N2MWL

I'm putting this in modified JK Tech because of the OME lift and JKS track bars I'm running if it needs to be elsewhere go ahead and move it.....

I've had two massive death wobbles in the last month and this morning after it warms up too double digits I'll check the track bar and bracket over and see if they are the cause..

My question is related to the drag link and control arms which are stock, How many ft lbs. do the drag link and control arms need to be torqued to ?? I plan on checking over everything in that front end so if you guys can think of anything else I should be checking please post up.....

and before someone asks, it was not an out of balance tire or something, this was without a doubt a massive death wobble.....

Mike...

HappyCurmudgeon

According to the FSM:

Upper Control arm: 102 N·m (75 ft. lbs.).
Lower Control Arms: 169 N·m (125 ft. lbs.).

N2MWL

I thank you for the fast reply, now can you make it warm up outside so I can get started ?!?!?

HappyCurmudgeon

I wish!


I have a 3" Teraflex kit sitting on my workbench waiting on warm weather (and driveshafts)

N2MWL

Everything was torqued to spec and the track bar brackets looked fine......All I did find was the stock SS is blown and leaking oil all over the place.....

Guess I need a bigger band aid because I couldn't find anything wrong under there.....

Any thoughts ??

UGOTKERN

What psi are you running in the tires? We get horrible wobble at speeds above 25mph if the psi is under 22.

capt scotty

You can torque them all you want . If the hole or bushing is worn it will let it move side to side. It might be worth it to pull the tracking arm out and check the bushings. Mine looked fine till you turned the steering wheel side to side and then you could see the slop. Good Luck...

And with this post.... I am officially a JK FREAK....

HappyCurmudgeon

Is the front trackbar mount fractured in some way? have you checked the holes and bushings as mentioned above to see if they are egged out or if the bushings are junk? and YES, it sucks, i know.

I can't presume to say what you do or don't know about deathwobble or Jeeps, so I will just relay my experience, take it for what it's worth.

I had a very specific wobble that came on like a switch at 40mph, and shut itself off just under 50. rode smooth as glass over 50 or below 40. I thought it was suspension, but every time i asked, everyone said tires. I had brand spankin new & freshly balanced tires...how could that be? i didn't think it was possible. If i hit a bump at those speeds it got really bad, and annoying as hell, but NOT deathwobble bad. It just had to be the suspension in my mind, but i couldn't find ANYTHING wrong, so i gave in and had them re-balanced, a second time. I literally had it at the balance shop, watched them pull the tires and put them on the machine, install weights, put it all back together, took it home, it shimmied on the way home.


so, i went home, tore the front end apart piece by piece, i took my entire front suspension apart except for the one control arm bolt that is blocked by the exhaust, didn't feel like cutting & replacing it as it seemed ok, greased all of it, checked it, pulled, tugged, and yanked on everything, had someone sit in the drivers seat and rotate the wheel while i watched every joint for any signs of play or movement. Nothing, nada, zip.

I went through this scenario three separate times (no, I'm NOT kidding). i went over and over and over and over and over it until i wanted to scream. scratch that, i did. I mother Effed Jeep, congress, Gandhi, the guy across the street, the tire shop and anyone else i could think of up one side and down the other.

Finally, I took it to a REAL tire guy. He used two different types of balance machines, and took his time alternating between the two, and whala! no more wobbles shimmies or shakes, poof, gone, like it never existed. In the end? It all came down to bad balance on the tires.

all that work getting to know my suspension, tools, and developing the ability to accurately gage the temperature of my garage floor up my spine.... for a tire out of balance.
mother effin @#$&@^#$&^!&^%@&!%^@&!^@

N2MWL

Thanks for the help and your time guys.....

I pulled the front JKS track bar off and inspected it, it looked fine and so did the bushings..I'm going to say the track bar has been installed less than 6 months if it matters....

I do get a vibration around 40mph to 45 mph but that was nothing compared to what happened twice in the last month...The front of the Jeep was shaking so violently after hitting a bump I had to pull over in order to get it to stop.....

I'll get the tires re-balanced and see what that does next...

N2MWL

I'll double check this morning, I need to do a chalk test anyway..