DEATH WOBBLE after lifting!!!
Thread Starter
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
From: NOVA
stock tires on procomp 7089s. the plan is to upgrade to 35s, but i need to get this squared away first!
so i traded out vehicles with my dad over lunch. i have friday off, so i'll put the jeep up on stands then. hopefully loosening everything up on the stands and then retorquing everything back on the ground does the trick....
so i traded out vehicles with my dad over lunch. i have friday off, so i'll put the jeep up on stands then. hopefully loosening everything up on the stands and then retorquing everything back on the ground does the trick....
JK Super Freak
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,591
Likes: 2
From: annapolis, MD
loosen everything, put the jeep back on the ground, give it a good shake and rock back and forth a few times, torque everything (USE A TORQUE WRENCH), drive it a few miles, re-torque. you may have to remove the front track bar to make sure the holes havent wallowed out from the DW.
Sponsoring Manufacturer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 6,824
Likes: 3
From: Utah
loosen everything, put the jeep back on the ground, give it a good shake and rock back and forth a few times, torque everything (USE A TORQUE WRENCH), drive it a few miles, re-torque. you may have to remove the front track bar to make sure the holes havent wallowed out from the DW.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 495
Likes: 0
From: Canada
Do a search for a thread on death wobble by Planman. Easily the most step by step thread on the forums. Or pm him if you can't find it, don't know where he finds the time but he helps a lot of people.
Thread Starter
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
From: NOVA
UPDATE!
on friday, i finally got a chance to put the jeep back up on the stands. i removed the trackbars and loosened all the control arm bolts before jacking it up (same as before).
I specifically tried to loosen up the control arm bolts more, in case i didn't loosen them up enough last time. I also hit them with some WD-40 in case they were binding during torqueing and throwing it off (grabbing at straws
).
i also was sure to put the jackstands under the frame this time. i couldn't remember if i was sure to put them under the frame instead of the axle the first time.
not sure what the difference was, but when i put the jeep back on the ground, installed the trackbars, and retorqued all the control arm bolts, the Death Wobble was GONE!!!
i slowly tested it out, and gradually increased speed and changed road conditions. before i couldn't drive above 25 mph without a grain of sand on the road giving me the DW. i got the jeep above 65 mph and hit all types of bumps without a problem.
my only issue is that now i have DW induced PTSD. every little bump i feel in the steering wheel gives me a mini heart attack. hopefully it won't take too long to get back to the carefree driving experience i used to have.
thanks to everyone for the advice and suggestions, from an appreciative Death Wobble survivor!
-Chris
on friday, i finally got a chance to put the jeep back up on the stands. i removed the trackbars and loosened all the control arm bolts before jacking it up (same as before).
I specifically tried to loosen up the control arm bolts more, in case i didn't loosen them up enough last time. I also hit them with some WD-40 in case they were binding during torqueing and throwing it off (grabbing at straws
).i also was sure to put the jackstands under the frame this time. i couldn't remember if i was sure to put them under the frame instead of the axle the first time.
not sure what the difference was, but when i put the jeep back on the ground, installed the trackbars, and retorqued all the control arm bolts, the Death Wobble was GONE!!!
i slowly tested it out, and gradually increased speed and changed road conditions. before i couldn't drive above 25 mph without a grain of sand on the road giving me the DW. i got the jeep above 65 mph and hit all types of bumps without a problem.
my only issue is that now i have DW induced PTSD. every little bump i feel in the steering wheel gives me a mini heart attack. hopefully it won't take too long to get back to the carefree driving experience i used to have.
thanks to everyone for the advice and suggestions, from an appreciative Death Wobble survivor!
-Chris
JK Jedi Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 15,665
Likes: 4
From: Hammond Louisiana
UPDATE!
on friday, i finally got a chance to put the jeep back up on the stands. i removed the trackbars and loosened all the control arm bolts before jacking it up (same as before).
I specifically tried to loosen up the control arm bolts more, in case i didn't loosen them up enough last time. I also hit them with some WD-40 in case they were binding during torqueing and throwing it off (grabbing at straws).
i also was sure to put the jackstands under the frame this time. i couldn't remember if i was sure to put them under the frame instead of the axle the first time.
not sure what the difference was, but when i put the jeep back on the ground, installed the trackbars, and retorqued all the control arm bolts, the Death Wobble was GONE!!!
i slowly tested it out, and gradually increased speed and changed road conditions. before i couldn't drive above 25 mph without a grain of sand on the road giving me the DW. i got the jeep above 65 mph and hit all types of bumps without a problem.
my only issue is that now i have DW induced PTSD. every little bump i feel in the steering wheel gives me a mini heart attack. hopefully it won't take too long to get back to the carefree driving experience i used to have.
thanks to everyone for the advice and suggestions, from an appreciative Death Wobble survivor!
-Chris
on friday, i finally got a chance to put the jeep back up on the stands. i removed the trackbars and loosened all the control arm bolts before jacking it up (same as before).
I specifically tried to loosen up the control arm bolts more, in case i didn't loosen them up enough last time. I also hit them with some WD-40 in case they were binding during torqueing and throwing it off (grabbing at straws
).i also was sure to put the jackstands under the frame this time. i couldn't remember if i was sure to put them under the frame instead of the axle the first time.
not sure what the difference was, but when i put the jeep back on the ground, installed the trackbars, and retorqued all the control arm bolts, the Death Wobble was GONE!!!
i slowly tested it out, and gradually increased speed and changed road conditions. before i couldn't drive above 25 mph without a grain of sand on the road giving me the DW. i got the jeep above 65 mph and hit all types of bumps without a problem.
my only issue is that now i have DW induced PTSD. every little bump i feel in the steering wheel gives me a mini heart attack. hopefully it won't take too long to get back to the carefree driving experience i used to have.
thanks to everyone for the advice and suggestions, from an appreciative Death Wobble survivor!
-Chris
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
From: Halethorpe MD
I had a issue with this DW twice and have been looking for the cause. I found that one side of my frame side TB bracket was wallowed out and I am planning to weld some washers on both sides. For now I re TQ'ed the track bar and haven't had any issues yet but will still add the washers. It is weird but a full tank of gas seems to be better to reduce the DW or any weird steering wheel shakes from starting. I can feel a little more shake after bumps the lower the tank gets. So for now I will keep a full tank till my washers are on....
