[Vito12]

Hello,

I'm new to the jeep community but loving my newly acquired 04 jeep wrangler. I had a few questions and wanted to see if anyone experience with jeeps could help me out. First, my jeep shakes when accelerated over 40mph. Second, when traveling at least 60mph and hit a bump in the road jeep get unstable. Not a "death wobble" but gives you the feeling your about to lose control and die, lol.
My jeep has a 3.5" lift with 33" tires. I've been doing a little bit of research and have found that installing a SYE kit with new CV drive shaft is sometimes needed with lifts due to poor u-joint geometry. I'm am also going to replace track bar given that it's an 04 and probably has some play. Jeep has 114,000 miles. Is there anything else anyone cam think of that will help. Thanks in advance.

 

[Spartacus03]

You may want to try installing a dual stabilizer. Check your front end out for any loose parts. Take it to a tire shop. Let them balance your tires. While your there see if they can put it on a lift and check it out. But if you know of a 4x4 shop close by they could help you out more.

 

[Laggy]

Hello,

I'm new to the jeep community but loving my newly acquired 04 jeep wrangler. I had a few questions and wanted to see if anyone experience with jeeps could help me out. First, my jeep shakes when accelerated over 40mph. Second, when traveling at least 60mph and hit a bump in the road jeep get unstable. Not a "death wobble" but gives you the feeling your about to lose control and die, lol.
My jeep has a 3.5" lift with 33" tires. I've been doing a little bit of research and have found that installing a SYE kit with new CV drive shaft is sometimes needed with lifts due to poor u-joint geometry. I'm am also going to replace track bar given that it's an 04 and probably has some play. Jeep has 114,000 miles. Is there anything else anyone cam think of that will help. Thanks in advance.

For the "impending death wander", check your front pinion angle (differential input), if it's pointed right at the xfer case then you have lost a lot of caster which can cause what you speak of. What kind of condition are your tires in? Are they balanced. Google "Wrangler dry steering test". Perform one.

It sounds like 2 separate issues. So for the vibes, you could definitely have some driveline misalignment issues. Does your lift have adjustable control arms? Upper? Lower? Front? Rear?

Post 3 pics:
Sideview of front driveshaft, include the front differential in the picture
Picture of transfer case output
Sideview of rear driveshaft, include the rear differential in the picture

 

[Water Dog]

Hello,

I'm new to the jeep community but loving my newly acquired 04 jeep wrangler. I had a few questions and wanted to see if anyone experience with jeeps could help me out. First, my jeep shakes when accelerated over 40mph. Second, when traveling at least 60mph and hit a bump in the road jeep get unstable. Not a "death wobble" but gives you the feeling your about to lose control and die, lol.
My jeep has a 3.5" lift with 33" tires. I've been doing a little bit of research and have found that installing a SYE kit with new CV drive shaft is sometimes needed with lifts due to poor u-joint geometry. I'm am also going to replace track bar given that it's an 04 and probably has some play. Jeep has 114,000 miles. Is there anything else anyone cam think of that will help. Thanks in advance.

Do a dry steer test to determine any loose joints in suspension/steering parts. Focus on track bar ends and tie rod ends first. Make sure your tires are perfectly balanced. With over sized tires, close isn't good enough.

Dry Steering Test​

Do a dry steering test by having someone sit in your Jeep (with the tires on the ground) and continuously turn the steering wheel back and forth from about the 11 to 1 position while you lay under the front end and watch and feel for any lateral play in any steering or suspension joints. Check both track bar ends, the tie rod and drag link ends. Also check control arm bushings.
Although rotational movement in the tie rod and drag link is normal and necessary, there should be no end movement at all in the joints. There also should be no movement in the track bar ends.

You may want to try installing a dual stabilizer.

Do not do this. All dual stabilizers will do is make your steering pump work harder. Steering stabilizers (more accurately called steering dampeners) are there simply to protect other steering components from road jars. They have nothing to do with wobbles, and you should be able to drive your Jeep without a stabilizer and not be able to tell the difference.

 

[Spartacus03]

My TJ was doing pretty much the same thing you are explaining. After installing a dual stabilizer my problems seemed to be solved. I could hit a bump on the interested and that feeling of my jeep getting away from me was gone.

 

[Shark_13]

My TJ was doing pretty much the same thing you are explaining. After installing a dual stabilizer my problems seemed to be solved. I could hit a bump on the interested and that feeling of my jeep getting away from me was gone.

You have something else worn.....

 

[Laggy]

You have something else worn.....

x2

 

[Vito12]

Thanks for your input. I will post pics ASAP.

 

[Water Dog]

My TJ was doing pretty much the same thing you are explaining. After installing a dual stabilizer my problems seemed to be solved. I could hit a bump on the interested and that feeling of my jeep getting away from me was gone.

You are just masking a problem that is still there. As soon as the stabilizer weakens just a little, the issue will be back, and you are over-taxing your steering pump to boot. Kind of like putting a band aide on skin cancer. Disconnect both stabilizers and do a dry steering test to find the root problem.

 

[edddthomp]

Please post pics of the pitman arm also.

 

[Vito12]

Here are the pics

 

[Vito12]

Pics

 

[Vito12]

I'm sorry I'm having a hard time posting pictures. I'm attaching several but only able to upload one.

 

[Vito12]

Pic

 

[Vito12]

Rear driveshaft

 

[Vito12]

Let me know if I need to get better angles. Thanks again.

 

[Water Dog]

Let me know if I need to get better angles. Thanks again.

You need to ditch the dropped pitman arm and get a stock one back on there. The dpa will just cause bump steer.

 

[Vito12]

Thank you Water Dog.

 

[Laggy]

X2 ... Ditching that pitman arm will get rid of your bump steer.

2nd. Rear driveshaft is pointed to high. You gotta have some mean vibrations that you know of or you've tuned out lol. Output shaft of tcase, and input of diff need to be parallel. U joint angles need to cancel out on that type of driveshaft.

Some adjustable upper rear control arms will get you to the angle you need. $150-$250
OR
get an SYE/Double Cardan Driveshaft combo and your current angle is perfect. $400-$500

 

[Laggy]

Couple driveshaft angle examples