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HMMWV Stability Concerns While Turning

honor first

New member
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Location
NC
Hey all, seeking your help trying to resolve an issue, hoping to make some posts soon with some mod and improvement work so that I can contribute along with receiving great help from you guys.

2007 M1097R1, 51,000 miles, two man troop carrier.

My issue is this: when driving at relatively low speeds including up to 40 or more, the unit seems very loose and unstable while turning. This is present even at 30, on a long, gentle bend in a two lane country road. While making these long, barely turning gentle curves, it feels like even a minor correction or change in the angle I am holding the wheel is going to cause me to lose control. So while taking a slight bend, if I have to increase my turn angle to avoid something sitting on the shoulder, or turn outwards/straight to scoot over for a wide vehicle coming the other way, it feels like I am losing control.

I noticed today that while taking one of these long gentle curves, when holding the turn angle steady, the tires are squealing across a fresh paved blacktop surface. The same as if you're in a performance car or any car, and going to fast for the turn and exceeding the grip of the tires. But this is at 30 in the HMMWV. The tires are not dry rotted, bald, etc. Because of the primary concern, I am assuming this is related to suspension and not the tires, though I will change tires soon hopefully. This doesn't not occur when turning in tight circles or driving in parking lots, so I'm not having a mechanical lockup (at least not in parking lots and whatnot).


Just to give you all the full picture:

All of the front end is there, which is half the battle. Tie rods, bushings are present and none look blown out or destroyed.

All tires have a good even wear.

My rear left tire has a positive camber (top is out further than bottom). I thought this was possibly part of the M1097's higher payload setup, but the rear right is not cambered as much. So either way, one of them is definitely off. Tire wear is even on all tires.

When I stop at a stoplight, whether slowing down normally, or at a stop and rolling forward slightly when traffic moves and braking to a stop again, the unit rocks back and forth a good bit, probably 3-4 full rocks back and forth. Not a huge amount, but I notice it (whereas a person who isn't automotively inclined may not notice it).

Any thoughts or pointers or where to look and start? I don't have access to a lift, so any work is going to be jack and driveway, unfortunately.

Definitely want to get this sorted out before I proceed much further on my refurbishment and slight mods.

Thanks!
 

cwc

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Sweeden, KY
I have had several that were very squirrelly as described, and the issue was that the rear tires were toed out. It is easy to detect and correct with a string alignment. I would check toe with a string on each side, and set the rears neutral. This can make a big improvement even with a large amount of camber still present.

Sent from my motorola one 5G UW ace using Tapatalk
 

mgFray

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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909
93
Location
Southern Minnesota
I'll echo the alignment. Got mine and it was "ok", but always felt squirrelly on gravel roads. Got the alignment done (primarily toe), and she's rock solid now on pavement and gravel.
 

DREDnot

Well-known member
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432
63
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Yes definitely get a four wheel alignment. And check air pressures.

The rocking at a stop is normal. Its because of the inboard mounting of the brake rotors. Everything outboard of the rotors...axle shafts twist like torsion springs, clearances and torsion in the geared hubs cause that rocking back and forth when you brake "hard" all the way to the last. It takes practice to brake earlier or harder initially then feather it lightly at the end. pretend there is a full cup of water and you dont want to spill any by stopping too hard
 
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