I feel like I should be sitting in a circle in the basement of a church attending a weekly support group. “Hello my name is Jim and I have a TJ that vibrates.” I really did try to find the answer before I created another “vibration” thread and before I started throwing money at the problem I wanted to see what everyone thinks of my situation.
I bought a 2002 auto I6 with 31 inch BFG Mud Terrain T/A ties on it. 85k miles on it but it was trailered behind an RV so who knows how many more miles that added. It is my first Jeep so I’m not sure what is normal and might be a symptom. When I drive I have a small vibration that I always attributed it to the mud terrain tires. When I took it on the expressway for the first time (and every time) there is nasty shake between 60-70 mph. It’s not death wobble bad, you can keep a straight line with a single finger on the wheel but it would knock out my fillings if I had any. Dropping the speed under 60 ends the exaggerated vibration. I’ve rotated the ties with no change.
Tonight I took off the front drive shaft hoping it was a u-joint but removing that didn’t change anything. I did notice that when the car is in reverse or any forward gear there is a slight vibration on the wheel that isn’t there in park or neutral. I’ve done the dry steering test and the pry the tie up to check the ball joint test and nothing jumps out at me but I could have missed something. Tomorrow I’m going to check the alignment, have the tires rebalanced and rotated again. I’ll see what the shop says but I wanted to see what everyone thought.
Other issues I’m working on are a leaky oil sending unit and replacing both pinion seals. I doubt they are related but I figured I’d mention it. Also the engine is a little noise till it warms up but after that it sounds great. I assume that is a Jeep thing but again figured I add it as background info.
Is the slight vibration while in gear but not moving a symptom or a ”normal” Jeep thing?
I bought a 2002 auto I6 with 31 inch BFG Mud Terrain T/A ties on it. 85k miles on it but it was trailered behind an RV so who knows how many more miles that added. It is my first Jeep so I’m not sure what is normal and might be a symptom. When I drive I have a small vibration that I always attributed it to the mud terrain tires. When I took it on the expressway for the first time (and every time) there is nasty shake between 60-70 mph. It’s not death wobble bad, you can keep a straight line with a single finger on the wheel but it would knock out my fillings if I had any. Dropping the speed under 60 ends the exaggerated vibration. I’ve rotated the ties with no change.
Tonight I took off the front drive shaft hoping it was a u-joint but removing that didn’t change anything. I did notice that when the car is in reverse or any forward gear there is a slight vibration on the wheel that isn’t there in park or neutral. I’ve done the dry steering test and the pry the tie up to check the ball joint test and nothing jumps out at me but I could have missed something. Tomorrow I’m going to check the alignment, have the tires rebalanced and rotated again. I’ll see what the shop says but I wanted to see what everyone thought.
Other issues I’m working on are a leaky oil sending unit and replacing both pinion seals. I doubt they are related but I figured I’d mention it. Also the engine is a little noise till it warms up but after that it sounds great. I assume that is a Jeep thing but again figured I add it as background info.
Is the slight vibration while in gear but not moving a symptom or a ”normal” Jeep thing?
