Death Wobble, Broken Track Bar Bracket

[WFD 19]

In advance, thanks to everyone for the help.
I got really bad death wobble last fall, just before putting the TJ away for the winter. It would happen on any small bump in the road. I crawled under the front end this week and started to figure out what the cause was.
The first thing I found was a broken passenger side track bar bracket. It's a relocation bracket to lower the mounting point. I was going to order a new one, but then started reading a bunch of posts on this forum. In the pictures I uploaded, you can see the broken bracket, but you can also see I have a drop pitman arm as well. It appears to me that I should go back to the stop track bar location, get rid of the drop pitman, and most of my issues with death wobble and bump steer should go away as well. Is my diagnosis correct? The TJ has a 3" lift, so will I need a adjustable track bar?
Why would the drop track bar and pitman been put on to start with?
Thanks again

 

[someguysjeep]

does seem odd. they used the drop pitman to lessen the steering linkage angles and then a drop bracket on the low end that increases the TB angle.

never seen that 1 b4.

i'd think the recommendation would be ditching the drop pitman for a stock, ditching the cheesy drop bracket off the axle and adding and adjustable bar. and go from there.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Yep whoever installed those two items didn't know what they were doing. The combination of that drop bracket and the dropped Pitman arm is a double-bad thing. Either of them is bad to install, both together are even worse.

Remove both and go back to the OE Pitman arm. You'll be amazed at how much better your steering will be and the bump steer you might think just must be normal for a lifted TJ will go away. Bump steer is when the steering is forced left/right as the front axle moves up/down.

 

[WFD 19]

Is there going to be any binding in the steering with a stock Pitman?

 

[SteveBarrus]

Is there going to be any binding in the steering with a stock Pitman?

No, there should not be binding. Do a good look at everything else also.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Is there going to be any binding in the steering with a stock Pitman?

No. Rarely do you need a dropped Pitman arm and then usually only when the suspension lift height is stupid-high. Or when the driver's side track bar mount is dropped which is rare. I run the factory Pitman arm with my 4" suspension lift.

 

[WFD 19]

Thanks for confirming what I thought. I was just going to replace the broken bracket, but then I started diving into a bunch of posts on this forum and figured I needed to go a different direction.

 

[Rubicon John]

I came across this thread and I’d like to use it as an opportunity to ask a question that I’ve been pondering because I am new to all this and I genuinely want to know: (assuming a 4 inch lift)

What are the drawbacks of running a dropped front trackbar mount along with a dropped pitman arm?

Assuming the TB and the drag link are parallel, what is the limitation that makes this a no-no? Does it cause death wobble? People I know that run this type of setup claim to have no death wobble.

Does it limit articulation or suspension travel? How so?

I see it sworn against here all the time but then I see people say they have no issue with it in real life. Please enlighten me!

 

[someguysjeep]

you can get away with it under 4" so there is no need to give away the up travel. a bad set-up can lead to bump steer issues.