Shake while towing

CMERC

New Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2019
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6
Location
Annapolis, Maryland
Hello all, I used a trailer yesterday for the first time with my 06 TJ. I have never experienced any wobble or death wobble symptoms before and can usually even go 75 on the highway with steering holding true and no issues at all. Yesterday on the way out to Home Depot with the trailer I had no issues, but then once I picked up everything I needed (probably around 1000 pounds of cargo. I headed home and my TJ would begin shaking violently at around 40 MPH. It would stop if I backed off and I was able to limp it home. Any ideas what the issue could be? should I look at upgrading all steering parts? I want to be able to get a small teardrop trailer soon, but want to be able to actually tow it. Thanks!

Stats - 2006 Jeep TJ X with 33 inch KO2s on 15 inch rims, OME 2 inch lift,1.25 inch body lift.
 
Hello all, I used a trailer yesterday for the first time with my 06 TJ. I have never experienced any wobble or death wobble symptoms before and can usually even go 75 on the highway with steering holding true and no issues at all. Yesterday on the way out to Home Depot with the trailer I had no issues, but then once I picked up everything I needed (probably around 1000 pounds of cargo. I headed home and my TJ would begin shaking violently at around 40 MPH. It would stop if I backed off and I was able to limp it home. Any ideas what the issue could be? should I look at upgrading all steering parts? I want to be able to get a small teardrop trailer soon, but want to be able to actually tow it. Thanks!

Stats - 2006 Jeep TJ X with 33 inch KO2s on 15 inch rims, OME 2 inch lift,1.25 inch body lift.
Rear pinion angle change threw the driveshaft angle off.
 
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Hmm. How do I fix that?
You want approximately 10% of the gross trailer weight on the tounge. So for a 2000 lbs loaded trailer, you want roughly 200 lbs of that on the hitch. Too little and you get trailer sway. Too much and you get odd handling and deload the front suspension.

If that is still too much for the rig, then you need to find a way to eliminate the squat. Pickup trucks and other vehicles typically use stiffer springs in the rear for vehicles designed to tow heavy loads, but that results in a deterioration in ride quality, and in the case of a TJ, potentially loss of suspension travel due to spring length.

If you tow frequently, you might consider an adjustable system like the Air Lift 1000 Universal airbags. They are airbags that go inside the coil spring, and you can add or remove air to compensate for change in ride height due to load.
 
I thought I had all the weight pretty evenly distributed in the trailer and there was not a noticeable rear squat. I have the OME heavy springs. Might look into the air ride though.
 
I thought I had all the weight pretty evenly distributed in the trailer and there was not a noticeable rear squat. I have the OME heavy springs. Might look into the air ride though.
Was the trailer swaying back and forth trying to make you lose control or was the Jeep shaking like crazy without swaying back and forth?
 
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I thought I had all the weight pretty evenly distributed in the trailer and there was not a noticeable rear squat.
You don't want the weight evenly distributed on a trailer, you need more weight up front on a trailer to give you the required tongue weight. You need 10-20% of the trailer's total loaded gross weight on the hitch ball or the trailer will sway. if the trailer's total loaded weight is 2000 lbs. you need no less than 200 lbs. to no more than 400 lbs. on the hitch ball.
 
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