I bought my JK last year and the wobble started a few months into owning it. I took it to a shop and they found a bolt that was missing and fixed it. No wobble for 3 months. Now it is back and I don't know where to start.

1) can unbalanced tires cause the death wobble...i think some of my wheel weights are missing/fell off.

2) can running 35's on a 2WD axle with a 6in lift be a cause for wobble?


I know "35's on a 2WD axle with a 6in lift" is laughable, but i was new and excited about finally owning a jeep. now i am trying to fix it cause i love my JK. Mechanic brother is going to make her 4WD this summer.

 

1) they can contribute
2) hells yes, if the axle is out of alignment

Check your front track-bar. Type "death wobble fix" in the search button- .Also Project-JK.com has write-ups on how to adjust toe in, caster, etc. (this is assuming you have adjustable track-bar, Control Arms, etc.) to help you fix the issues.

http://project-jk.com/jeep-jk-write-...-end-alignment

And welcome to the forum

 

Assuming you're talking about the "Death Wobble"...

1) NO. Unbalanced tires will cause a small shake in the wheel, NOT death wobble. It's been covered before, basic physics!
2) Possibly. It's probably not the height of the lift, but some lift component that's come loose.

 

Maybe its just semantics, but unbalanced tires can help trigger DW but they are typically not the inherent cause of DW.

If lost tire weights or you rotated your tires recently, get them dynamically balanced again.

The more you lift the front end, the more you alter the geometry and couple vertical movement (suspension) with horizontal movement (steering). The lift will not cause DW but it will enhance the factors that cause it and make it more likely if there is a loose joint of faulty part.

If you had DW in the past and weren't able to correct it in the short term, the violent oscillations could have weakened another joint (ball joint, drag link, tie rod, links) which eventually developed enough damage to cause DW again.
This is why once a vehicle develops DW, it is worth while checking every single joint carefully even if you have disassemble parts.

 

Do you have full on death wobble where you must bring the vehicle to a stop to get it to go away?

 

Spinlock is right: "Unbalanced tires can help trigger DW but they are typically not the inherent cause of DW."

You have a 6" lift. This is very high, and your more vulnerable to have DW with a + 4" lift.

Check all the joint and tight with a torque wrench all the bolts (to spec) of the control arms, trac bars (125 lbs), all direction and suspension parts.

Check your caster: you should have at least 5.5 deg.
Check the toe in
The front axles are centered?
Check the pitman, ball joints, etc

 

Yes...i have to stop for it to go away.

 

check your trackbar mounts, make sure they are not getting ripped off the axles

 

Also pull the track bar and make sure the holes in the mount are not ovaled..