Tera Flex Death Wobble
10-10-2007, 06:42 AM
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Tera Flex Death Wobble
Hi Folks,
This is a freindly warning to anyone that already has or is thinking about getting a Tera Flex 3" lift. It may effect 4" as well if it uses the same udjustable track bar. But I'm not sure about that.
Let me start by saying Tera Flex has been wonderful and worked to resolve the problem and has replaced the failed unit with out any fuss at all ; and in fact their tech support helped me diagnose the problem.
I had about 2,500 miles on the lift when suddenly for no apparent reason while just going down the road, my Jeep went completely CRAZY and started wobbeling and bucking around. I had to fight my stearing wheel to keep myself going straight and applied the brakes HARD. Well the brakes wouldnt respond quickly (I guessing here) due to the anti roll sensors and computer were a bit overwhelmed. It took a while to reduce speed from 35 or 40 mph down to about 7 mph where the wobble went away. FINALLY.
This happened twice within about 2 miles of each other both times at very conservative in town road speeds of about 35 or 40 mph.
Terrified me as controlling the vehical was damned near impossible and would have easily resulted in a serious crash if I was in heavy traffic. I wasn't as the roads were clear of others by happenstance.
Took it in to dealer next day and they had it happen to them n test driving it.
They said the track bar was "loose" and caused all this.
I checked the entire lifts tightness and found nothing "loose" except one of the swaybar quick removal pins was backed off maybe 1 turn.
So I took it back to the place I got the lift put on and they too were clueless.
They then called Tera Flex and got told that they know about a "Premature Catestrophic Failure" of the udjustable track arm bushings. ( What would be a Mature Catestrophic Failure I wonder?) They told us how to test for this which is simple and quick. One person looks at adustable track arm from down under front end looking at both end contection points. Another turns the wheel from in the cab. If the track arm moves AT ALL around the bushing its BAD. VERY VERY BAD.
Apparently the bushing is some kinda plastic crap with a steel sleeve in it. The plastic gets squishy and allows movement (not a lot, just maybe 1/16th of an inch or so) . Thats all it takes tho to set up this harmonic vibration that multiples out over the distance of the rest of the suspensions various parts.
It's called a Death Wobble for a reason, and is a known phenomenom.
They replaced my Track Bar and it's npow fine. The problem is that the replacement has the SAME bad design. So I can expect it to fail again at some point.... bleh! When?
I do not know if there has been a redesign of the bushing as yet tho I am sure it's in the works if not.
For everyones saftey tho I recommend checking this out if you either have their lift or are thinking of getting one.
Now I want to point something out. THE LIFT ROCKS.
No kidding! I have hammered it railing up and centering up and generally just going thru rocky hell underneath my Jeep with NO ISSUES. Even I almost did and end over end flip when going way to fast straight into a ditch which stopped all forward motion and converted it into vertical motion.
For the lift to work well you do need the adjustable lower control arms in front and the udjustable track arm as well to get the proper castor and camber on your alignment . Otherwise you will have a wobble or darty feeling even if you put on a good sterring shock absorber which you should do especially if you get bigger tires put on.
Anyway just a word of caution for the rest of you, and please don't think I'm "dissing" the Tera Flex lift as personally I wouldn't go with any other in the 3 or 4 inch range. There lift stays centered on factory points and is correctly done to maximise safety and durability.
Today I am wiring in my new PIAA trail lights that I got with the new warrior brackets (given to me by the rock house I deal with) . These are the brackets that mount up on the windshield. My friedn just did his using Mopar brackets and lights and light harness for about $400 US. I got all mine for $180 and have the option to wire it in as I wish instead of only being able to use the lights when high beams are on. I want to use my low beams (fog lights only work on low beam setting and are nice and flat down low and perfect for trailing at night) and use the PIAAs as high beam driving lights at same time. The factory harness does not allow this as it wires in either to high beams only.
Happy JEEP'n folks and I hope this is helpful for even one person to not experience the DEATH WOBBLE.
Gerard
This is a freindly warning to anyone that already has or is thinking about getting a Tera Flex 3" lift. It may effect 4" as well if it uses the same udjustable track bar. But I'm not sure about that.
Let me start by saying Tera Flex has been wonderful and worked to resolve the problem and has replaced the failed unit with out any fuss at all ; and in fact their tech support helped me diagnose the problem.
I had about 2,500 miles on the lift when suddenly for no apparent reason while just going down the road, my Jeep went completely CRAZY and started wobbeling and bucking around. I had to fight my stearing wheel to keep myself going straight and applied the brakes HARD. Well the brakes wouldnt respond quickly (I guessing here) due to the anti roll sensors and computer were a bit overwhelmed. It took a while to reduce speed from 35 or 40 mph down to about 7 mph where the wobble went away. FINALLY.
This happened twice within about 2 miles of each other both times at very conservative in town road speeds of about 35 or 40 mph.
Terrified me as controlling the vehical was damned near impossible and would have easily resulted in a serious crash if I was in heavy traffic. I wasn't as the roads were clear of others by happenstance.
Took it in to dealer next day and they had it happen to them n test driving it.
They said the track bar was "loose" and caused all this.
I checked the entire lifts tightness and found nothing "loose" except one of the swaybar quick removal pins was backed off maybe 1 turn.
So I took it back to the place I got the lift put on and they too were clueless.
They then called Tera Flex and got told that they know about a "Premature Catestrophic Failure" of the udjustable track arm bushings. ( What would be a Mature Catestrophic Failure I wonder?) They told us how to test for this which is simple and quick. One person looks at adustable track arm from down under front end looking at both end contection points. Another turns the wheel from in the cab. If the track arm moves AT ALL around the bushing its BAD. VERY VERY BAD.
Apparently the bushing is some kinda plastic crap with a steel sleeve in it. The plastic gets squishy and allows movement (not a lot, just maybe 1/16th of an inch or so) . Thats all it takes tho to set up this harmonic vibration that multiples out over the distance of the rest of the suspensions various parts.
It's called a Death Wobble for a reason, and is a known phenomenom.
They replaced my Track Bar and it's npow fine. The problem is that the replacement has the SAME bad design. So I can expect it to fail again at some point.... bleh! When?
I do not know if there has been a redesign of the bushing as yet tho I am sure it's in the works if not.
For everyones saftey tho I recommend checking this out if you either have their lift or are thinking of getting one.
Now I want to point something out. THE LIFT ROCKS.
No kidding! I have hammered it railing up and centering up and generally just going thru rocky hell underneath my Jeep with NO ISSUES. Even I almost did and end over end flip when going way to fast straight into a ditch which stopped all forward motion and converted it into vertical motion.
For the lift to work well you do need the adjustable lower control arms in front and the udjustable track arm as well to get the proper castor and camber on your alignment . Otherwise you will have a wobble or darty feeling even if you put on a good sterring shock absorber which you should do especially if you get bigger tires put on.
Anyway just a word of caution for the rest of you, and please don't think I'm "dissing" the Tera Flex lift as personally I wouldn't go with any other in the 3 or 4 inch range. There lift stays centered on factory points and is correctly done to maximise safety and durability.
Today I am wiring in my new PIAA trail lights that I got with the new warrior brackets (given to me by the rock house I deal with) . These are the brackets that mount up on the windshield. My friedn just did his using Mopar brackets and lights and light harness for about $400 US. I got all mine for $180 and have the option to wire it in as I wish instead of only being able to use the lights when high beams are on. I want to use my low beams (fog lights only work on low beam setting and are nice and flat down low and perfect for trailing at night) and use the PIAAs as high beam driving lights at same time. The factory harness does not allow this as it wires in either to high beams only.
Happy JEEP'n folks and I hope this is helpful for even one person to not experience the DEATH WOBBLE.
Gerard
10-10-2007, 07:23 AM
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Yep well that "bad batch" was installed in Feb. and replaced in Sept.
So they are still out there sitting on shelves.
What annoys and scares me a bit is that the replacement unit was the same as the original unit.
This means I can expect another failure at some point and dread that as it's really the most frightening thing ever happened to me in a vehical other than riding with my mother in law...
~
So they are still out there sitting on shelves.
What annoys and scares me a bit is that the replacement unit was the same as the original unit.
This means I can expect another failure at some point and dread that as it's really the most frightening thing ever happened to me in a vehical other than riding with my mother in law...
~
10-10-2007, 07:27 AM
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https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...teraflex+track
Its long, but maybe it will help you out.
10-10-2007, 08:15 AM
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Thanks bly.
I've seen that thread and it's not the same issue as far as I can tell.
"If you look at the Teraflex bushing the Outside Diameter is very small compared to the stock bushing, meaning - the wall thickness is much smaller. With this small wall thickness the 'pinch load' is very small on the differential bracket. Basically the Teraflex bushing is wearing through my differential bracket. "
He's talking about it wearing thru his bracket.
I'm talking about the bushing failing itself.
The bracket is fine, I have no issues there.
The bushing is worn and allows the track bar to move around which is the cause of the death wobble.
To me those bushings should be built from kryptonite or something just from the point of view of IT's a LIFT and will probably need to be even MORE sturdy than the factory stuff as its LIKELY and FORSEABLE USE (legal term there That the lifted vehical will be used in ways putting even MORE stress on the suspensension in general.
It would be one thing if I had pyed 5 bucks for the Track arm. Trust me it wasn't 5...
I've seen that thread and it's not the same issue as far as I can tell.
"If you look at the Teraflex bushing the Outside Diameter is very small compared to the stock bushing, meaning - the wall thickness is much smaller. With this small wall thickness the 'pinch load' is very small on the differential bracket. Basically the Teraflex bushing is wearing through my differential bracket. "
He's talking about it wearing thru his bracket.
I'm talking about the bushing failing itself.
The bracket is fine, I have no issues there.
The bushing is worn and allows the track bar to move around which is the cause of the death wobble.
To me those bushings should be built from kryptonite or something just from the point of view of IT's a LIFT and will probably need to be even MORE sturdy than the factory stuff as its LIKELY and FORSEABLE USE (legal term there
That the lifted vehical will be used in ways putting even MORE stress on the suspensension in general.It would be one thing if I had pyed 5 bucks for the Track arm. Trust me it wasn't 5...
10-10-2007, 08:25 AM
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Thanks bly.
I've seen that thread and it's not the same issue as far as I can tell.
"If you look at the Teraflex bushing the Outside Diameter is very small compared to the stock bushing, meaning - the wall thickness is much smaller. With this small wall thickness the 'pinch load' is very small on the differential bracket. Basically the Teraflex bushing is wearing through my differential bracket. "
He's talking about it wearing thru his bracket.
I'm talking about the bushing failing itself.
The bracket is fine, I have no issues there.
The bushing is worn and allows the track bar to move around which is the cause of the death wobble.
To me those bushings should be built from kryptonite or something just from the point of view of IT's a LIFT and will probably need to be even MORE sturdy than the factory stuff as its LIKELY and FORSEABLE USE (legal term there That the lifted vehical will be used in ways putting even MORE stress on the suspensension in general.
It would be one thing if I had pyed 5 bucks for the Track arm. Trust me it wasn't 5...
I've seen that thread and it's not the same issue as far as I can tell.
"If you look at the Teraflex bushing the Outside Diameter is very small compared to the stock bushing, meaning - the wall thickness is much smaller. With this small wall thickness the 'pinch load' is very small on the differential bracket. Basically the Teraflex bushing is wearing through my differential bracket. "
He's talking about it wearing thru his bracket.
I'm talking about the bushing failing itself.
The bracket is fine, I have no issues there.
The bushing is worn and allows the track bar to move around which is the cause of the death wobble.
To me those bushings should be built from kryptonite or something just from the point of view of IT's a LIFT and will probably need to be even MORE sturdy than the factory stuff as its LIKELY and FORSEABLE USE (legal term there
That the lifted vehical will be used in ways putting even MORE stress on the suspensension in general.It would be one thing if I had pyed 5 bucks for the Track arm. Trust me it wasn't 5...
I hope this isnt a reoccuring problem for you. Good luck!