I've been subjected to death wobble. A day after I got my 2.5 Rough Country lift (shocks and coil springs by a local speed shop) installed, going 60 MPH on newly renovated road, I experienced my first episode. This shop had done my buddy's 6 inch lift on a 2010 Chevy 1500. I drove over an overpass and the slight change in the road was enough to throw me off. After many episodes at 45+ MPH , the wife won't ride with me or take the jeep on any trips.

Down to the nitty gritty. I picked up my 2009 JK today from a jeep specialty shop here in eastern pa. Obviously, the JK was put in for the wobble. Before going into the shop I checked all components of the front suspension. The Pitarm boot was torn and I loosened and retourqued the track bar, the wobble was still happening. The shop told me today at first they could not replicate the problem. After a conversation with the tech he went out again to see what he could do. He found the pitarm boot torn, alignment was within 1/16 of an inch, suggested a custom dual steering stabilizer and for when I go to 34/35's swaybar disconnects ($600+ diagnosis, labor and parts). He also stated the swaybar links would help in the overall suspension and recentered the steering wheel. When I picked it up they told me the tech could not get a wobble once all the work was performed (up to 75 MPH and hit every bump they could find). Five miles from the shop on the highway (where most of my wobbles occurred), I experienced a less violent wobble than normal. This time the new steering stabilizer was able to absorb much of the wobble at 55 MPH. Had the work not been performed I'm sure it would have been a full blown wobble. I felt a minor wobble 3 more times on my 30 mile trek home.

Now, completely frustrated and almost depleted in funds I'm stuck. The JK will go back to the shop next week and hopefully they will diagnose the problem correctly this time. What to do so I can get out there and get into trouble?

 

Pitman arms don't have boots ... unless you are talking about the rod end.

Does your lift use a drop pitman? Does it use a TrackBar Bracket? Somewhere the geometry is off with your lift. When you hit a bump does the steering wheel move? If so you have Bump Steer and that will throw the Jeep into DW ...

 

Sorry to hear about your luck, theres loads of threads on here about death wobble.. hope you find out what it is.

 

It is the tie rod end boot. Death wobble can be very violent and is inline with all death wobbles I have seen online. I can sometimes save it from going out of control depending on the bump and my speed.

 

Check your tire pressure. if its off that might cause some of it

 

I experienced death wobble after adding a 2.5 TF BB lift. I purchased a teraflex steering stabilizer and a skyjacker front trackbar relocation bracket. I installed both of them at the same time so I can't say for certain which one fixed the problem but I suspect that it was the trackbar bracket. Most death wobble instances are caused by steering geometry issues. I have not had death wobble ever since.

I think the bracket ran me $30 so if you want to give a cheap fix a try without paying out the nose for garage labor fees, that might be something to consider.

 

Bro, the best thing you can do is go back to the shop that did it, get the tech, and you and him go for a ride until you CAN duplicate that problem again. Do not let him go back until he see's the problem. If you didn't have the wobble before the work was done and you have it now, it's something they didn't do. Make them find it.

 

Am I right that you took your jeep in for death wobble and one of the things they put on to "fix" it was swaybar disconnects? And they told you that the disconnects helped with the overall suspension and centered the steering wheel?

If so, I would not take my jeep back there for them to put air in the tires, let alone try to diagnose a major issue. They either don't know any better or are taking advantage of you. Neither are good for you.

Do a search for the death wobble check list from planman. Print it off and if you don't have the means to work through the list on your own take it to a reputable shop and have them go through it.