Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ radiator

Death Wobble

jm34tj

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Mar 8, 2022
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Tampa Florida
Okay, I need y'alls help: I recently installed a Rough Country 2.5in lift kit with N3 shocks on my 98 TJ (yes I know it isn't the best brand, but I am a high school kid, I don't have all the money int he world), (4.0). I also did the conversion to run JK Rubicon wheels on with the lug adapters and what not. Taking left turns at 25 MPH+ will result in a death wobble, or hitting a pothole, however driving at cruising speeds (35-55), it is fine; no wobble takes place. What should I do? I also ran it back on the stock wheels to see if it did the same thing, and it did. I am assuming it has to do with steering component(s) as they are still the stock stabilizer and front track bar from the factory, but I'm not 100% sure. Anyone else ran into this issue on their TJ?

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Welcome to the forum! Dry steering test can help you identify the issue. Also be sure everything is torque to spec, like track bar and steering linkage. A steering dampner is not a fix for death wobble, as some youtubers might tell you. I'm sure others will chime in as well with some advice. Screenshot is instructions on a dry steer test. Nice Sahara btw!!

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Welcome to the forum! Dry steering test can help you identify the issue. Also be sure everything is torque to spec, like track bar and steering linkage. A steering dampner is not a fix for death wobble, as some youtubers might tell you. I'm sure others will chime in as well with some advice. Screenshot is instructions on a dry steer test. Nice Sahara btw!!

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Thank you! I’ll be doing that shortly.
 
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In my experience and from reading here, it's almost always the track bar. I couldn't see any movement just by grabbing it and moving it around, but when I had someone else run the steering back and forth I could see the tiniest bit of movement in the frame side joint. Replaced the track bar and the death wobble disappeared.
 
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In my experience and from reading here, it's almost always the track bar. I couldn't see any movement just by grabbing it and moving it around, but when I had someone else run the steering back and forth I could see the tiniest bit of movement in the frame side joint. Replaced the track bar and the death wobble disappeared.
that's what I was thinking too...I reached out to a friend who has had a multitude of XJ's and TJ's, he said it's more than likely the trackbar
 
Do the dry steering test!!!!!! It will show you what is moving that isn't supposed to be moving!!!!!!

Or you can just throw parts at it till it's fixed.
yeah I did that yesterday and everything looks bolted up correctly so I’m thinking it has to do with running a stock stabilizer on a 2.5in lift
 
yeah I did that yesterday and everything looks bolted up correctly so I’m thinking it has to do with running a stock stabilizer on a 2.5in lift
Since it only happens in one turn I have a feeling much of your overall system is still good but something isn’t working too happy.

My initial guess is ball joint (possibly exposed under a specific load but it’s only a guess.

The track bar idea is neat to me (this is my first vehicle with a track bar). But, when the bolt game lose on mine , it knocked around more often than only in a specific turn. Did u TB experienced guys have TB symptoms fairly similar to OP’s?
 
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That is going to most likely be your track bar and/or a control arm bushing - Keep your eye on the very forward front upper control arm bushing where it mounts to the axle, passenger side.

Remember you can’t really tell much about looking at things or even prying.

I had the exact same situation.
 
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While the front steering parts may appear bolted up correctly; I would check the torque for the trac bar diff bracket (55 ft/lbs and frame (65 ft/lbs), tie rod ends (55 ft/lbs) and do an inspection of the control arm bushings.
Couldn't hurt to have the tire balance checked since out of balance tires will create DW with worn or loose steering components.
 
You haven’t said how many miles are on the Jeep. If it is a lot, it could be a combination of the track bar, rod ends, ball joints, unit bearings and maybe some other stuff. Remarkably, it is not all that expensive to replace all of that if you do the work yourself.
 
I resolved the turning problem - somehow my bump stop got bent forward which I do not know how, but it’s fixed now.
Since it only happens in one turn I have a feeling much of your overall system is still good but something isn’t working too happy.

My initial guess is ball joint (possibly exposed under a specific load but it’s only a guess.

The track bar idea is neat to me (this is my first vehicle with a track bar). But, when the bolt game lose on mine , it knocked around more often than only in a specific turn. Did u TB experienced guys have TB symptoms fairly similar to OP’s?
 
In my experience and from reading here, it's almost always the track bar. I couldn't see any movement just by grabbing it and moving it around, but when I had someone else run the steering back and forth I could see the tiniest bit of movement in the frame side joint. Replaced the track bar and the death wobble disappeared.
A loose passive component like a track bar, ball joint, etc. is never the actual root cause of Death Wobble because it can impart no power to actually cause or provide the power for the shaking. A loose track bar only makes it easier for Death Wobble to occur. The usual root cause of DW is a bad or imperfectly balanced tire. The tire spins which when unbalanced cause it to shake which is the power driving the oscillations that are DW. Which is why DW only occurs while driving and not sitting still if it was solely caused by a loose track bar.

Something might be loose and allowing DW to occur more easily but to get rid of the root cause, imperfect tire balance, you need to take it to a good tire shop that will take the time to get them perfectly balanced. Most shops won't give their techs enough time to do a perfect balance, they only get them balanced to what they consider "good enough" which is only good enough for small car-size tires, not big Jeep size tires that are harder to balance to perfect as is needed.
 
Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ radiator