Notices
Modified JK Tech Tech related bulletin board forum regarding subjects such as suspension, tires & wheels, steering, bumpers, skid plates, drive train, cages, on-board air and other useful modifications that will help improve the performance and protection of your Jeep JK Wrangler (Rubicon, Sahara, Unlimited and X) on the trail.

PLEASE DO NOT START SHOW & TELL TYPE THREADS IN THIS FORUM

death wobble

Thread Tools
 
Old Feb 27, 2020 | 09:45 AM
  #1  
3_Percenter's Avatar
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
 
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: South Florida
Default death wobble

Ok, 3 days ago experience death wobble first time. I can see why it got the name death wobble. Checked everything is tight and nothing looks damaged. I do feel like the problem is coming from driver side. I feel like driver side is loose. ( I'm going to have to recheck it again) I'm going to start replacing parts one at time and see which one is culprit. What parts do u guys recommened? I've seen MOOG and Terraflex and so on. My rig is 2014, Wrangler Sport, 2.5 inch lift(put on 4 years ago), 33's, 70,000 miles. I
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2020 | 10:14 AM
  #2  
resharp001's Avatar
JK Jedi
FJOTM Winner
10 Year Member
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 11,362
Likes: 2,089
From: Willow Park, TX
Default

First three things to always check, then double check again are track bar bolts torqued to 125 ft lbs, track bar frame side joint for slop, and then ball joints. Checking torque on the bolts is easy. Then have someone sit in driver's seat and turn the steering wheel back and forth (vehicle doesn't even have to be on).....you'll see play in the TB joint if it is there. Then check ball joints. jack it up so tire is off the ground a bit, put shovel or something under the tire and step on the handle using the shovel as leverage to force upward pressure. It is the lower BJ that craps out, but the easiest thing is to look for any movement between the knuckle and C by the upper BJ. You shouldn't see hardly any movement at all.

The steering system isn't that complicated when you boil things down and think logically about it. No reason to start just throwing parts at it till you pinpoint the culprit. Most of the time it's one of those three things, or a combination of things.

Last edited by resharp001; Feb 27, 2020 at 10:19 AM.
Reply
Old Feb 28, 2020 | 07:35 AM
  #3  
Joe C's Avatar
JK Newbie
 
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 73
Likes: 6
From: KC, MO
Default

resharp hit the most likely causes but if that fails do a google search for diagnosing death wobble, there is a lot of great info out there including on this and other Jeep forums.

Also, anybody that says DW is caused by a bad steering stabilizer is 100% full of shit. If your SS is bad, replacing it will only mask the real problem. A bad SS will cause bump steer which could induce DW but is NOT the root cause.
Reply




All times are GMT -8. The time now is 08:05 PM.