16 JKU. 4” lift. 37/13.50/20 tires. Control arm geo brackets. Readylift track bar with lift bracket. Just upgraded the steering linkage to RuffStuff 1.5” one ton kit. Drag link over the knuckle. Did a driveway alignment in order to get to actual alignment shop. My measurements were within .5 degrees (&#128170. But that’s another story.

I’m still experiencing vibration and wobble on uneven surfaces. Interstate and normal roads are fine. But bumpy roads, holes and patches give a good bit of feedback...more than normal vibration less than full DW. The wobble definitely resembles dw but corrects itself...I have not changed factory ball joints but really can’t find play with the traditional “tests”. Pry bar or 1 and 6 method. Maybe the 37s put way more on them than I can duplicate??? Also I want to use a stabilizer but don’t feel it necessary to spend 200-300 for all the more that they do. I’d like to think I could find a single shock style that mounts to track bar bracket and center of new tie rod. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated as always.

 

First, I'd agree on the SS thought. The TF 9550 VSS isn't a bad unit for that application and pretty cheap. Figure out this vibration/wobble issue first though.

It sounds like all your geometry should be in good shape with DL flip, raised TB bracket and control arm brackets. Have you confirmed that all steering and front suspension bolts are torqued to spec? 37s add a lot of stress. Usually factory BJs aren't going to hold up to those. Outside of unit bearings being completely and utterly shot, I think it's really hard to tell much of anything with hands on tire and trying to create movement. So you have jacked up the tire off the ground and shoved a crow bar or shovel under the tire to create upward movement and there is nothing? It doesn't take much movement at all, usually spotted easiest where the knuckle meets the C by the upper BJ.

The vibration is all in the steering or some general vibration you feel in the seat? Are you saying you have 2 separate issues....1 being a vibration and a 2nd being more of a wobble when you hit a pot hole or big bump? U-joints in axle shafts and DS are in good shape?

 

All torque good. Jam nuts with open end wrench but tight. Wheel bearings and U-joints feel right. I jacked up and used a pry bar. Very little movement that I can’t determine is not suspension flex. I upgraded to Alloy HD bjs on my last JK. But those were super sloppy. Lots of movement. These don’t even compare to that. I do have a left front caliper hanging but I’m going to inspect for external debris(this weekend) before changing. This is a single issue. Slight vibration turns to wobble when triggered. Stumped. Maybe the 37s are too radical for the stock bjs. Ugh. Is the TF 9550 universal? Or do I get a jk specific? Is it as easy as mounting to TB bracket full lock wheel to left and mounting other end to tie rod??

 

How are your tires? The final step for me fixing my vibration and dw issues was replacing my tires. My old tires were chewed up by the rocks and were overall in bad shape. Having large tires only makes a bad tire worse.

Have you checked the bushings in your control arms? If not, get the weight off the axle and use a small pry bar and flex the bushings a little to be sure they’re in good shape and no excessive play.

 

Have you sat in front of the jeep as someone turns the steering wheel so you can observe things? I'd want to confirm the TB joint on axle side has zero play in it. You don't even have to have engine on to test that....if you can just get someone to turn the wheel back and forth as much as possible with no PS, you'd see if there was any movement or not in that joint.

I am not a big TF fan, but when it comes to steering stabilizers cheap just fine. Not positive if they have other fitments for the 9550 VSS, but that does work for the JKs and TJs.

 

Wheels/tires changed in late February...approx 1500-1700 miles. Haven’t wheeled hard yet either. So I’m certain the change from16s with 35s to 20s with 37s has been the catalyst. DL was exposed quickly after this change. It was probably weak before but a few weeks after the 37s it just said hell with it I’m out. So now I’m trying to identify what else is expressing its hatred to me. Ha.

 

I did initially and determined the DL was gone. It was pretty bad. Hard to tell if anything else was moving. After the upgrade I did once again and everything was tight. I haven’t paid much attention to control arms aside from the brackets. I will pry on those as a precaution. I will also recheck torque on tb bracket. I’m not a huge fan of the design there. But it was the best bolt in option I found. Just seemed like a ton of wrenching for a one bolt component. It was torqued to spec at install and checked at alignment. The track bar has zurks so I grease it regularly. Those bushings are good. I’ll check the others tonight.

 

I just went back and noticed you have a Readylift TB. Not familiar with that but searching it up appears to have a bushing style joint that probably not the concern I was thinking. This is when it's kinda nice to have a local jeep buddy just to get a 2nd, fresh set of eyes on things. All I can say for certain is there seems to indeed be a gremlin and it's a matter of time before finding it, cuz that is not normal.

 

Gremlin is the perfect word! I suppose I’ll upgrade the bjs as a precaution. I switched to the Readylift because of the bushings. I had two different brand TBs with heim joints fail on me. So I changed. So far so good. Thanks for the input! Thanks

 

any thoughts on ball joints fellas?? So I used alloy joints in my last jk. Had intended to do the same now. But damn the reviews are horrible today!!! Maybe something changed in their engineering. I hate to fall into the teraflex trap if it’s just a name. I run TF shocks and have zero complaints. But don’t know where they stand in BJ construction. I actually have a buddy who bought the joints but ordered ‘knurled’ version. Left in his garage for a couple months before deciding to install. Too late to return so he bought non knurled. He offered these to me at a steep discount but my knuckles aren’t honed out so I’m not sure I want to press these in and be stuck having to use knurled joints forever. Then again I just drilled out all my knuckles to fit one ton steering so it prob doesn’t make a difference. What are the ramifications of using knurled joints when not absolutely needed?? Will they even press in if my slots aren’t misshapen? Am I being tempted by the steep savings? Why do I keep buying Jeeps and spending all my time and money working on them? Does my wife secretly wish I had a bath salt problem instead?