First time wobble? What's the deal?

A

Assforkr

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 3, 2018
Messages
155
Location
Massachusetts, USA
Experienced a very mild "wobble" at around 50. Hit a bump and had the steering wheel jump around about an inch in either direction but I snugged up and it stopped.

Crawled under the jeep and took out the trackbar axle side bolt and found that there was around a 16th of inch side to side play in the bolt. Now I know people have shown those holes totally bored out but I'm wondering if a 16th is enough to cause suspension wobble?

Trackbar on the Jeep is definitely a stocker and I didn't notice any play on the frame side joint. I'm lifted about two inches so I ratchet strapped the axle and pulled it driver side to put the track bar back in.

So, thoughts?
 
Any movement of your track bar will result in bump steer. Once you get the track bar torqued and made sure the bushings are ok. Check the angle of your track bar to your drag link (the rod connected to your pitman arm. If both of these do not mirror the same angle you will be much more prone to bump steer. pictures too if you need more input. good post!
 
The axle side depends on its clamping force at a certain torque rating to keep it reigned in. If the hole is showing signs of egg shaping, then the bolt has stretched and lost its proper clamping force torque. A new bolt/nut should be replaced and torqued to the proper setting. Chances are more likely that if it's a stock TB, it's the frame side ball joint that has some wear and may be starting the wobble.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bird
In an interesting turn of events I've tried a 7/16 bolt on the axle side trackbar mount and found it fits snug. So one of two things could have happened, the m10 stock bolt somehow perfectly bored out the hole or the PO drilled out the bracket. Either way a valuable lesson was learned, check your holes gentlemen!

Anywhoo, removed the stock track bar and burned out the frame side bushing. Replaced with a 7/16 aftermarket bushing. The ball join on frame side didn't feel as "toight" as a toiger but it didn't have slop either. Just didn't need the 100 pound gorilla treatment in order to move the stud. Swapped the bolt to a 7/16 grade 8 flange bolt and flange nut.

Let's see if it works.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris
Thanks for the update! I'm curious to hear if that works as well!
 
Top Bottom
Back