KennethS
TJ Expert
Factory aluminum would be nice. 15x7 or 15x8 with 4x4.5 lug spacing.
Death wobble, fully rebuilt front end
- Thread starter Sensei
- Start date
Factory aluminum would be nice. 15x7 or 15x8 with 4x4.5 lug spacing.
KennethS
TJ Expert
Word. I’ve seen factory 5x4.5 sets come and go on FB. I’ll let you know if I find anything that might work for you.
WestCoastDan
TJ Addict
Odd question, but was a 4-wheel alignment done? I saw reference to numbers that should be ignored, but no word of it was redone.
If that rear axle is only slightly offset to one side, the results can be terrible on the road.
If that rear axle is only slightly offset to one side, the results can be terrible on the road.
the easiest way to get death wobble is to have the axle be able to move side to side independent of the steering input. This is what starts the oscillation feedback loop that is death wobble. fix or replace anything that is giving you play in the track bar. mine looked fine but the rubber was hammered and it had play in the axle side bushing.
So here’s my story… I first replaced the steering gearbox with a low-mileage unit, thinking that might be the issue—but the wobble was still there. Next, I replaced my tires (ko2s) since they were worn and I thought they could be the cause. I even had three different shops balance them, but the wobble still wouldn’t go away.
Then I replaced my RockJock Currectlync steering system (the old one was used and about 6 years old), but that didn’t fix it either.
Last weeks I purchased new wheels and the wobble is now finally gone.
I’m so fuckn happy. My jeep is riding so good.
I cant believe is was the wheels all this time!
Then I replaced my RockJock Currectlync steering system (the old one was used and about 6 years old), but that didn’t fix it either.
Last weeks I purchased new wheels and the wobble is now finally gone.
I’m so fuckn happy. My jeep is riding so good.
I cant believe is was the wheels all this time!
I keep telling people that balance is only one of three things that go wrong with wheels and tires. Tires out of round and rims that don't spin true are the others. All you have to do is spin the wheel and look for the rim to move side to side and the tread to move up and down.
I would argue that if balancing tires or replacing a bent wheel fixes your death wobble, you didn't have death wobble.
The rest of us who understand that an unbalanced tire or wheel can absolutely be what triggers death wobble will argue otherwise.
I've had lug nuts come loose and the wheel damn near fall off. It shook. Badly. But it was not death wobble. DW is terminal. The wheel shaking when you go down the road can happen, but if that triggers death wobble, there is something else that needs to be addressed.
If one is experiencing death wobble and also has unbalanced tires, how should one go about addressing it without correcting the unbalanced tires?
Can you please tell me how replacing my wheels fixed my wobble?
You already know I changed my steering box, new RJ steering, my trackbar from RJ is good 2 years old zero play, new tires, toe is set correctly
For some more context before I bought new wheels. I was only getting wobbles at certain speeds usually below 40-50 mph and it was violent.
There's a particular on-ramp where my jeep starts wobbling as soon as I get on. If I also hit a bump at 40-50 or below it will start to wobble.
I driven on all the streets and certain sections of freeway ways that will just trigger the wobble. Its now 100% gone with the new wheels.
So if I didnt change the wheels what would you have recommended for me to check?
The out of balance tire can trigger it, or make it more likely to kick off, but its not what makes the oscillation and feedback loop. the play in the front end that allows the wheels to move independent of the steering/axle is what ultimately makes it happen.
I would recommend a dry steering test to see what is moving when you're putting steering input in the front end. Seems like you replaced a few parts that might have been old, but weren't the cause. You still could have gone through ball joints, wheel bearings and steering damper if we're just talking parts swapping. Your alignment and caster could also contribute.
If a certain bump in the road sets it off, how is it the wheels causing it? did you keep the same offset/backspacing when you swapped wheels? is that an apples to apples comparison?
Dry steering test has been done. Timken Wheel bearings and Spicer ball joints have zero play.
The steering damper is from monroe that is a year old.
Johnny joints have zero play and are properly torqued.
If I had to guess the wheels and tires are out of round and the bump is just triggering it more.
Again my new wheels have solved my wobble issue. I've been trying hard to trigger the wobble but it's completely gone.
Sometimes even just unfortunate combinations of different components that are otherwise fine but have similar resonant and harmonic frequencies can be enough to allow death wobble or other significant NVH.
It’s possible the old wheels had inadequate stiffness when combined with the tires and would literally deflect during a death wobble event at nearly the same frequency as the resonant frequency of the steering system. Changing the wheels or even just altering the tire pressure might have been enough to change the resonant frequency.
I’d wager that the swap in wheels “cured” it simply due to a different tire pressure. The OP noted that 30 PSI was way worse than 22 PSI. I wouldn’t be surprised if the new wheels and tires are at a significantly different pressure, perhaps higher. I.e., if 30 PSI is unbearable, 38 PSI might randomly be perfectly fine.
It’s possible the old wheels had inadequate stiffness when combined with the tires and would literally deflect during a death wobble event at nearly the same frequency as the resonant frequency of the steering system. Changing the wheels or even just altering the tire pressure might have been enough to change the resonant frequency.
I’d wager that the swap in wheels “cured” it simply due to a different tire pressure. The OP noted that 30 PSI was way worse than 22 PSI. I wouldn’t be surprised if the new wheels and tires are at a significantly different pressure, perhaps higher. I.e., if 30 PSI is unbearable, 38 PSI might randomly be perfectly fine.
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