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

Just got it on the rack now these are the numbers all the techs took it for a drive and said this thing is messed it's all over the road and yet again no answers ugh there stumped

I think it needs more caster on the drivers side probably off by one turn on my currie arm hard to get them exact with a tape measure haha


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An update,

After getting is checked on alignment rack and road force balancing my tires yesterday a total of $500 ugh thats a ncie drive shaft money right there haha the jeep is driving a lot better then before but still isnt perfect.

I think the only sensations i am feeling now is bump steer causing the wheel to turn on me when hitting bumps but no more shimmy on the highway or blowing me around it drives straight and true

The tires were WAY off they guys were showing me before road force they were asking for like 10-12oz on some of them the dismounted the tires spun them to correct orientation on the rim to make it easier to balance i think the worst tire took 7oz on inside bead and 3oz on outside bead got the jeep up to 140km/h for about half a mile on the highway quick just to check for vibe smooth as a whistle

So now i need to adress the little bit of bump steer i have or maybe just live with it?? im not sure what others do about it
 
just-lift-it said:
An update,

After getting is checked on alignment rack and road force balancing my tires yesterday a total of $500 ugh thats a ncie drive shaft money right there haha the jeep is driving a lot better then before but still isnt perfect.

I think the only sensations i am feeling now is bump steer causing the wheel to turn on me when hitting bumps but no more shimmy on the highway or blowing me around it drives straight and true

The tires were WAY off they guys were showing me before road force they were asking for like 10-12oz on some of them the dismounted the tires spun them to correct orientation on the rim to make it easier to balance i think the worst tire took 7oz on inside bead and 3oz on outside bead got the jeep up to 140km/h for about half a mile on the highway quick just to check for vibe smooth as a whistle

So now i need to adress the little bit of bump steer i have or maybe just live with it?? im not sure what others do about it
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Glad to hear it really was something as simple as a tire balancing issue, just like I thought.

Regarding your steering, is it safe to assume you do not have a draglink flip/front track bar relocation bracket installed?
 
Yeah thanks Eddie!

As for the steering i have both if you look back a few posts i added photos of my front end set up.

Its a custom made DOM tube with hiem joints high steer kit with stock pitman arm
Followed by a Artec weld on trac bar mount on axle designed for high steer flip kits!

when sitting flat on stop concrete floor the trac bar axle mount is still about 1" lower then my drag link mount on the knuckel... thats why i think i have bump steer still its only an inch but hey that could be causing different arc paths through suspension cycle
 
I run a stock pitman arm with synergy sector shaft brace and trac bar with custom drag link

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


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just-lift-it said:
Yeah thanks Eddie!

As for the steering i have both if you look back a few posts i added photos of my front end set up.

Its a custom made DOM tube with hiem joints high steer kit with stock pitman arm
Followed by a Artec weld on trac bar mount on axle designed for high steer flip kits!

when sitting flat on stop concrete floor the trac bar axle mount is still about 1" lower then my drag link mount on the knuckel... thats why i think i have bump steer still its only an inch but hey that could be causing different arc paths through suspension cycle
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Sorry, must have missed the post and yes, if your track bar and drag link are not parallel to each other, it WILL jack up your handling. This is the reason why I don't recommend mixing and matching steering kits.
 
Im contemplating doing a little more custom mods to it to try and overcome this scenario but other then what i think im feeling is bump steer it seems ok!

I do still have the notorious clunk in the steering box so i know the backlash in there is bad which is giving a lot of play at the steering wheel but i dont have $2600 for PSC kit at the moment... maybe someday i know its needed seeing as this is my second steering box in a year haha
 
just-lift-it said:
Im contemplating doing a little more custom mods to it to try and overcome this scenario but other then what i think im feeling is bump steer it seems ok!

I do still have the notorious clunk in the steering box so i know the backlash in there is bad which is giving a lot of play at the steering wheel but i dont have $2600 for PSC kit at the moment... maybe someday i know its needed seeing as this is my second steering box in a year haha
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Is there a reason why you haven't just tried making an adjustment to the box?
 
I have adjusted that little screw type thing on the top to tighten it up but after doing that i read a ton of threads on multiple 4x4 forums saying if you touch that screw you ruin the steering box..

my thoughts were hell if its already fawked and full of play what could it hurt?

I was going to call PSC and ask if i can get just their proted box for now then upgrade it later with the rest of the kit so its not a big hit all at once in my pocket and atleast get it tight for on the street i know it wont help offroad at all...
 
Are the 9/16" Grade 8 shoulder bolt replacements for track bars and control arms silly, necessary or somewhere in the middle?
 
Slappy32 said:
Are the 9/16" Grade 8 shoulder bolt replacements for track bars and control arms silly, necessary or somewhere in the middle?
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The first one. :yup:

But so I can beat wayoflife to it, if you decide to replace yours will you send me your factory ones? I'll pay for shipping.
 
Very Detailed Video On DW

Edited

Helped me fix mine. Changed inner drag link (main problem), tie rod, and balljoints.
 
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I had a bad case. Could not see anything obvious. I changed the bolts on the track bar and tightened to spec. Still had it. Two Jeep dealerships mentioned my tires were cheep and could be the problem. I bought new tires (Duratrac) and poof! Gone!

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I've been having some sporadic wobble issue.... usually around 30 -40 MPH. It's not violent (I had a loose track bar once that gave me violent wobble), but more like rhythmic wobble that I have to slow down to get out of. It's only happened twice, and seems to need the exact right combination issues. I had a reputable shop go through everything (ball joints, bolts, unit bearing, steering box, etc...), and they found nothing. They re-torqued everything to spec and checked all bushings and bolt holes.

It still happened, though less often.

I am going to have all new synergy steering components installed next week (raised welded on track bar bracket, track bar, frame side bracket, drag link with flip, sector shaft reinforcement).

I am also going to have my 37 MTR's rebalanced and rotated tomorrow.

My question is this... today I noticed that my drag link clamps weren't aligned with my drag link adjustor sleeve seam (see this thread for details http://wayalife.com/showthread.php?18411-Drag-Link-Adjustments-after-Wheeling)

I fixed it, re-tightened up the clamps and went for a little drive. I swear my steering feels a bit tighter, and I couldn't induce any wobble.

Is it possible that this was the cause of my wobble?

Note: I am still going to have the other stuff done if it was, but wanted to check.
 
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turbineguy said:
I've been having some sporadic wobble issue.... usually around 30 -40 MPH. It's not violent (I had a loose track bar once that gave me violent wobble), but more like rhythmic wobble that I have to slow down to get out of. It's only happened twice, and seems to need the exact right combination issues. I had a reputable shop go through everything (ball joints, bolts, unit bearing, steering box, etc...), and they found nothing. They re-torqued everything to spec and checked all bushings and bolt holes.

It still happened, though less often.

I am going to have all new synergy steering components installed next week (raised welded on track bar bracket, track bar, frame side bracket, drag link with flip, sector shaft reinforcement).

I am also going to have my 37 MTR's rebalanced and rotated tomorrow.

My question is this... today I noticed that my drag link clamps weren't aligned with my drag link adjustor sleeve seam (see this thread for details http://wayalife.com/showthread.php?18411-Drag-Link-Adjustments-after-Wheeling)

I fixed it, re-tightened up the clamps and went for a little drive. I swear my steering feels a bit tighter, and I couldn't induce any wobble.

Is it possible that this was the cause of my wobble?

Note: I am still going to have the other stuff done if it was, but wanted to check.
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it could just be a balance issue. try and get them road force balanced when you do and not a static balance. it iwll be more expensive but worth it.
 
DCTomlin19 said:
So I just experienced the death wobble yesterday and it's definitely something I do not want to happen again. I just lifted my JKU with a 3.5 RK lift and have had some annoying bump steer. So I am sure I am in need of a drag link flip and raised track bar bracket. Anybody have experience with the synergy kit? http://www.northridge4x4.com/synergy-mfg-jk-front-steering-correction-kit-8011
Also do you think this will stop the death wobble?
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It will not stop your death wobble. You probably have a loose track bar bolt.
 
So I had some wobble/shimmy Pop up last week Sunday. Been attacking different things all week. Tightened every Susp. Checked my ball joints and Unit bearings. It has gotten better but it still pops up around 40-50 mph. I've rotated and rebalanced the tires and done my own alignment and an alignment at a shop. Driven it with and without the steering stabilizer.... I can't think of anything else to try to tweak. Ball and U joints are good. Kind of at a loss right now. It's semi drivable but I don't want my wife or anyone other than me to be driving and have them feel like the whole jeep is falling apart(this only happened the first day I noticed it).
 
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