Death wobble has become the annoying wobble
04-18-2008, 05:29 PM
#1
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Death wobble has become the annoying wobble
Over the last couple of months I have been developing a death wobble. In the beginning, it was only on one strech of road. Currently it has been occuring more after the expansion joints on bridges, patches in the road when they curve to the left. Hitting the speed bumps (not really speed bumps but close enough) square/straight on the interstate no problems. On the interstate, I drive 65-72 mph. Once the death wobble starts, I drop my speed to 35-40 mph to regain controll, and lately I've had to pull off the road and come to a stop. I believe its the left front tire area is the problem.
Specs:
2007 JK Sahara 4 door purchased 5/11/2007
Lift - 3.5" Rock Krawler entry level with rear u/l control arms, adjustable t-bar
Tires - round town - 32" stock Off Road 35" MT MTZs
Swapped out front axle D-30 and replaced with Mopar D-44 and locker
Upgraded complete axles to Superior shafts d/t stock outside yokes loosing clips and ovaling out.
Welded front track bar bracket and added RK bracket
1/2008 added AEV bumper and MM 12K winch.
Removed stock steering stablizer.
What I have done:
Retorqued the hubs, t-bar, tires.
Have checked (pulled) the t-bar its tight, greased and reinstalled. Torqued to 125 ft lbs.
Inflated all tires to 35 PSI
Springs checked and appear ok and properly seated.
Questions:
What should I torque the tie rod to?
What should I torque the drag like to?
What else should I look at/for?
Specs:
2007 JK Sahara 4 door purchased 5/11/2007
Lift - 3.5" Rock Krawler entry level with rear u/l control arms, adjustable t-bar
Tires - round town - 32" stock Off Road 35" MT MTZs
Swapped out front axle D-30 and replaced with Mopar D-44 and locker
Upgraded complete axles to Superior shafts d/t stock outside yokes loosing clips and ovaling out.
Welded front track bar bracket and added RK bracket
1/2008 added AEV bumper and MM 12K winch.
Removed stock steering stablizer.
What I have done:
Retorqued the hubs, t-bar, tires.
Have checked (pulled) the t-bar its tight, greased and reinstalled. Torqued to 125 ft lbs.
Inflated all tires to 35 PSI
Springs checked and appear ok and properly seated.
Questions:
What should I torque the tie rod to?
What should I torque the drag like to?
What else should I look at/for?
04-18-2008, 07:04 PM
#3
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I've left the steering stablizer off to help to try to dx the problem.
Still using factory control arms in the front. I had the lift on for several months prior to developing any problems. It all started after adding the bumper and winch.
I've tried different tires on the front with no change. When I put the 35's on, I didn't notice it at all.
I believe it is death wobble, as everything in the Jeep goes flying around. Its almost like having a blow out on a front tire. Also you can hear the wheel hop and hit the road again.
Still using factory control arms in the front. I had the lift on for several months prior to developing any problems. It all started after adding the bumper and winch.
I've tried different tires on the front with no change. When I put the 35's on, I didn't notice it at all.
I believe it is death wobble, as everything in the Jeep goes flying around. Its almost like having a blow out on a front tire. Also you can hear the wheel hop and hit the road again.
04-19-2008, 06:37 PM
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Ok what kind of shocks are you using? are you saying that with the 35s you dont notice a difference or you dont have the wobble problem? did you use an eccentric bolt on the front lower control arm to adjust pinion and which also sets your caster, if you dont have enough caster you could create a high speed steering problem. I'm talking highway speeds and it will cause very responsive steering and possibly a wobble from not being able to gain control of the steering.
Looks like I'll be ordering some adjustable upper and lower arms.
04-20-2008, 06:52 AM
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My Death Wobble issues where all due to the track bar bushings allowing the track bar to move.
I don't mean it moved a lot either.
I mean it moved like 1/16 of an inch at most.
But the key is it can't move AT ALL.
Simple way to check it to see if that might be your issue, (which I'm not saying it is).
Have another person turn your steering wheel sharply back and forth all the way over.
While they do that you get down in front and stick your face up close to the track bar bushing.
Watch the track bar.
If it moves at all it is a BAD THING.
That bushing is to allow the bar to pivot but restrain it from moving back and forth.
This is TRUE at BOTH ends.
It's hard as hell to tell if the bushing at the wheel side allows movement.
I was told if one is bad the other is also... so just check the hard point.
If either bushing allows movement it gets amplified over the distance of entire suspension.
Harmonic and irregular SHARP vibration can both set it off.
Once it starts it can reinforce itself creating an escalating re-action through out the suspension.
This can get so bad the rear end becomes involved at which point you have true death wobble.
Brown underwear indeed!
That might not be as far fetched as it seems.
In my case when it happened it happened suddenely with no symptoms prior.
The 1st time it did it it was so extreme I can't fairly express my re-actions.
You ever been on one of those Bull Rides in a bar?
This was worse cause I was tied in with a seat belt.
When I got it to the dealer I told them and meant it,
"Untill that issue is totally fixed I do not even want to see the Jeep again."
I love my Jeep.
I felt like shooting it.
It had tryed to kill me and anyone else near me on the road.
My undearwear stayed clean but I had been sweating bullets for a few minutes.
BTW the ESP went nutzo and would not allow braking.
I had to roll to a stop which took a LONG DAMNED TIME.
The whole way hopping, jumping, jerking, wobbeling and bucking.
I mean my back end tires where individually coming off the road like it wanted to go four by'n.
I'm laughing now thinking about it, how it must have looked if anyone had seen it.
A great Advertisment for Jeeps!
Why go to Magic Mountain, or even to the trails, when you can do all THAT and MORE at home?
You do NOT have to go out of town to experience the full joys of off roading!
You do not even have to have it in 4w drive.
The Wrangler is SO good it will even excelerate and compress an entire days wheel'n into a few minutes.
ENJOY the full benifits while saving fuel and just sit in your drive way and bounce around like a crazed low rider.
The wrangler comes with complete decal sets stating "FOOL INJECTED".
Do NOT drive your Jeep untill it is fixed and SAFE.
For your sake as well as others Death Wobble has the word death in it for a reason.
I don't mean it moved a lot either.
I mean it moved like 1/16 of an inch at most.
But the key is it can't move AT ALL.
Simple way to check it to see if that might be your issue, (which I'm not saying it is).
Have another person turn your steering wheel sharply back and forth all the way over.
While they do that you get down in front and stick your face up close to the track bar bushing.
Watch the track bar.
If it moves at all it is a BAD THING.
That bushing is to allow the bar to pivot but restrain it from moving back and forth.
This is TRUE at BOTH ends.
It's hard as hell to tell if the bushing at the wheel side allows movement.
I was told if one is bad the other is also... so just check the hard point.
If either bushing allows movement it gets amplified over the distance of entire suspension.
Harmonic and irregular SHARP vibration can both set it off.
Once it starts it can reinforce itself creating an escalating re-action through out the suspension.
This can get so bad the rear end becomes involved at which point you have true death wobble.
Brown underwear indeed!
That might not be as far fetched as it seems.
In my case when it happened it happened suddenely with no symptoms prior.
The 1st time it did it it was so extreme I can't fairly express my re-actions.
You ever been on one of those Bull Rides in a bar?
This was worse cause I was tied in with a seat belt.
When I got it to the dealer I told them and meant it,
"Untill that issue is totally fixed I do not even want to see the Jeep again."
I love my Jeep.
I felt like shooting it.
It had tryed to kill me and anyone else near me on the road.
My undearwear stayed clean but I had been sweating bullets for a few minutes.
BTW the ESP went nutzo and would not allow braking.
I had to roll to a stop which took a LONG DAMNED TIME.
The whole way hopping, jumping, jerking, wobbeling and bucking.
I mean my back end tires where individually coming off the road like it wanted to go four by'n.
I'm laughing now thinking about it, how it must have looked if anyone had seen it.
A great Advertisment for Jeeps!
Why go to Magic Mountain, or even to the trails, when you can do all THAT and MORE at home?
You do NOT have to go out of town to experience the full joys of off roading!
You do not even have to have it in 4w drive.
The Wrangler is SO good it will even excelerate and compress an entire days wheel'n into a few minutes.
ENJOY the full benifits while saving fuel and just sit in your drive way and bounce around like a crazed low rider.
The wrangler comes with complete decal sets stating "FOOL INJECTED".
Do NOT drive your Jeep untill it is fixed and SAFE.
For your sake as well as others Death Wobble has the word death in it for a reason.