JoeRif

I have an '08 JKUS with 33,000 miles. The other day I started to notice a vibration and shimmy while driving at highway speeds. This new development followed an initial steering column "clunk" while turning.

I climbed under and found that the two suspension bars had quite a bit of vertical play in them. I'm having difficulty uploading the iPhone video, but when I move them up and down by hand, there is a distinctive metal clank when I reach the top and bottom.

Concerned, I stopped by a local mechanic and asked for him to take a quick look to see if it was still road safe. He told me I needed a new center link (top bar), however nothing will fall off, and to drive local and not at a high rate of speed until I replace it.

I know ya'll will hate to hear this, but I've never had it off-road in the 7years I've owned it, so it isn't the result of abuse. I've read a few posts in the forum where it sounds like this is a common issue, and also saw it may even be one of the symptoms that causes the dreaded death wobble.

My request for advise and repair are listed below to the knowledgeable and experienced members are as follows:

1. Do I need to replace one or both bars, or do I just need to replace the mounting pieces? Is there a kit?

2. Is it difficult to do, or is it best to have a pro do the repair?

3. Other than a pickle fork, do I need any other "specialty" tools ?

4. Is there specific part numbers, vendor, and brands that you have used in your repair that you recommend? Bear in mind, this is an asphalt driver, so I don't think I need a heavy duty after market replacement.

Thanks all

ronjenx

When you say the rods have vertical play, do you mean they rotate up and down? Or is there actual vertical play in the joint at the end?

JoeRif

https://vimeo.com/110033468
Finally got the video to load through Tapatalk. Let me know if you can't see it, for some reason Safari doesn't show it in the thread, but shows up on this app. Thanks again!

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ronjenx

Video looks fine.

That rotational movement is normal, but normally there is more resistance to rotation. Yours seem loose.
However, that isn't reason to condemn them.
Grab the end of the rod, and try to move the joint up and down by hand. There should be no vertical play; rotating the joint doesn't count. If you get vertical movement by hand, the joint is no good.

If it checks good, you can minimize the rotation that happens when you go over bumps. It involves loosening the adjuster and rotating the parts in opposite directions, then tightening the locking clamps. You don't want to eliminate all rotational play, as it has to have room to allow things to move when the knuckles and axle move about.

JoeRif

Thanks for your reply. The movement you see in the video is the result of my grabbing the middle of the bars with my hand and moving up and down. Your advice is to grab the bars at the end and try to move them in the same manner and hope for a different result. I will try again in the morning and report back. Appreciate the feedback!


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ronjenx

Yes, try to move the joints straight up and down without twisting the rods.

JoeRif

Ok. Again - thanks!


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Rob 12B1P

This vid by planman shows you how to inspect them. You can fast forward to about 9 minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii81V7XYr-k&index=4&list=TLZxno_GAwDPM7nz1oCYarSXBmSRFDVKvr

ronjenx

Here is a picture of a JK tie rod end.
It is spring loaded, so even a new one can exhibit vertical play when squeezed with pliers. Also, using pliers may damage an otherwise good spring.
This is why they should be checked by hand only.

strat_53711

Like other replies have said, the top bar (drag link) and bottom bar (tie rod) will rotate slightly when twisted by hand.

The planman video explains how to use a channel lock wrench to see if there is any vertical play in the joint.

At 24K miles, my jeep went into death wobble. My steering stabilizer wasn't providing any dampening and 3 of the 4 drag link/tie rod ends had vertical play.

I replaced the inner/outer drag links and the inner/outer tie rod with MOPAR parts. It is pretty simple to do with basic automotive hand tools (Pickle Fork, Hammer, Metric Wrench Set, Ratchet Wrenches (Metric Sockets set), Torque Wrench, Tape Measure, Metric Hex wrench set, Liquid Wrench).

Measure the width of the original parts (Drag link end to end, Tie rod end to end), remove assembly (drag link, tie rod), replace worn parts, set assembly to measured width, install assembly.

The following adjustments will need to be made after installation:

1. Center Steering wheel, by rotating the coupler on the drag link to shorten or lengthen the drag link assembly.

2. Adjust Front Tire Toe In (1/16 to 1/8 inch), by rotating the couple on the tie rod to shorten or lengthen the tie rod assembly.

Tips:

When removing the nuts on the ends, it's easiest to take them completely off using a ratchet wrench/socket, prior to using the pickle fork. (I originally did not want the parts to hit the ground so I only loosened the nuts half way. After using the pickle fork to knock the parts apart, the ball end freely rotated. I had to use a box wrench and hex key to remove the nut from the rusty stud)

If reusing either couplers, a bench vise, pipe wrench and liquid wrench are useful to separate the parts.

One of the tie rod ends are reverse threaded, so part removal is in an opposite rotation direction.