Will a leveling kit or lift make death wobble worse?

Welcome to the Forum, from Cave Creek AZ.


^^^First, if you currently have DW, then it needs to be corrected first. The above video's will help you to correct it. It is almost always caused by the track bar bolts coming loose, and elongating the TB mounting bracket holes.

O.K., will a lift make DW worse? No, providing that it is installed properly, with correct caster correction.

Death wobble really has nothing to do with lift height. But before you lift you really should fix the problem. There are many resources on net to help you find the problem and fix it. Here is just one.

I agree with the above. You really really need to fix your death wobble before lifting. What if you add a lift and death wobble becomes less manageable and you lose control of the jeep on the road? Take the lift $$$ and put it toward fixing the death wobble. A good 4x4 shop shouldn't charge you much and might even work out doing the repairs at a discount with a lift install.

I agree with the others. You should fix any issues, especially a death wobble issue, before you lift. Lifting a Jeep that has issues doesn't seem like the smart way to go. And it could make things worse.
A Jeep should not have a death wobble issue, it means something is wrong. While it is a fairly common problem, it is a problem and needs to be fixed.
There is a slim chance that the cause of the death wobble could be found and resolved during the installation of a lift, it is equally likely (or more likely) that it would not.
Fix, then lift.

The link @Old Dogger posted is to a great set of video's that explain what is going on and how to fix it.

I agree. DW is caused by one or more worn out parts, not leveling or lift kits.

When you lift your jeep, you rotate (or pull) the wheels behind the axle. (caster) That can cause "wobble" like a shopping cart. (walmart shopping cart) I added 3" on my Jeep and fixed the DW with adjustable lower control arms on the front. My caster is at +5. This was when the Jeep was new. No issues since.

nvkid said:

When you lift your jeep, you rotate (or pull) the wheels behind the axle. (caster) That can cause "wobble" like a shopping cart. (walmart shopping cart) I added 3" on my Jeep and fixed the DW with adjustable lower control arms on the front. My caster is at +5. This was when the Jeep was new. No issues since.

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That is not DW

While the 2 aren't inherently connected, lifting without adjusting caster can make the onset of DW more likely. Higher caster in general is a "anti DW spec". That doesn't mean that it stops it, it just reduces the suspension/tires desire to go in to DW.

As above, fix the DW then work on mods.

Pressurized said:

While the 2 aren't inherently connected, lifting without adjusting caster can make the onset of DW more likely. Higher caster in general is a "anti DW spec". That doesn't mean that it stops it, it just reduces the suspension/tires desire to go in to DW.

As above, fix the DW then work on mods.

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If you don't have enough caster sure you can mimic DW by sawing the wheel back and forth, it won't start up on its own.

TerryC6 said:

If you don't have enough caster sure you can mimic DW by sawing the wheel back and forth, it won't start up on its own.

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It will certainly change how easily it starts. I've directly experienced it. High caster and the same bump might not be enough to cause the cycle...

Pressurized said:

It will certainly change how easily it starts. I've directly experienced it. High caster and the same bump might not be enough to cause the cycle...

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Yes I have induced it on a brand new rig, mine. But it did not cause me to come to a complete stop to make is stop.

TerryC6 said:

Yes I have induced it on a brand new rig, mine. But it did not cause me to come to a complete stop to make is stop.

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I think we're saying the same thing... Good geometry is better than bad geometry, it is not a fix.

krysparra said:

Has anyone had issues with death wobble before adding a lifting or leveling their Jeep? I want to add some more height to mine but I'm not sure if that would make the existing death wobble issue worse. If I were to level or lift my '07 Wrangler, would the existing death wobble be worse or is it possible that it would improve after leveling or lifting?

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Fix your issue first, then lift