What the eff
- Thread starter Queticon
- Start date
Don't blame the DW on the disconnected steering damper.
Death wobble has nothing to do with a steering damper whatsoever.
Looks like your gas tank is leaking 
just kidding. The damper will smooth things out, but not cover up for other bad/loose linkages. Do the standards: dry steer test, testing the ball joints, torquing the bolts (including replacing that mess).
just kidding. The damper will smooth things out, but not cover up for other bad/loose linkages. Do the standards: dry steer test, testing the ball joints, torquing the bolts (including replacing that mess).
On a likely unrelated note it looks like your axle may not be centered? It's been a while since I had a factory sway setup but I seem to remember those links being perfectly vertical.
I'm interested in the more to the picture than meets the eye part
I'm interested in the more to the picture than meets the eye part
GeneralIssueTJ
New Member
I agree, things don't look lined up there. Hard to tell from photo but aside from the steering damper that axle shaft doesn't look parallel with the tube?
no, I wasn't blaming DW on the dampener. Note I said 'flashbacks'. There was no death wobble but the steering was very "bouncy" (like it gets just before death wobble). I know that there are issues with my ball joints and linkage and those will be resolved soon. But that is moot. Plus, I would disagree that a dampener has nothing to do with DW at all. It's not necessarily a cause, but it is part of the system. Without the dampener, components will wear much more quickly. I know there are people who run without a dampener, but that's with beefier aftermarket steering components.
Axle is centered (there's another post from me floating around here about that). Those links are supposed to be angled. That is the correct orientation. But I see what everyone's seeing with the drag link not looking straight. I'm guessing that's just the angle of the camera.
More to the story...
Note that is a Fox dampener. They are N2 charged. Which means they are always pushing the linkage to the left. There has been discussions about this being noticeable, but I hadn't noticed anything after installing this and steering was straight and true. Not sure of the N2 charge could have had anything to do with this. Not likely as there are tons of positive reviews about this.
The reason the dampener is not connected is that the bolt broke or sheared off. It did not fall out as I'd originally suspected. When I tried to get the thing back in, it would not go in. The bracket is a bit mangled and pushed back into the spring. I really don't know how this happened. My only suspicion is that the orientation of this Fox unit with the main body attached at the linkage did not provide enough clearance when going lock to lock.
I was unable to get the Fox unit back into that bracket. I was able to get my old dampener in there. However, as the bracket is pushed right up against the spring, there was no clearance to get the nut on the bolt. Jacked up the front to loosen the spring and I was able to get a nut in there and it's holding together for now. But I'm waiting for the nut/bolt to shear off again as it is jammed up against the spring. That bracket needs to be bent back and I am at a loss.
It's quite possible I installed the Fox dampener incorrectly. I installed exactly as the videos described but can't seem to find Fox documentation for this dampener installation for a TJ so it's possible I screwed it up. This is going to require my local garage to tackle straightening the bracket. At the same time I'll have them install the correct Spicer ball joints and new Crown auto HD steering linkage.
Of course, it's -4f around here and putting this thing back in outside in the driveway was a real effing treat.
Axle is centered (there's another post from me floating around here about that). Those links are supposed to be angled. That is the correct orientation. But I see what everyone's seeing with the drag link not looking straight. I'm guessing that's just the angle of the camera.
More to the story...
Note that is a Fox dampener. They are N2 charged. Which means they are always pushing the linkage to the left. There has been discussions about this being noticeable, but I hadn't noticed anything after installing this and steering was straight and true. Not sure of the N2 charge could have had anything to do with this. Not likely as there are tons of positive reviews about this.
The reason the dampener is not connected is that the bolt broke or sheared off. It did not fall out as I'd originally suspected. When I tried to get the thing back in, it would not go in. The bracket is a bit mangled and pushed back into the spring. I really don't know how this happened. My only suspicion is that the orientation of this Fox unit with the main body attached at the linkage did not provide enough clearance when going lock to lock.
I was unable to get the Fox unit back into that bracket. I was able to get my old dampener in there. However, as the bracket is pushed right up against the spring, there was no clearance to get the nut on the bolt. Jacked up the front to loosen the spring and I was able to get a nut in there and it's holding together for now. But I'm waiting for the nut/bolt to shear off again as it is jammed up against the spring. That bracket needs to be bent back and I am at a loss.
It's quite possible I installed the Fox dampener incorrectly. I installed exactly as the videos described but can't seem to find Fox documentation for this dampener installation for a TJ so it's possible I screwed it up. This is going to require my local garage to tackle straightening the bracket. At the same time I'll have them install the correct Spicer ball joints and new Crown auto HD steering linkage.
Of course, it's -4f around here and putting this thing back in outside in the driveway was a real effing treat.
So what you meant by "more than meets the eye" is what parts you had on before the picture and what work you've done after the picture? 
Gotta be honest here, that's really a one sided game. I got one for you... what's missing from this?
.
Gotta be honest here, that's really a one sided game. I got one for you... what's missing from this?
.
So what you meant by "more than meets the eye" is what parts you had on before the picture and what work you've done after the picture?
Gotta be honest here, that's really a one sided game. I got one for you... what's missing from this?
.
The part that was on before this picture was a bolt and nut holding the steering stabilizer on. That's what's missing. The 'more than meets the eye' part is that at first glance it appears all that's needed is to put the bolt and nut back in. It wasn't until later that I realized the bracket was bent.
What's missing after that picture is the grunting and swearing I went through trying to get the Fox unit back into the bracket then more grunting and swearing as I put the old dampener in after jacking the PS up to loosen the spring so I could get the nut on the back of the bolt. Currently have the old dampener (which is functioning just fine) in place but with the bracket bent, I'm expecting that setup won't last.
not sure how this is a 'one sided game'
Open to any speculation as to how that bracket could be bent. I've installed half dozen steering stabilizers and never thought something as benign as this could turn into such a cluster.
There's more to the story...
Installation of that dampener was part of a larger upgrade: 4" lift (going from 2 1/2" OME) including new lower control arms, adjustable trackbar, Fox 2.0 and Skyjacker 4" Softride springs. Never had any issues with the dampener on the 2 1/2" lift + stock trackbar + stock control arms. Would it be possible that the lift combo mentioned would cause binding in the linkage or poor alignment of the dampener? The steering wheel needed to be centered, of course. Could that adjustment cause poor alignment of the dampener? For the bracket to bend the way it did, the dampener must be moving fore/aft in addition to linearly along the steering arm. What could cause that? Should I install a dropped pitman arm?
Anyone have any ideas as to how the stabilizer bracket could have gotten bent like that? I realize the consensus for dropping the pitman arm is a hard no, but could my lift mess with steering geometry? I do have new lower (RC) front control arms and adjustable JKS track bar (stock mounts).
I will try to get a pic of the bracket. It’s bent aft and is against the spring.
Should probably take a video too of lock to lock turns.
I’m really perplexing over this.
I will try to get a pic of the bracket. It’s bent aft and is against the spring.
Should probably take a video too of lock to lock turns.
I’m really perplexing over this.
????
I am not tracking you guys... What is it about my post that seems insincere (or one-sided, as commented earlier)? If you have a question about something, ask. Don't be obtuse.
I do have a stock pitman arm. I suppose my comment wasn't clear. I was wondering if a dropped pitman arm would help. But I've done some digging and this video is the best evidence I've seen for not using a dropped pitman arm.
Plain and simple hard no, I won't ask again.
I don't have any advice for you, but I agree the attitude you seem to be getting is undeserved.
Fughuert
TJ Enthusiast
You’re saying your bracket is bent aft wards and is making it so the spring blocks access to the nut at ride height.
Can you take a picture like this
looking down the steering stabilizer from the side towards the spring? And maybe a picture from behind the axle looking forwards of the bracket.
Ignore all the ice but the black bar the camera is resting on is the stabilizer looking towards passenger coil.
very odd that your bracket would move that far mine has a ton of clearance back there.
Is there wear on the bottom of that fox stabilizer? Looks like the diameter of it makes it hit the drag link near it’s mount
Can you take a picture like this
looking down the steering stabilizer from the side towards the spring? And maybe a picture from behind the axle looking forwards of the bracket.
Ignore all the ice but the black bar the camera is resting on is the stabilizer looking towards passenger coil.
very odd that your bracket would move that far mine has a ton of clearance back there.
Is there wear on the bottom of that fox stabilizer? Looks like the diameter of it makes it hit the drag link near it’s mount
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you're picking up what I'm laying down re: the bracket moving back. When we installed the stabilizer, there was normal clearance there.
In this image, the arrow is the direction this bracket has moved back. The yellow lines generally show the alignment of the bracket relative to the stabilizer (this is not the Fox stabilizer). The circled bent part is from the prybar I used to try bending it back at least enough to get the nut on (you can imagine what my prybar looks like now). This was after-the-fact. You can see that bolt is barely doing it's job.
This alignment looks way off but I don't know how that could have happened.
I have an appointment with my local mechanic to have a look at this (and install new Spicer balljoints and new Crown HD steering linkage). But I would really like to get to the root of this bent bracket. If they are able to bend it back I want to make sure it doesn't happen again.
This alignment looks way off but I don't know how that could have happened.
I have an appointment with my local mechanic to have a look at this (and install new Spicer balljoints and new Crown HD steering linkage). But I would really like to get to the root of this bent bracket. If they are able to bend it back I want to make sure it doesn't happen again.
More pics. How does this look? I've heard comments that the drag link should be parallel to the axle, but that won't happen with a lift considering where the drag link attaches (not sure if I'm calling those components by their correct name). Does the angle where the dampener attaches to the arm look correct?
Thanks
It is the tribal way with forums. I’ve seen worse. There’s a lot of useful knowledge here. I’m not necessarily the best at getting everything in my head typed into the box so others might feel they aren’t getting all the info. I’m ok being asked for clarification.
I can help others help me
It almost looks like your tie rod end somehow got pushed into the mount. Did you hit anything or take it wheeling?
that was my thought as well, but aside from what would have been a memorable "smack" I can't think of how that could've happened over time.