NOT Death Wobble - Worse!!
 

Hi all. I'm new the forums as a poster, but have found the posts to be invaluable! Thank to you all!

Anyway - onto my question...

2005 Wrangler TJ w/40,000 miles. I just put a Rough Country 6" lift and some 35" tires on it. Prior to the lift, I had an issue w/Death Wobble. After the lift all was good, until now... I came off a mild trail last week and as I was traveling the highway (~60 MPH), I hit a SLIGHT road joint and I thought the car was about to flip! Death Wobble got nothing on this! I have recreated it 4 times on back streets traveling 35 MPH. I hit a SMALL bump the wheels start to bounce and this time the front tire folded under the car, pointing in an outward direction and the tire left a huge skid-mark until I stopped. It's happening to both tires - only on the front. Once it starts you have no choice to stop.... fast!

I tightened all front end bolts and looked for signs (bare metal, etc...) and there are none. I have just had the tires balance, and front end aligned and driving back form the shop - it did it again!

I'm at wits end and any shops are 2 weeks out for an appointment (besides - I would rather do it myself). Anyone else have anything close to this issue?

Have you upgraded any of the steering linkages? Some more info and some good detailed photos of the front would help a lot. It is generally a loose track bar bolt or worn bushings but at 6" of lift you are going to have most of your suspension and steering linkages way out of whack.

When I did the lift, I replaced most of the front end. Your mention of the Ball Joints makes perfect sense as the Death Wobble before the lift and added pressures of the new tires could certainly be the cause and based on what I have experienced, it makes sense. As well, I checked and the front and there is a track bar bolt I cant get a wrench on but might need tightening as well (going to cut some of the bracket away to get to it).

So I bought a pair of upper and lower Ball Joints and will install this weekend. At the same time, I'l take pics and then ask more questions about the steering linkages being out of whack (after some research).

Always appreciated!

any luck? I have the same problem.

It's death wobble ... Period. Sounds like you need to go get a better look @ what is going on. With someone turning the wheel slightly back and fourth inspect rod ends , drag link , and Pittman arm joints. Next for ball joints with axle weight on jack stands use a shovel or 2x4 and a brick and pry underneath wheel/tire combo and look @ ball joint up/down slop. Then grab said wheel/tire combo @ 12:00&6:00 and rock it twards/away from you and check for slop.

Your issue sounds like upper ball joints though.

Got it fixed!!
 

My thanks to all of you for the help - the problem is gone! Here's what it was and how it was fixed.

First the solution then the reasoning (cause I hate to read a bunch of stuff before I find the answer). Having Death Wobble caused the ball joints and the rod ends to go bad. I didn't realize the whole effect until after I put a 6" lift on the Jeep (it then turned from Death Wobble to Death Flip!).

Looking back, when death wobble first appeared I should have either :
1) Put on the lift - replacing the entire front end (not just what came in the kit)
2) If keeping stock - replace the ball joints and the Tie Rod system - (I used the Currie TJ/XJ Heavy Duty Tie Rod System - CE-9701) AND put on a heavy duty steering stabilizer.

If you (like me) are capable but not experienced, it's really pretty easy to DIY. You just have to decide to do it.

BACKGROUND: 05 Jeep TJ with 40,000 miles all original equipment:
About 2 years ago I started getting the Death Wobble - since the Jeep was the 2nd car I figured I would let it go until it needed new tires then I would throw a lift on it and problem solved! Only thing I didn't' realize was that the death wobble would cause other issues later on.

In December I put a 6" lift on it with just the kit parts. It ran fine for about 2 months then one day out of the blue I was heading down the highway and my drivers side front tire literally folded under the car causing a Death Wobble that was about to flip the car and leaving a HUGE skid mark. I wrestled it to a lower speed and limped home. It happened again on a side street going 30 MPH (I hit a small bump) and off it went again.

After some help from the fine folks on this forum, I decided the last pieces on the front to be replaced before the whole thing was new were the ball joints and linkages. When I actually removed the ball joints - the drivers side upper had chunks of metal removed from it by the gyrating tire and the extended time wobbling had eroded the tie rod joints.

BOTTOM LINE: If you are experiencing Death Wobble don't try to replace it piece by piece until fixed, either suck it up and replace all movable joints - or - get a lift kit and replace the ball joints and tie rod system as part of your lift!

I'm sorry, but I don't agree. I'd never replace every part in the hopes it would cure DW. Going part by part will help isolate the issue and reveal the true source of the problem. I've had DW before and the culprit was a loose trackbar frame bolt... all that cost me was 5 minutes of my time.

I'm glad you solved it. Funny you came to a JK specific forum for a TJ problem ;)