Death wobble with new steering components

[04wrangler77]

Hello everyone. I’m sure this issue has been posted several times over again and I apologize for having to bring this up after all the knowledge you guys have given, but I need to talk to you guys because I’m really stuck with my death wobble issues and have been for quite a while now and I think yaw could give me some good advice.

I drive an 04 wrangler 2 door and I just recently installed an RC 4 inch lift which has now spawned my death wobble issues. Normally around 45-55 Mph it will start happening after the first bump I come across. I’ve read several forums about looking at different parts and checking for play/loose components. So I purchased an adjustable rubicon express front track bar, tie rod, tie rod ends, and a drag link. I bolted the track bar down to spec ( and before I checked the hole to see if it was wallowed out. There appears to be no play ). My father gave it an alignment, and will set the toe tomorrow morning at his work. If that does not settle my DW then I’m not to sure what will. Any help and advice is seriously appreciated. Thank you a bunch.

-Tanner.

 

[jazngab]

Hello everyone. I’m sure this issue has been posted several times over again and I apologize for having to bring this up after all the knowledge you guys have given, but I need to talk to you guys because I’m really stuck with my death wobble issues and have been for quite a while now and I think yaw could give me some good advice.

I drive an 04 wrangler 2 door and I just recently installed an RC 4 inch lift which has now spawned my death wobble issues. Normally around 45-55 Mph it will start happening after the first bump I come across. I’ve read several forums about looking at different parts and checking for play/loose components. So I purchased an adjustable rubicon express front track bar, tie rod, tie rod ends, and a drag link. I bolted the track bar down to spec ( and before I checked the hole to see if it was wallowed out. There appears to be no play ). My father gave it an alignment, and will set the toe tomorrow morning at his work. If that does not settle my DW then I’m not to sure what will. Any help and advice is seriously appreciated. Thank you a bunch.

-Tanner.

Going through the same after my 2" install. My alignment was way off which is my guess with yours. Just make sure thats correct. Also have you replaced ball joints and u joints recently?

 

[04wrangler77]

Going through the same after my 2" install. My alignment was way off which is my guess with yours. Just make sure thats correct. Also have you replaced ball joints and u joints recently?

Going through the same after my 2" install. My alignment was way off which is my guess with yours. Just make sure thats correct. Also have you replaced ball joints and u joints recently?

When it comes to the alignment I just got it as close as I can with my eyes. Do you recommend me taking it to an actual 4x4 shop and have them align it on their rack ? I grabbed the front 2 wheels at the 9 and 3 position and didn’t feel any play at all when I was checking the ball joints. However, I’ve not yet checked the u-joints. I will do that tomorrow.

 

[Chris]

When it comes to the alignment I just got it as close as I can with my eyes. Do you recommend me taking it to an actual 4x4 shop and have them align it on their rack ? I grabbed the front 2 wheels at the 9 and 3 position and didn’t feel any play at all when I was checking the ball joints. However, I’ve not yet checked the u-joints. I will do that tomorrow.

You should be able to do it with your eyes. I've done it countless numbers of times using nothing but a tape measure and my eyes. As long as the toe-in is set to 1/8 to 1/16, you're good.

Did you torque the track bar down to the proper specs on both the axle side and frame side?

You mentioned installing new steering components, I assume it's the stock steering setup, yes?

I'm going to assume it's torque based. I would go through and make sure every single bolt on the front end (steering and track bar) is torqued to the proper spec, even a few ft/lbs over if necessary.

 

[rasband]

Have you had your tires balanced? Greased the zerks?

 

[jazngab]

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/how-to-align-your-jeep-wrangler-tj.85/

 

[jazngab]

When it comes to the alignment I just got it as close as I can with my eyes. Do you recommend me taking it to an actual 4x4 shop and have them align it on their rack ? I grabbed the front 2 wheels at the 9 and 3 position and didn’t feel any play at all when I was checking the ball joints. However, I’ve not yet checked the u-joints. I will do that tomorrow.

Don't eyeball it. Actually measure it. Just like in the pictures on the link. Using aluminum square tubing and measure the distance of the width of your tires and take those measurements. Mine was off 1/2" which is a lot. Yours is a 4" lift so yours will really really be off if coming from stock height

 

[04wrangler77]

You should be able to do it with your eyes. I've done it countless numbers of times using nothing but a tape measure and my eyes. As long as the toe-in is set to 1/8 to 1/16, you're good.

Did you torque the track bar down to the proper specs on both the axle side and frame side?

You mentioned installing new steering components, I assume it's the stock steering setup, yes?

I'm going to assume it's torque based. I would go through and make sure every single bolt on the front end (steering and track bar) is torqued to the proper spec, even a few ft/lbs over if necessary.

Thank you for your input Chris. Tomorrow I’m going to set the toe when I get to my dads shop tomorrow. I bolted the track bar down to spec on the frame side. Now that I think about it I don’t think I did on the axle side. Yes, all stock steering components just brand new. For what it’s worth about a year ago I did have death wobble on stock suspension with 31x10.50x16 tires only once and it corrected itself somehow very shortly after. After I installed these new steering components when I drove it the DW was substantially less violent and went away without having to come to a complete stop ( I’m sure it was DW and not a shimmy ).

 

[Chris]

Thank you for your input Chris. Tomorrow I’m going to set the toe when I get to my dads shop tomorrow. I bolted the track bar down to spec on the frame side. Now that I think about it I don’t think I did on the axle side. Yes, all stock steering components just brand new. For what it’s worth about a year ago I did have death wobble on stock suspension with 31x10.50x16 tires only once and it corrected itself somehow very shortly after. After I installed these new steering components when I drove it the DW was substantially less violent and went away without having to come to a complete stop ( I’m sure it was DW and not a shimmy ).

Check that track bar on the axle side. That’s where mine was loose! Let us know how it is too after doing that and setting the toe-in.

 

[04wrangler77]

Don't eyeball it. Actually measure it. Just like in the pictures on the link. Using aluminum square tubing and measure the distance of the width of your tires and take those measurements. Mine was off 1/2" which is a lot. Yours is a 4" lift so yours will really really be off if coming from stock height

Thanks for the link ! I’m about to check that out here in a second.

 

[04wrangler77]

Have you had your tires balanced? Greased the zerks?

I have not yet had my tires balanced. I’m sorry but I don’t really know what a zerk is ? Are you referring to the rubber gaskets at the tie rod ends ?

 

[04wrangler77]

Check that track bar on the axle side. That’s where mine was loose! Let us know how it is too after doing that and setting the toe-in.

Okay man will do. Thanks for your time tonight and I’ll keep yaw updated.

 

[jazngab]

I have not yet had my tires balanced. I’m sorry but I don’t really know what a zerk is ? Are you referring to the rubber gaskets at the tie rod ends ?

Zerks are the metal nipples that come out of the tie rod ends. There are 7 total.

 

[04wrangler77]

Zerks are the metal nipples that come out of the tie rod ends. There are 7 total.

Oh, okay. I have put grease in 3 of them. I will find the other 4 and do those also. Try to look past my ignorance when it comes to this stuff man I’m not exactly a mechanic and this is my first TJ lol.

 

[05 Blue Unlimited]

Worn front end components contributed to my DW after my lift and did not go away until the ZJ upgrade. With the lift I replaced the TB's, Shocks, and Endlinks. DW!!! Then a month or so later the CA's and Tires (32's), then a month later the ZJ upgrade and setting Toe. DW gone! The ZJ upgrade was not necessary but virtually the same price as replacing with OEM stuff.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

You can have a tight new front-end and perfect alignment and still get MASSIVE Death Wobble if you have a front tire that is imperfectly balanced. I got the worst Death Wobble possible, fully developed and my TJ was just about out of control, on my then near-new TJ after one of its front 32" tires threw a big balancing weight. Getting that tire rebalanced cured the DW and that particular Jeep never experienced DW again.

 

[04wrangler77]

You can have a tight new front-end and perfect alignment and still get MASSIVE Death Wobble if you have a front tire that is imperfectly balanced. I got the worst Death Wobble possible, fully developed and my TJ was just about out of control, on my then near-new TJ after one of its front 32" tires threw a big balancing weight. Getting that tire rebalanced cured the DW and that particular Jeep never experienced DW again.

Thanks jerry. Getting the tires balanced is next on the list ! I’m hoping it’s as simple as that lol.

 

[rasband]

I have not yet had my tires balanced. I’m sorry but I don’t really know what a zerk is ? Are you referring to the rubber gaskets at the tie rod ends ?

I’d start with the tire balance (at your on-road PSI), and proceed to greasing the zerk fittings on your front end. The zerk is a grease fitting you can fill.

If I remember right: Pitman to drag link, drag link to passenger knuckle, tie rod to driver knuckle, and both the top and bottom sway bar links. If you pop under there you will see small “nipples” that are called “zerks”. I use Lucas red n tacky to fill those up and noticed a big difference.

If you had true “death wobble” you’d likely need to stop before it could recover.

 

[jazngab]

Oh, okay. I have put grease in 3 of them. I will find the other 4 and do those also. Try to look past my ignorance when it comes to this stuff man I’m not exactly a mechanic and this is my first TJ lol.

One on each tie rod end by each wheel, one on each ball joint, one on the frame side track bar, one on the pittman arm, and one on the tie rod/drag link connection I believe

 

[mrblaine]

Can anyone please tell me what grease fittings have to do with DW?