jeep guys need advice

S

smallville

Well-known member
well just thought I would ask
I friend of mine has a stock 07 jeep wranger and it tells me that sometimes while driving he go over a few bumps and he jeep goes into a
crazy wobble but not all the time so I replace steering dampener and this seemed to help but it came back again so after a little google search it seems to be a common problem from 06 to 2010 but more common in 07 they call it the "DEATH WOBBLE" but there seems no real fix

so I am wonder has anybody had this problem...
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Twinkie

Twinkie

Administrator
Staff member
Club Member
Yes, it's called Death Wobble and is fairly common on any front coil sprung 4WD vehicle, but is very common on TJ's and JK's. As you may have read, the "fix" is to go over the front end completely for play. Look at joints, trac bar, tie rods.....literally everything in the front. Any small play can cause it. Putting a bigger steering dampener on it is *NOT* a solution, it is a band-aid (you'll see that suggested everywhere).
Check every bushing, every joint, every rod end. Replace all with new if needed.

In some cases (BuBBaBO) it can be as simple as a worn set of tires that didn't like being rotated from back to front...
 
2

2Greys

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Club Member
I have had DW twice on my 98 TJ. The first was caused by Frame side Tie Rod End on my Track Bar and the second by bad ball joint.

If there is any play in the front steering around 45mph it will go into a harmonic vibration. Only way to stop it is to brake. Usually a dry steering test will find the culprit which is looking for play at each joint in the steering.
Tires that need balancing have been known to make it worse as well. Also look at the bushings in the front control arms.

Just like Terry said new steering stabilizer will hide it for a while but it will still be happening but you won't feel it until you prematurely wear down the new stabilizer. The more it happens the more damage will be done to other components.
 
J

junkpile

Well-known member
I've also noticed with JKs the giant steering box seems to have a lot of leverage on the passenger side frame rail.
 
J

junkpile

Well-known member
Not sure if any are available but a brace from the sector shaft to the opposite frame rail would probably do wonders.
 
Mitko

Mitko

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from my personal experience the most common cause of DW on this make is the track bar end - bushing side or BJ side. This is to be checked first.
 
2

2Greys

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junkpile said:
I've also noticed with JKs the giant steering box seems to have a lot of leverage on the passenger side frame rail.
Click to expand...

That doesn't fix death wobble and would be the last place to look especially on stock. As Mitko said, check the track bar first.
 
J

junkpile

Well-known member
Oh and I've noticed that not all jeeps/rams suffer from DW, but the ones that do can't seem to ever cure it. Changing a loose part temporarily fixes it but it always seems to return. I'm thinking that the problem lies not completely in the loose or worn suspension components. I think that the spool valve in the steering box gets worn and actually starts to act like a hydraulic spring bouncing back and forth left to right. The bump in the road starts it off and the loose suspension parts give it the momentum........ Thoughts anyone?
 
J

junkpile

Well-known member
2Greys said:
That doesn't fix death wobble and would be the last place to look especially on stock. As Mitko said, check the track bar first.
Click to expand...

Not intended as a cure just something I've noticed about JKs. Larger tires make it worse but it is noticeable stock.
 
Mlorint

Mlorint

Well-known member
A big issue is knowing how to properly check parts to see if they are worn out. Lots of time it is not just shaking the front end you also need to check for up and down movement on the joints as well. Try squeezing the tie rods with a channel lock an see if it compresses.


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dwcjwerfner

dwcjwerfner

Well-known member
Club Member
just_in said:
Track bar is the usual cause on jk's. Mine ended up being a stuck caliper
Click to expand...

That is really interesting, I have been fighting with my stupid Rubi ever since I changed the axles. When I did that I also put all brand new RC control arms on as I got a deal when I complained about the ones on it being completely worn out. Anyway, I also fixed all the worn out holes on the frame. Before it used to ride like a dog screwing a football and now it rides really sweet until the DW starts. I have a brand new track bar front and rear as well. Oh and brand new Moogs on one side, and a brand new tie rod end on the Currie steering.
I do know that I have a sticky caliper and just haven't fixed it because I have been too busy trying to fix the DW. I think I might buy a $28 caliper tomorrow.
As a side note I had Scott come over the other night to help me diagnose and see if there was any play in the steering box and we both saw the pitman arm "flex" when wiggling the steering arm back and forth without moving the tires. I think I might change that just because broken pitman arms in any vehicle is bad, in a TJ it strikes me as instant airborne roll.
 
J

junkpile

Well-known member
I ran my '91 XJ for 8yrs heavily offroaded (beaten) in multiple stages of lift and tire sizes and types, even a set of bias swampers, lots of worn out joints, track bars and bearings, and my fair share or seized calipers and never ever had death wobble. I've driven stock, aligned, tight xj's and tj's, and one 3/4 ton Ram, that will try to rip the wheel out of your hands after hitting a bump going 50kms/hrs. I fixed the ram with a new steering box, never happened again. I suppose what I'm getting at is there are lots of different scenarios to consider.
 
dwcjwerfner

dwcjwerfner

Well-known member
Club Member
Well I have a known bad caliper so I might as well do just that first, it would be interesting if it fixed it. If not on to something else. Just moved my caster back almost 2 degrees back towards stock and still pissing me off.
 
2

2Greys

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smallville said:
its funny in on hoist no movement all tight put on ground with weight on tires hole lotta play
Click to expand...

Not really that funny, when in the air everything will move freely. When on the ground it is enough that there is pressure to show something is sticking. Have someone move the steering wheel back and forth and follow from steering box to ball joints while it is on ground and see where you see the first movement, work from there.
 
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