question about steering system in the zj

[GreenGrandV8]

i am wondering if anyone know how much lift you can have on the zj with the stock pitman arm?? because i thought when i lifted mine i needed a dropped pitman arm so i bought and put on a 3" drop pitman arm, and im wondering if i shouldnt have that on?? and could that be a one the the reasons i get death wobble once in a while???

[gearhead1985B]

pictures needed of track bar and drag link to tell

[skibum]

Death wobble is caused by loose/warn steering components, tire balance, bad steering stabilizer & if the alignment is out then this will just make it happen more often. A drop pitman arm will only give you a better steering feel(less bump steer) on lifts over 3in because it brings the steering components closer to there correct geomitry. Have someone rock the steering wheel back & forth w/o engine running wile you look at all suspention parts to see if anything is loose. Any movement is bad. Then put a jack under the axel 1 side at a time & jack it up till you can fit a 2ft or longer pry bar under the wheel. Pry up on the wheel and feel for movement in the ball joints. It helps if 1 person prys up on the wheel wile some else looks at the ball joints. Ball joints might have a slight amount of movement but very little. Amything more than that if bad. Good luck.

[calvynandhobbs]

x2 on what Bob said. I've read in several places that the general rule of thumb for drop pitman arms is at the 4"+ lift mark. Many lifts under this provide a drop pitman arm for no apparent reason except to look like they are supplying more parts with their lift kit.

[GreenGrandV8]

k thanks guys. so i been fine runnin the pitman arm i got i guess. i think my drag link got bent somehow. i got the stock draglink and the rusty's tie rod and the rustys tie rod grease fitting is scraping the  axle were trac bar mount is. instead of buying stock drag link im probably gonna save for a steering upgrade, with the tire to tire tie rod. sucks, im always spendin moneyt on somethin, i got a different junk yard front axle and i got no DW for a while but now its just the right speed and bump will get me, might be the draglink

[Mr Rock]

X3 on the loose suspension parts, I wheel hard and the DW always ends up finding me, but once I go thought everything I can always find the bad parts and once replaced it drives great!

PS, a steering stabilizer is not a cure for DW, it only masks it! I do not have a stabilizer, but after a hard day of wheeling I could not go any faster than 35 - 40 MPH without getting DW. we stopped and took off a stabilizer from a trailered rig and bolted it on and it solved the DW good enought for me to go over 60MPH. when I got home I found a bad ball joint and a failiing unit bearing!

[zjchef25]

check all your bushing, i mean control arms to steering linkage to steering stabilizer bushings, check everything im up at 5.5 and i have no issues right now. if your having an issue, look beyond the obvious.

[kirksjeep]

Bob- nice trouble shooting write up!

[CnoteTJ]

DW is exactly why I don't run steering stabilizers on my rigs!  They hide mechanical issues and are one more thing to rip off on the trails!!!