DEATH WOBBLE : What it is, What it isn't and What You Can Do to Fix it

[NM2012CherryJK]

Are the Track bar bolt 21 mm?? When talking about swapping 14 mm to 9/16 bolt are you talking about the control arms or track bar?? I am in the process of replacing my track bar and the 21 mm bolt seems to be a little small for the hole was thing to use a 22 mm bolt? Thanks for the help.

 

[wayoflife]

It happened again on the way home. It chimed and the mph gauge went dead even though I was on the highway; the right side of the panel is flickering; and the abs/ tc/ and brake light are on. You can see the mph gauge jumping on its own. Is this a bad clock spring?

[video]http://s1358.photobucket.com/user/rorrerjp/media/VID_20140326_171418_245_zps2760841b.mp4.html[/video]

I know it's unrelated to what you just did but, check your battery connections. Looks like one might be loose. Also, check the ground connections on the sides of your front fenders.

 

[wayoflife]

Are the Track bar bolt 21 mm?? When talking about swapping 14 mm to 9/16 bolt are you talking about the control arms or track bar?? I am in the process of replacing my track bar and the 21 mm bolt seems to be a little small for the hole was thing to use a 22 mm bolt? Thanks for the help.

The socket you need to use is not the same thing as the diameter of the bolt itself. So long as you make sure your bolt is tightened to the proper torque spec as a part of routine maintenance, it will be fine. If you allow it to float around loose, it will wollow out your mount hole.

 

[NM2012CherryJK]

The socket you need to use is not the same thing as the diameter of the bolt itself. So long as you make sure your bolt is tightened to the proper torque spec as a part of routine maintenance, it will be fine. If you allow it to float around loose, it will wollow out your mount hole.

Okay cool that's what I was thinking my drag link was bad and the local shop told me to change that out I was getting a bad death wobble.. The track bar looked good super tight and no movement was at 125 ft lbs so I'm replacing my steering components had some extra cash an taking to get rebalanced and an alignment..

 

[jkmohican]

This is what kind of throws me off on the diagnosis of death wobble. After immense research and work that ive done to get rid of my death wobble, I learned that the only way true death wobble can be set on will be with a worn track bar, wallowed holes or bad bushings withint the track bar mounts. The reason for this is because considering the track bar is what is in charge of keeping the axle center, how could the axle oscillate to the point of death wobble with a properly maintained trackbar? I cant imagine it could. What throws me off is reading people who say ball joints or tie rod ends can cause death wobble, where in reality, they are just incharge of different steering componets that wont effect the position of the axle, so how are there so many stories of people with bad tie rod ends and ball joints causing death wobble when its really the track bar that can be the only culprit due to the fact that its the only component that can allow play in the axle position? Im most certainly not here to challenge anyone, I just want to know if someone understands where im coming from. By the way, great write up Eddie :thumbup:

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[just-lift-it]

ive been dealing with a wobble for about 6 months now i have basically given up and keep considering just getting out of jeeps because of how annoying this is...

mines a 2012 with brand new 4" evo coils bilstien shocks

Parts so far replaced in last 6 months or 10,000km ;

Syngergy trac bar with sector brace and track bar brace
Staangs high steer kit with Hiem joints and DOM tube
Artec axle weld on track bar mount (1/4" thick) design for high steer kit
Evo knuckle gussets
MOOG balljoints
Mopar wheel bearings
new steering box
Currie control arms (lowers only)
new 38" toyo tires and rims


So you add all that crap up im in like 6000$ worth of stuff and yet i still get a wobble lucky me....

Not one mechanic can figure it out they all just say meh your tires are big what do you expect? like are you kidding me? look at a transport truck there tires are huge and they drive fine....

My last idea is a full PSC hydro assist kit theres another 2500$ dropped in front end crap and to me thats just a bandaid i should be able to go down the road fine with outit and not get a shimmy

It not a full on DW it just shimmys when going down the highway or on uneaven roads doing about 60km/h

Caster is +4.5 degree and Toe in is 1/8"

I have removed the front drive shaft a while ago to see if that played a role in it so the front end is all free now. I have read every article on wayalife and on jkowners and tried everything and it still have this problem so for those who are frustrated i know how you feel i hate driving my jeep just because of this problem i wish there was a place like EVO on ontario that would have an idea because they build lots of custom jeeps, no regular shop has any idea what half the stuff under my jeep even does or why its there!!

 

[wayoflife]

ive been dealing with a wobble for about 6 months now i have basically given up and keep considering just getting out of jeeps because of how annoying this is...

You said it - what you're feeling isn't a "full on DW" and so I would have to say that's not what you're experiencing. A speed related shimmy is almost always caused by a tire balancing issue or issue with one of your wheels. If you've already had them balanced, I would have them balanced again. It's not uncommon to need more than one balancing to get really big off road tires on.

 

[just-lift-it]

Just dropped it off again getting road force balanced this time pressures checked again and tossing it back on laser alignment rack to double check everything yet again goodbye another 250$ probably haha damn it never ends!

 

[wayoflife]

Just dropped it off again getting road force balanced this time pressures checked again and tossing it back on laser alignment rack to double check everything yet again goodbye another 250$ probably haha damn it never ends!

Is there nobody you know in your neck of the woods that will allow you to just swap wheels/tires for an hour? It would be free to do and would help you to determine if your tire are in fact your problem.

 

[just-lift-it]

I got a buddy on 33s I could probably swap in... Haven't asked haha

I'm pretty sure the problem is my steering box I have a clunk in the steering but this is my second box under warrenty it has like 20,000km on it and I have sector brace on it but I have about an inch of play in steering wheel thus why I'm leaning towards PSC kit


Funny thing is I put these 38s on a month it so ago and it drove amazing for a while and now I'm make to wobbles when nothing was changed... So just double checking everything.




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[wayoflife]

I got a buddy on 33s I could probably swap in... Haven't asked haha

That's where I would start and have been able to determine it was my tires in the past. Again, it's free to do too.

I'm pretty sure the problem is my steering box I have a clunk in the steering but this is my second box under warrenty it has like 20,000km on it and I have sector brace on it but I have about an inch of play in steering wheel thus why I'm leaning towards PSC kit

Loose steering box will NOT cause a shimmy. Regarding your play, are you running a dropped pitman arm?

Funny thing is I put these 38s on a month it so ago and it drove amazing for a while and now I'm make to wobbles when nothing was changed... So just double checking everything.

Did you go wheeling between the time you got them installed and you starting having a shimmy?

 

[just-lift-it]

Have not done any wheeling (winter up here all trails are closed for sleds) nothing is open till May

I run a stock pitman arm with synergy brace and trac bar

That's the set up currently last week everything is new


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[wayoflife]

Okay, just wanted to cover the bases. All things being equal, I would check the torque on your pitman arm nut and verify that there is no movement there. To be clear, this is for the loose steering you feel. Regarding your shimmy, I would do a tire swap just to see if it makes a difference. Both are free to do.

 

[OverlanderJK]

Are you sure it's a shimmy or is it driveline vibrations? If you've never had either the driveline vibrations could feel the same.

 

[just-lift-it]

I removed the front dirve shaft 3 weeks ago after reading that stuff haha the joints were blown anwyays...

the shimmy is in the wheel the sterring wheel shakes side to side about an inch but it does NOT drive me off the road and it WILL straighten out over time.. it comes and goes..

Pitman arm nut was checked 2 weeks ago its at 180ft/lbs

but if the jeep is running sitting on concrete my buddy turning the wheel inside the jeep the input shaft from firewall to steering box move about 1/2 revolution before sector shaft moves pitman arm.

To me with what little understanding i have so far would mean the gears inside the box have to much backlash and its new 20,000km never seen a trail and im not going to go back to the dealer and complain because they installed it when it was actually out of warrenty so they did me a favor..

I have read some people adjust the backlash on the box but i also understand that messes with the preload on the bearings and stuff so it can ruin the box but hell if its already worn out clearly its shot so adjusting it wont make it any worse! haha

waiting on the shop to get back to me this afternoon on tires balance and alignment spec to see how good i got it following the write up on here with the magnet protractor on pinion

 

[just-lift-it]

Also thought i would say even with the new Artec trac bar mount designed for steering flip i still get a lot of bump steer...

I often wonder if the bump steer instigates the shimmy then i just power through it and it straightens out..

 

[OverlanderJK]

I removed the front dirve shaft 3 weeks ago after reading that stuff haha the joints were blown anwyays...

the shimmy is in the wheel the sterring wheel shakes side to side about an inch but it does NOT drive me off the road and it WILL straighten out over time.. it comes and goes..

Pitman arm nut was checked 2 weeks ago its at 180ft/lbs

but if the jeep is running sitting on concrete my buddy turning the wheel inside the jeep the input shaft from firewall to steering box move about 1/2 revolution before sector shaft moves pitman arm.

To me with what little understanding i have so far would mean the gears inside the box have to much backlash and its new 20,000km never seen a trail and im not going to go back to the dealer and complain because they installed it when it was actually out of warrenty so they did me a favor..

I have read some people adjust the backlash on the box but i also understand that messes with the preload on the bearings and stuff so it can ruin the box but hell if its already worn out clearly its shot so adjusting it wont make it any worse! haha

waiting on the shop to get back to me this afternoon on tires balance and alignment spec to see how good i got it following the write up on here with the magnet protractor on pinion

Have you looked into the rear driveshaft?

 

[just-lift-it]

I have not yet no, how would a rear drive shaft cause my steering wheel to shake back and forth? i could ask a friend to swap our shafts for a test drive if there is a reason for such a problem!!

Also should note that when its windy i am ALL over the road if i pass a transport truck it almost blows jeep in other lane pretty sure because of loose steering the tires kinda do what they want before it gets up to the steering wheel then i always over correct it..

 

[OverlanderJK]

I have not yet no, how would a rear drive shaft cause my steering wheel to shake back and forth? i could ask a friend to swap our shafts for a test drive if there is a reason for such a problem!!

Also should note that when its windy i am ALL over the road if i pass a transport truck it almost blows jeep in other lane pretty sure because of loose steering the tires kinda do what they want before it gets up to the steering wheel then i always over correct it..

If it's a driveline vibration it could be your rear shaft. All you have to do is pull the rear shaft and drive in 4 high. If you don't have the shimmy it's probably your rear shaft.

 

[just-lift-it]

well i dont have a front shafts to do that haha because im waiting on northridge its been 4 weeks they still arnt sure when maybe 4 more to get me a coast front shaft there sold out so all i have is 2wd for next month