JT4x4
The Mud Pit => Wrenching => Topic started by: McNastyNate on March 28, 2008, 09:44:16 PM
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alright guys tis' morning on my way into work i was going about 30 mph hit a few bumps in the road and then my jeep started shimmying and shaking back and forth rediculously and my steering wheel was shaking back and forth to the point i couldn't hold it any more.....the only way it stopped was to slow down and pull off to the side. it did again one more time on the way in and then my ride home went fine. Is this the so called death wiggle? and if so how do i fix it....i think it might be due to the fact that i don't have a slip yoke eliminator kit with my lift.....Help please...
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That sounds like the trac bar might have came loose. Did you retighten everything again after the lift was installed. You need to crawl under and check everything tight. SYE or lack there of will not cause death wobble. Soounds like trac bar IMO.
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Track bar, Drag link, steering stabilizer. Grab each one at the ends and shake to see how much play is in the ends. How many miles on the Jeep?
Oh yeah, that's the Death Wobble. I had it bad, until I replaced the SS.
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When I put on my lift I had the same thing. I changed the Steering Stabilizer and it fixed some of it. A front end alignment fixed the rest. SYE will reduce some drive train vibration but not that. If you ever decide to install an SYE let me know, I have done 3 successfully. Well, minus one cheek-bone, but that wasn't my fault.
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anyone have recommendations/ warnings for steering stabilizers?
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Yup you have the death wiggle. Careful cause it will break your control arm brackets off. I had it really bad and have done alot of research on it. Cherokees are known for having problems with the death wobble. First things first.
Do you have an adjustable track bar? If so make sure it is A) tight. real tight. not just the bolts but the adjustment also B) make sure you check the adjustment with the vehicle on the ground. Not on a lift.
Next, Check your alignment. Pick a reference point on your tires, like a lug or sidewall. Then measure the distance between your front tires using that reference point. You need to measure the front of the tires then the back to see the difference. This is your alignment. If the difference is more then .5" then you need an alingment.
Next, Make sure your tire pressures are even. One front tire at 30 and the other at 35 can increase the chances of the wobble.
Next, Check your tie rod ends. If they have alot of play its time to replace them. If not then dont worry about them. They are not causing the problem.
Next, Spend some money on a good steering stabilizer. The problem with stabilizers is they dont actually cause or eliminate the problem just add a little more force to the issue to keep it from happening. That is until the shock starts going bad. Which by the way will be much sooner then it should.
Any questions just ask.
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so with all of that,
re-torque everything.
ditto on the alignment.
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yeah, i just had an alignment done about 2 weeks ago at a garage, and i checked all of my front end rods and none of them are loose so i guess i'll just look into getting a steering stabilizer. has anyone been particularly impressed with any brand in particular?
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Skyjacker, dual nitro 9000's!!!! FRIGGIN AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can run 80 all day long without any wobble or vibration. Before I moved of course.
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yeah, i just had an alignment done about 2 weeks ago at a garage,
DING, DING, DING. WE HAVE A WINNER!
Who did it? Take your shit back there and ask WTF. Do this and make them fix it for FREE, since they were the last ones who messed with anything.
On the other hand, if nothing is wrong with what they did then replace the SS. Any brand will work, the larger shock you get the better it will perform, but a dual is a waste of $$$ for a daily driver. (oh yeah, and if you have any problems getting the tapered stud out, DON'T DRIVE WITHOUT THE STABILIZER!!!!!! trust me, you've never felt the wobble till you do that)
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Old Man Emu 30mm SS. Tough as nails, fat, and it works great for my 35's. I think it's about $50 or $60 on Quadratec.
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Rancho RS5000 steering stabilizer. Have had the same one on JD's TJ with 33's for 4+ years and its still working great! No wobble at all. I am just now replacing the shocks that were put on in 2003 and I'm going to replace the SS while I'm at it just for good measure....
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I got a Black Diamond for about $70,works great. One thing I had to do was get a pitman arm puller to get the stock one out though. Just something to keep in mind as you may encounter the same problem.
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Thanks for everything yet again. i just threw the dual skyjacker steering stabilizers on today (rather safe than sorry) and as far as i can tell the wobble is gone. appreciate the help.
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good, good.
did you ever replace your brake lines?
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Be careful new stabilizers dont fix the problem they only apply more pressure to make it go away. As those stabilizers wear out the problem will come back. May not be for a while but the death wobble is not caused by steering stabilizers.
Glad you can drive the rig normal again though. Be careful on bumpy sections of highway though. You may get another dose at high speeds despite the stabilizers.
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yeah i did get the extensions put on a couple weekends ago. it was pretty much cake except for one of the bleeder fittings didn't want to thread out for some reason so it took a little bit of love, but they're on and no problems so far.
also, if the death wobble isn't due to a shitty steering stabilizer then how the hell do you fix it for good.....? the only other thing i can think of is a front end alignment but i just had one done so i can't see that being a permanent fix.....just wondering, ya know...
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if the death wobble isn't due to a shitty steering stabilizer then how the hell do you fix it for good.....? the only other thing i can think of is a front end alignment but i just had one done so i can't see that being a permanent fix.....just wondering, ya know...
check everything up front for play, whatever is moving in a direction it shouldn't is the cause of your wobble most common is the track bar bushing
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Yup you have the death wiggle. Careful cause it will break your control arm brackets off. I had it really bad and have done alot of research on it. Cherokees are known for having problems with the death wobble. First things first.
Do you have an adjustable track bar? If so make sure it is A) tight. real tight. not just the bolts but the adjustment also B) make sure you check the adjustment with the vehicle on the ground. Not on a lift.
Next, Check your alignment. Pick a reference point on your tires, like a lug or sidewall. Then measure the distance between your front tires using that reference point. You need to measure the front of the tires then the back to see the difference. This is your alignment. If the difference is more then .5" then you need an alingment.
Next, Make sure your tire pressures are even. One front tire at 30 and the other at 35 can increase the chances of the wobble.
Next, Check your tie rod ends. If they have alot of play its time to replace them. If not then dont worry about them. They are not causing the problem.
Next, Spend some money on a good steering stabilizer. The problem with stabilizers is they dont actually cause or eliminate the problem just add a little more force to the issue to keep it from happening. That is until the shock starts going bad. Which by the way will be much sooner then it should.
Any questions just ask.
Refer to this one for fixes.
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if the death wobble isn't due to a shitty steering stabilizer then how the hell do you fix it for good.....? the only other thing i can think of is a front end alignment but i just had one done so i can't see that being a permanent fix.....just wondering, ya know...
check everything up front for play, whatever is moving in a direction it shouldn't is the cause of your wobble most common is the track bar bushing
Assuming you have a jeep. they are notorius for death wiggle/wobble, once lifted. It has alot to do with the caster angle up front. by rotating the pinion angle up the caster angle is totally out of wack also the tie rod is no longer level with the ground... It's the whole steering/suspension geometry. The only way to cure it for good is to cut the inner C knuckle at each end of the axle and rotate it to the proper angle. However, it is not advisable to do this without having the axle completely disassembled, and secure (Home made jig will work just fine.)... THIS SHOULD NOT BE DONE BY ANYONE THAT IS NOT EXPERINCED WELDER, OR HAVE A VERY(!!!) SOLID GRASP ON SUSPENSION GEOMETRY AND DESIGN. That was my word of caution.
Hope it helped.