Help! Death Wobble

[John Dreese]

I have a 04 Rubicon 130,000 mi on it, Plus tow it behind my rv about 40,000 mi running stock size General Grabers with 30,000 on them.
Back in May it started to shimmy but no DW so I replaced the stabilizer shock not much change.
About 2 weeks later DW!! so off to mechanic rotate and balance tires, NO good.
replaced Track bar NO good, Replaced tie rod ends and drag link NO good. Replaced ball joints NO good.
Replaced upper and lower control arm bushings NO good
took it in for alignment, they noted the bushing on the new track bar had a lot of give, Replaced it with a 2 piece Moog bushing still NOOOO good. Had tire shop retest tire balance NO good.
Thinking new tires but dumping $1k and still having DW will push me over the edge.
I'm at the end of my patents and need to be on the road by 9/21 Help

 

[JP98]

I have a 04 Rubicon 130,000 mi on it, Plus tow it behind my rv about 40,000 mi running stock size General Grabers with 30,000 on them.
Back in May it started to shimmy but no DW so I replaced the stabilizer shock not much change.
About 2 weeks later DW!! so off to mechanic rotate and balance tires, NO good.
replaced Track bar NO good, Replaced tie rod ends and drag link NO good. Replaced ball joints NO good.
Replaced upper and lower control arm bushings NO good
took it in for alignment, they noted the bushing on the new track bar had a lot of give, Replaced it with a 2 piece Moog bushing still NOOOO good. Had tire shop retest tire balance NO good.
Thinking new tires but dumping $1k and still having DW will push me over the edge.
I'm at the end of my patents and need to be on the road by 9/21 Help

Sounds like you have been through the ringer. Does this happen at a certain speed range or is it constant?

 

[JMT]

Good question^^^

I'm sorry you're having these problems. I've been there but never that far down the road. I'd be tired too and losing patience.

Check for play where the Pitman arm attaches to the steering box.

Then check steering box itself, it could be culprit. Unfortunately, if that's it, it's the expensive one to replace, around $700, though there is a Conversion. I'll have to find the procedure if that's it and you want to spend about $200.

Of course, every time you have an experience of DW, it's tearing more stuff up, thus maybe your new trackbar bushing at the axle. You might also check at the trackbar axle that the hole the bolt goes through is not wallowed out.

I'm sure you torqued everything down to spec? Report back and I'll see what else I can come up with.

 

[John Dreese]

Sounds like you have been through the ringer. Does this happen at a certain speed range or is it constant?

this only happens at speed over 60 (were I run most of the time)

 

[JP98]

this only happens at speed over 60 (were I run most of the time)

If it's only at a certain speed it often comes back to a tire issue. The short wheel base and light weight of the Jeep make it very difficult for the average tire shop to get them perfect. At most shops they just get it close because of trying to turn them quick and not fully understanding the Jeep. Try a local shop that does a large amount of off-road tires. They normally have guys that now exactly how to set tires up on a TJ.

 

[bobthetj03]

I vote a tire issue as well, especially after you have already replaced just about everything in the steering sans the front unit bearings. As far as most passenger car tires go, 30K miles on them may not seem like a lot, but to a jeep and it solid axle setup, they tend to eat up tires faster. I'm on my 3 set of tires and best I've got out of a set before needing replacement was 45K. Maybe something in one of your tires has failed internally like a slipped belt or something.

 

[CodaMan]

I would bet anything on a tire problem, either a bad tire/s or balancing. Many shops like to say "good enough" when it comes to balancing, but the short wheelbase Jeep needs it perfect.

 

[CodaMan]

and 30,000 on a set of tires will definitely bring out the problems.

 

[JMT]

Since it's only over 60mph, tires, 30k is quite a bit of miles on a TJ.

 

[glwood]

Sounds like you're pretty much on the move all the time; what would be nice is a fellow TJ owner you could swap tires with just to diagnose the DW, then swap back. Long shot, I know...where's the RV parked now?

 

[JMT]

Sounds like you're pretty much on the move all the time; what would be nice is a fellow TJ owner you could swap tires with just to diagnose the DW, then swap back. Long shot, I know...where's the RV parked now?

That's a good idea. Wouldn't take 30 min to switch and get on the road.

 

[John Dreese]

Well took to a tire shop at first they thought they found the problem, Worn bolt hole on track bar mount The replaced it with a 10mm bolt told me that fixed it.
I got 2 miles up the road DW again turned around and insisted on a new set Goodyear Wrangler DuraTracks
$1100.00 later its much better it still shimmies at 65 but no full on DW.
Still not 100% satisfied

 

[Chris]

Well took to a tire shop at first they thought they found the problem, Worn bolt hole on track bar mount The replaced it with a 10mm bolt told me that fixed it.
I got 2 miles up the road DW again turned around and insisted on a new set Goodyear Wrangler DuraTracks
$1100.00 later its much better it still shimmies at 65 but no full on DW.
Still not 100% satisfied

Not surprised. This is one of the things I hear about often. Either a worn track bar bolt hole, or the bolt not being torqued down properly.

It shouldn't shimmy at 65 though. That could actually be a improper tire balance though, which is all to common. Especially since they just mounted the tires.

Good choice on the tires though. I love my Duratracs.

 

[JMT]

Well took to a tire shop at first they thought they found the problem, Worn bolt hole on track bar mount The replaced it with a 10mm bolt told me that fixed it.
I got 2 miles up the road DW again turned around and insisted on a new set Goodyear Wrangler DuraTracks
$1100.00 later its much better it still shimmies at 65 but no full on DW.
Still not 100% satisfied

It's frustrating. I hear your pain. I replaced front track bar, Tie Rod, Drag Link and Tie Rod ends and had tires balanced on a road force. Mines still not perfect, but I never get DW, I get a shimmy from 45-50mph about 65% of the time, and I think it's tire balancing. But I'm OCD about it now, so who knows. I'm happy, and if there is a problem in the front end, it will get worse and I'll find it.