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Before lift No Death Wobble After Lift Death Wobble

35K views 12 replies 5 participants last post by  Jerry Bransford  
#1 ·
I purchased an 05 about a month ago. I runs on 31's and was rock solid. I put a 2.5 inch lift on it. drove it very little while waiting to get it aligned. on the day I was heading to get it aligned it had an major Death wobble episode. I about filled my pants. So I drove 30 plus miles at 45 mph. Got it aligned by a shop and individual with lift jeep experience. Well the wobble dint go away. I spoke with another custom jeep shop owner and he suggested looking at the trac bar. It appeared to show some wear when texted. I changed it out and after about two hours had the front end centered pretty well dead on. Now my steering wheel is 90 degrees off. Took it for a drive and the front end feels tighter. I get hints that the wobble is not gone. I think it now needs aligned again. I have a new steering stabilizer coming in hopefully tomorrow. I think I am going to get in touch with the custom shop that's been helping me with info. I'm not chasing my tail for the next six weeks or more trying to figure it out. So am I wimping out to quick or what next. The only change was the lift!!!
Looks good but its killing me knowing its not safe.
 
#2 ·
Make sure your new track bar is torqued to specifications. Reset your toe-in (this can be done by you at home)...see the pdf write up below. Then recenter your steering wheel (also in the write up).

A bad steering stabilizer is never the cause (or the cure) of death wobble, but installing a new one will sometimes mask it until it is overcome and weakened by it.
 

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#3 ·
I been driving Jeeps for 21 years and never had to deal with this DW until the last few weeks. I can't get Waterdog's pic to download but I'm assuming his covers the front end you're supposed to check for DW.
Here's a couple items that may NOT be on his checklist that may be helpful:
1) check the track bar mount to the frame. Mine was welded and part of the weld broke. Also, there's a bracket on mine (not necessarily on yours) on the backside of the track bar bracket (frame side) which helps support. That bolt came loose on mine. If you have that, it may have wobbled loose.
2) Check your control arms, especially front lower at the axle side. Make sure the bushings aren't worn/cracked. And make sure the holes aren't hollowed out or damaged.
3) check your sway bar links to be sure they're not damaged.

Obviously you've checked the tire pressure and tread wear. I have to adjust my toe in which is making the ride wobble over ~57mph.
 
#4 ·
I purchased an 05 about a month ago. I runs on 31's and was rock solid. I put a 2.5 inch lift on it. drove it very little while waiting to get it aligned. on the day I was heading to get it aligned it had an major Death wobble episode. I about filled my pants. So I drove 30 plus miles at 45 mph. Got it aligned by a shop and individual with lift jeep experience. Well the wobble dint go away. I spoke with another custom jeep shop owner and he suggested looking at the trac bar. It appeared to show some wear when texted. I changed it out and after about two hours had the front end centered pretty well dead on. Now my steering wheel is 90 degrees off. Took it for a drive and the front end feels tighter. I get hints that the wobble is not gone. I think it now needs aligned again. I have a new steering stabilizer coming in hopefully tomorrow. I think I am going to get in touch with the custom shop that's been helping me with info. I'm not chasing my tail for the next six weeks or more trying to figure it out. So am I wimping out to quick or what next. The only change was the lift!!!
Looks good but its killing me knowing its not safe.
First things to check also stated above

Track bar links, the hole could be too big now

Balanced tires cause it too and is usually the case.

Alignment

All bushings

Ball joints

Tie rod and drag link joints

Basically every moving parts down there usually it's just unbalanced tires but in some cases it's an alignment issue or bad joints
 
#5 ·
As mentioned above, any loose or worn steering/suspension part is suspect. It could be movement in one joint, or movement in several. Do a dry steering test to determine what is moving that shouldn't be. Not only look for movement, but wrap your hand around each part being checked and "feel" for any movement.

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.
 

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#6 ·
There were no torque specs on the trac bar install instructions. I have an appointment to get the alignment checked again next Saturday. The driver side tire visually looks all out of wack. Im going to have them check balance on the tires which has not been done. I think am going to change out the sway bar links before my alignment appointment. so that will eliminate sway bar link, trac bar. Drag link,Tie rod will get a once over on the alignment inspection. other than control arm bushings and pitman arm I think that will cover it. Am I missing anything. Fortunately this is not my primary driver so Im in luck I have another truck to fall back on.
 
#7 · (Edited)
A perfect tire balance is critical to helping to keep Death Wobble at bay. A "good enough" tire balance that works for cars with small tires is not good enough for the larger size tires common to Jeeps. I always have a "come to Jesus" meeting with the guy who will be balancing my Jeep tires to insure he fully understands it will benefit him to get it done perfectly the first time or I'll just be back until he gets it perfect. I had to go back to the same shop three times in one day before they finally got the tires balanced the way they needed to be.

The track bar needs to have zero side-to-side movement (slop) as mentioned above. And don't overtighten its factory axle-side mounting bolt as it is known to snap which makes for a difficult replacement job. I'd replace it with a fresh metric bolt with an 8.8 or 10.9 strength rating, its thread size is 10x1.5. That way you can tighten it down to 50 ft-lbs. and not have to worry about snapping it. The track bar's frame-side mounting bolt gets tightened to 85 ft-lbs.
 
#8 ·
There is a definite shimmy in the wheel that is constant. I noticed it more before the new trac bar. Im starting to wonder if the short time I owned it and had not yet put the lift on if I was just getting in not having a wobble episode.

THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO HAVE RESPONDED

If you are reading this and have not a wobble episode count your lucky stars! it not only spooky but a pain to figure out!
 
#9 ·
A shimmy felt in the steering wheel is always caused by a tire problem of some kind. The new track bar just tightened things up enough to reduce how much shimmy is making it to the steering wheel.

Find the tire problem and you'll get rid of the shimmy. Which is why I spent so much time above pointing out how important a perfect tire balance is. Doing so will either cure the shimmy or find the bad tire.
 
#10 ·
Thank You Jerry! This forum is wealth of info from small stuff to big stuff. I'd like to shout out to R & R Custom Jeeps in Waynetown IN. Have never met face to face just like on here but he has been very helpful via text. Finding this wobble will be a process of patience and elimination. With you guys help I think I am headed in the right direction.

THANK YOU AGAIN!!!
 
#11 ·
well I hopefully came across the issue causing my problem tonight. Tonight is the first chance I have had to do a dry run on movement in the front end. Found to much play in the drag link tie rod end at the pitman arm. I replaced the trac bar last week. Tonight I replaced the axle end blot that holds the trac bar with the recommended 10mm bigger bolt. Tomorrow I get it realigned and tires balanced. inch by inch I am getting to know this front end.
 
#12 ·
WOBBLE GONE!!!! After a 2.5 inch lift and getting the wobble shortly after I think I got it fixed. So I had it aligned about two weeks or more go. Still had the wobble. So came home and studied. Changed the trac bar about a week ago. Put on a new steering stabilizer. Changed the lower bolt in my track bar to a 10mm bolt last night. Found my tie rod end at the top of my drag ling had play. So took it to the alignment shop today. Had the tie rod end changed, tires balanced. Tires (BF Goodrich) were so far out they had to be bead balanced.my alignment guy said this tire was really bad about being out of round. Driving to the shop this am was not terrible. Driving home was real bad, 40-45mph it would get crazy come to stop death wobble. Even on smooth road. it would stop at 50mph if you could to it. So I was confident I had a tire issue. Went straight to Firestone and purchased a new set of 31x10.5x15's Destination AT's. Had them Road force balanced. Wobble gone. So I hope my info can help someone. I read and read and watched videos to learn.

Shout out to Williamsport Tire In Williamsport IN, R and R custom jeeps in Waynetown IN(texting me info help), Firestone Tire in Lafayette IN,

THANK YOU TO those on this forum that helped. This forum is hands down #1