Wobble wobble jeep jeep

[sethrojess]

I had posted out a couple of months back that I think I may have the early or middle stages of Death Wobble. I need to get this corrected ASAP and i am a little apprehensive talking my baby to a standard mechanic. I am in South KC and was curious if there were any 4x4 Techs you fine folks could suggest. Please let me know if you would be so kind!

[CJ9Dave]

Try rotating your tires, if the wobble changes, it's probably in the tires. I just had my TJ's tires road force balanced, much better now.
If that does not work try 4X4 land in Topeka

[FreemansXJ]

What Jeep vehicle are you experiencing death wobble on? How many miles does it have? Here is a good article on it, if you are interested in doing the work yourself.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f13/d...-cured-124861/

:)

John

[sethrojess]

it is an 03 Wrangler Sport, 4" lift with 33's...I have had the tires rotated in the last couple of months. It almost feels like they are unbalanced and bounces all over the road. Wish i had more knowledge under the hood of a car but i simply don't. Is there anyone a little closer than Topeka that you would suggest? Thank you again for all the feedback! It is greatly appreciated.

[rrock]

Was there wobble before the tires were rotated?

[sethrojess]

Yes there was a little one.

[mooose]

I suffered true, full-blown DW and it's not anything to mess around with.

Go get a REAL alignment done by a shop with the right equipment. You might also try dynamic balancing with beads.

Jim's Discount Tire and Brakes in North Kansas City has taken care of my TJ a couple times.

If this doesn't solve the issue completely, which chances are it will, try checking your ball joints for play and checking your track bar mounts for wallowed out holes.

A beefed up steering stabilizer can help mask the problems but a well tuned suspension shouldn't even really need one. That said, I prefer them as they smooth out bump steer on rough roads.

Good luck!

[WJonRubis]

checking your track bar mounts for wallowed out holes.

A beefed up steering stabilizer can help mask the problems but a well tuned suspension shouldn't even really need one. That said, I prefer them as they smooth out bump steer on rough roads.

Good luck!

Every single time I have had death wobble it has been because of the Track Bar.
I know that other things can cause this problem but I have also experienced those types of wobble and death wobble is so unique... I must say (since you lifted the vehicle) look at the track bar.

From the sounds of it you haven't hit full death mode yet so it could be one of the other things as well (ie: tie rods, alignment, balance, etc...). In my experience death wobble is an "On/Off" switch and there's very little inbetween... so, yeah

Don't waste your time with a mechanic though, this is a stupid easy easy one to diagnose (assuming it's not the alignment, which even then after a couple thousand miles is easy to diangose lol)

Get under the car while a friend turns the steering wheel left and right. If the track bar moves independently of the frame or axle (usually the frame side) then that's the problem.
If the TB checks out then move over to the tie rods and check for play by jacking up the front corner (one at a time) and wiggling the wheel.
If the TRE check out then go to the steering stabilizer. Although as suggested earlier this resolve will only mask a greater problem it is also true that a bad SS could be a possible cause. Remove one end of the SS and push it in and pull out if it's loose then replace it.

I'd start with those 3 things.
No reason to suggest quite yet that the rotors could be warped (they could be I suppose)

[RED_RUBI_07]

I posted this link as a thread i hope it gets made a sticky! http://www.jk-forum.com/showthread.p...es-and-Wobbles

[Kansaszj09]

I am not trying to steal this thread or anything, but is the track bar supposed to have any play in it? Say if i took my hand and try to lightly move it, is it suppose to move any?

[Kansaszj09]

I had 31s on my ZJ and every now and then I would hit a bump, and the tire on the front left side would wobble, i could def feel it when it happened, and a guy pulled up to me at a stop light and said my tire was "wobbling" bad, I havent any experience with the death wobble, and was wondering if this problem could be a symptom of it? Then I bought some smaller tires, and the last three months so far it hasnt done that, I just put my 31s back on yesterday, so i will see what happens. Thanks for your help. :D

[Kansaszj09]

Err I mean the Front right side would wobble, I wasnt able to tell if the front left was wobbling also, but i do know it would shake pretty good on that right side.

[t-rav_12]

sounds like you have a bad ball joint.

[rjh]

Normally no, but if you've got a custom design with heims at both ends it might. Mine has zero play, with a bushing on the axle end an an RE joint on the frame end.

[Kansaszj09]

Alright thanks, I think mine has a little play in it. Need to get that checked out then :P thanks