Death Wobble Help!

[bobthetj03]

When you lift a TJ, your caster changes as well. This will change how well your steering wheel returns to center, and can make it wander at freeway speeds. Just thinking outloud here, but maybe the combination of caster angle and toe in/out have reached a threshold to initiate DW? With DW, I try to think of it as more than just one thing that is initiating it. I can't remember now, but did you try rotating wheels front to rear yet?

 

[JMT]

When you lift a TJ, your caster changes as well. This will change how well your steering wheel returns to center, and can make it wander at freeway speeds. Just thinking outloud here, but maybe the combination of caster angle and toe in/out have reached a threshold to initiate DW? With DW, I try to think of it as more than just one thing that is initiating it. I can't remember now, but did you try rotating wheels front to rear yet?

Yes, I rotated the fronts to opposite sides on the rear and moved the rears straight forward.

I agree with your analysis of multiple factors. I watched the tires out the window so I can see what's happening at dw. To me they look like they are moving backward, further back under the wheel well. When you add lift, the springs push down on the axle shifting it back and the top of the Jeep forward. In short, this gets me to thinking about adjustable control arms... I'm going to wait for the trackbar, but not sure if I would need upper and lower or just one of the other? Maybe just lower??? Boy, they get expensive and I don't want anything but Savvy or Currie

 

[JMT]

When you lift a TJ, your caster changes as well. This will change how well your steering wheel returns to center, and can make it wander at freeway speeds. Just thinking outloud here, but maybe the combination of caster angle and toe in/out have reached a threshold to initiate DW? With DW, I try to think of it as more than just one thing that is initiating it. I can't remember now, but did you try rotating wheels front to rear yet?

Freeway is pretty good by the way, as long as I stay off of our paved county roads. They have all kinds of little bumps and when I hit a curve that could do it...Steering just feels loose and so the steering box is another thing I have to diagnose closely.

 

[Shane Mckinley]

Mine was a leaking damper. Changed it and it was fine for a month. Death wobble yesterday morning out of nowhere. I attributed it to just everything being cold... but I do know I have ball joint issues up front as well as tie rod issues. So just something to go on

 

[Kevin E]

Freeway is pretty good by the way, as long as I stay off of our paved county roads. They have all kinds of little bumps and when I hit a curve that could do it...Steering just feels loose and so the steering box is another thing I have to diagnose closely.

Not sure on an 05 but I had to tighten my steering at the gearbox after swapping stock steering for Currie Correctlync. Easy and effective. I've been lurking and hoping you find a cure.

 

[JMT]

Check this out.

Drivers side bump stop cup rubbing OME spring

Passenger side is clearing fine

That's what 1 1/16" shift of axle will do. Not good hurry up trackbar!

 

[bobthetj03]

Wow! That is surprising your front axle shifted that much. Mine only shifted about 5/8". Make sure you coil spring is seated properly in the coil buckets. When I added coil spacers to mine the coil spring was shifted bit and hitting the coil bucket frame. Made a annoying rattle till I could figure out what it was. Not that this is related in any way to your DW.

 

[JMT]

Wow! That is surprising your front axle shifted that much. Mine only shifted about 5/8". Make sure you coil spring is seated properly in the coil buckets. When I added coil spacers to mine the coil spring was shifted bit and hitting the coil bucket frame. Made a annoying rattle till I could figure out what it was. Not that this is related in any way to your DW.

Will check. Now I know what the sound is when I hit bumps and turn! Arghhh. MC called today and said shipping TB at end of week, should be here end of next week. That's free shipping . I said, I'll pay extra to expedite it, let me know!

Control arm bushings are centered up, so that's good

 

[Germanshepherd]

No, it was traditional. In January I had it done on a road force. But I was torn because the guys with the road force (and there's only one in town!) are so ignorant of Jeeps. They were worried about me mounting my rims on the bolts! They actually told me they wouldn't do it at first. I had to prove to them that it was right by calling Dick Cepek.

Frustrating when you can't find a good jeep/4x4 shop. Best of luck to you.

 

[Rob5589]

Whoa, that's really shifted over, especially for 3" of lift.

 

[JMT]

Whoa, that's really shifted over, especially for 3" of lift.

And it's really just 2.5"! I guess every TJ is different, as they say!

 

[brown_mule]

I have an 05 LJ Rubicon, I have DW and I took it to 4Wheel Parts for repairs. They've replaced ball joints, track bar(more than once) tie rod, drag link! Today I'm replacing tires. If this happens again, they will replace control arms! I've taken it back 4 times plus the initial time I took it to install an RE 3 1/2 lift AND repair the DW. They have been very accommodating, but I feel they've not been troubleshooting but just replacing parts!


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[JMT]

I have an 05 LJ Rubicon, I have DW and I took it to 4Wheel Parts for repairs. They've replaced ball joints, track bar(more than once) tie rod, drag link! Today I'm replacing tires. If this happens again, they will replace control arms! I've taken it back 4 times plus the initial time I took it to install an RE 3 1/2 lift AND repair the DW. They have been very accommodating, but I feel they've not been troubleshooting but just replacing parts!


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Chris' thread on DW says replace all the parts at one time, otherwise it will just wear out the new parts you put on. So that's why I think you have to troubleshoot by checking out all the possible parts that could be contributing. I'm not saying that I know how to do all of those checks, but I am learning about many of them. There are a couple of good videos on YouTube by Bleepin Jeep. I don't agree with all of his solutions, but they still discuss how to diagnose various parts . I'll try to link to them later today. Hope you get it solved, it's frustrating and it can be costly

 

[brown_mule]

I'm learning also, the hard way I think!


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[JMT]

Mine was a leaking damper. Changed it and it was fine for a month. Death wobble yesterday morning out of nowhere. I attributed it to just everything being cold... but I do know I have ball joint issues up front as well as tie rod issues. So just something to go on

From what I've learned, the steering damper will just mask DW until it wears out. The root cause is something else. Mines pretty shot but I'm going to take off my steering damper to make sure its right. Then I'll put it back on. You don't have to have one.

 

[JMT]

I'm learning also, the hard way I think!
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Here's the link to the two vids I mentioned (part 1 and 2):

 

[brown_mule]

Here's the link to the two vids I mentioned (part 1 and 2):

Thanks!


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[DaytonaBeachTJ]

I put on all four new wheels and tires and got an alignment and my death wobble went away

 

[JMT]

Ok, so got my Metalcloak trackbar in today. Installed it this evening. Adjusted my toe back in to 1/16" and went for a drive. I don't get death wobble, but my steering wheel shakes pretty good. I know something's not right. What are your ideas?

 

[Jerry Bransford]

A shaking steering wheel means a shaky tire... out of balance.