TJ Death Wobble

mtohill

New Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2007
Location
Waxhaw, NC
Does anyone have any experience with the dreaded death wobble? Went off-roading this past weekend and now I've had it happen 4 times in the past two days going about 45MPH ...scared the crap out of me!!

I've had my 98 TJ a year now and never had this problem. One thing I noticed after this last trip is that the steering wheel is about 45 degrees left of center now which leads me to believe something must have gotten shaken loose. I have 33" BFG MTs (33PSI on all tires) and a 4" Rubicon Express lift.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
trackbar is normally your best bet (eaither it is bent, or lose) a straight stick will check for a bend. mine comes lose roughly every 3 trips. Tightin that up for starters

2nd, check the entire driveline. control arms was the orignial reason I had death wobble.
 
no one has mentioned alignment yet.

When I lifted my Jeep, the Death Wobble was so bad, I almost lost it several times into trees and various steep ditches.

I got it aligned, and its fine now. Also, check to see if some of your balancing weights were torn off. I have a set on my Passenger side wheel thats gone, and it definitely affects it.
 
track bar and alignment are the two that I battled with the most when I had death wobble.
 
measure the toe in on the front end. sounds like you just need an alignment.
 
bigwaylon said:
and is just a band-aid...
if all the parts/bushings are in good condition, all bolts tightened, tires balanced and wheels in alignment...you can run without a stabilizer at all...
Greg
Click to expand...

X2, steering stabilizer will just cover up some of the problem not fix it. Besides if you have serious death wobble like I've had then a steering stabilizer won't help anyway.
 
Yeah, the trackbar was always my cause... until just recently, now i have it and its not that, the problem now, i am pretty sure, is that every single bushing is warn and loose on each end of my control arms. You gotta love how they all start going out at the same time... sad thing is I leave for Iraq in 2 months and had planned to replace the axles and suspension as soon as I get back.... I dont want to replace half my suspension now, just to take it off again..... but I dont really want to fuck up more by trying to ride it out for 2 months either.
 
Road_Warrior85 said:
Yeah, the trackbar was always my cause... until just recently, now i have it and its not that, the problem now, i am pretty sure, is that every single bushing is warn and loose on each end of my control arms. You gotta love how they all start going out at the same time... sad thing is I leave for Iraq in 2 months and had planned to replace the axles and suspension as soon as I get back.... I dont want to replace half my suspension now, just to take it off again..... but I dont really want to fuck up more by trying to ride it out for 2 months either.
Click to expand...

Doh, totally forgot to mention that one...

Those bushings on the control arms wear out, and can def. cause death wobble. I think thats a pretty common problem.
 
i never had an issue with alignment on my jeep. the alignment still isnt right but i never get death wobble. the trackbar bolt always caused it for me. if it is lose then tighten it, just dont let it wallow the whole out or it will never stay tight.
 
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