle" in any of the suspension, or steering connections, and made sure the front wheels don't wobble when forced to move side-to-side or up-and-down. I did replace the sway bar end links as they were a little loose (the ones that the shop that installed the lift put on were a little too long for the lift), and after that I thought my troubles were fixed! But the death wobble returned.

So my next thought was to add a steering stabilizer. I've found a couple that appear to fit the Yukon--the KYB SS15326 and Rough Country N3--but I'm unsure if either will work with the lift I have installed. I didn't find a steering stabilizer specific to Tuff Country. Does anyone have any recommendations on which steering stabilizer would work with the installed lift on the Yukon?

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[corvette744]

I have no knowledge of one fitting that kit but its 50 bucks if it doesnt fit return it.I wouldnt even drive it thats unsafe as hell.It will make a huge difference in the way it drives.Hopefully you installed poly bushings on your sway bar end links and sway bar busings also.That will make a huge difference in the way it drives and handles.Dont put rubber bushings or end links on.1 thing i noticed is the kyb stabilizer i put in the one you mentioned the rubber grommets only lasted 3 months and started ripping and cracking.I installed poly shock mount bushngs and they are rock solid.If you need the part number i can find it.

 

[Bill 1960]

Steering stabilizers have a use, to reduce kickback to the steering wheel. But they don’t correct DW, just mask the symptoms.

The cause is excessive play in some front suspension or steering component or components. Literally anything that moves can contribute. Wheel bearing, A-arm bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, idlers, steering box. And the tolerances can stack up, meaning 3 mildly worn parts the movement can add up to one well worn part.

It can be hard to identify wear by visual inspection. Use of a dial indicator is what I do. Sometimes considerable force is required to diagnose because the forces a vehicle applies in motion are much greater than what you can do by hand.

Also parts develop wear patterns where they normally rest; lift a vehicle off the ground to diagnose and some parts rotate to a less used wear surface and appear tighter than they may actually be at ride height.

Best of luck. Patience and perseverance may be necessary, even pros are challenged by DW at times.

 

[SUBURBIAN]

Shake down entire front end

Idler and pitman
All ball joints
All bushings
Steering gear
Tie rod ends
Sway bar and links

I bet you find something thats worn out.