bad shaking at 35 mph

brandonb1481

New member
Dec 6, 2014
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The truck is a 2003 2500 with a 6 inch lift with 35s so something is for sure worn out. Around 35 miles an hour the truck shakes so bad it feels like your going through a really bumpy field. Sometimes when your lucky and get up to 50 it won't do it. I noticed there's a lot of slop at the pitman arm and center link. Would that for sure cause all of that terrible shaking or only part of it? Thanks in advance guys. Trying to fix it today sometime
 

fast03

Active member
Jun 15, 2008
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Rancho Cucamonga
The truck is a 2003 2500 with a 6 inch lift with 35s so something is for sure worn out. Around 35 miles an hour the truck shakes so bad it feels like your going through a really bumpy field. Sometimes when your lucky and get up to 50 it won't do it. I noticed there's a lot of slop at the pitman arm and center link. Would that for sure cause all of that terrible shaking or only part of it? Thanks in advance guys. Trying to fix it today sometime

Welcome! Sounds like stuff is just worn out up front. Tires have bad wear? Go through the bushings, pitman and idler and balance tires etc. No tire wear? check driveline components, bearings etc. Good luck.
 

OregonDMAX

NOT IN OREGON, NO DURAMAX
Apr 28, 2013
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Most likely if its lifted and those parts are original they are shot, I would definitely replace the pitmn arm and idler arm if you don't know the history. To do a quick test jack up the front end and grab the tire at 9 and 3 o clock and shake it side to side and look at the pitman and idler joints. You can also do the opposite and grab top and bottom of tire and check balljoints for play, big tires are hard on parts.
 

brandonb1481

New member
Dec 6, 2014
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It has fabtech stickers on some of the parts so I'm guessing that. And the front tires seem to have pretty decent even wear. I grabbed the tire and 3 And 9 o'clock and that's how I found all the play where the pitman arm bolts to the centerlink
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
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Phoenix Az
where is the shaking emanating from? are you feeling it in the steering wheels as a violent shaking back and forth? is it a bad bounce like hitting a bunch of speed bumps? does it only occur under hard acceleration? give us all the details of what happens and where your feel it when it happens
 

brandonb1481

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Dec 6, 2014
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It starts bouncing it seems like fronm the front then gets so bad that the whole truck starts bouncing. The steering wheel goes back and forth. Kinda like speed bumps in a way sorta. I can ease up to around 30-35 and it will do it. Sometimes I can get lucky and it will ride up to 65 mph with no shaking. I'm thinking all that pitman arm slop is causing it
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
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What shocks are on it? When's the last time the tires were balanced?


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Ridin'GMC

I like red
May 20, 2010
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Are the wheel weights still on the rims? I've had the same issue when my wheel weights fell off the rim.
 

brandonb1481

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Dec 6, 2014
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They are fabtech shocks that came with the dual shock setup. They are a little rusty so I got new ones on the way. And I checked all the weights and they are still there. The wheels and tires were already on it when I got it
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
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I'd get those shocks replaced but ditch the dual shocks (all it does is make a stiffer ride and kill the upper ball joint), replace the idler/pitman arm and add a set of Cognito braces at min, then go get your wheels and tires balanced


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Yaryan92

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Nov 30, 2014
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Prineville OR
Make sure when you jack it up to shake down the front end you lift it from the lower control arms. or do a dry park. shaking it down at full droop doesnt show you the right stuff and can make stuff move weird.