Scared to death!!!

[CLWilliams]

At 2500 miles I put on BFG 315's and the 2" leveling kit and experienced a little vibration/wobble in the front. Quite a few of you guys helped me with that problem as being a balancing issue and it WAS!--Thanks. I had read a couple of threads about some "Death Wobble" and had experienced that also on some parts of the interstate at 70-85 mph only on certain types of bumps. I kept vigilant on tire pressures and that seemed to help running at 50psi front and rear. In the last 2 weeks at 21000 miles the "Death Wobble" had gotten dangerous. I had to slow to 40 mph on the interstate to get the truck to quit shaking and then limped home to check everything up front. I made sure (not being a mechanic) that everything was tight and it seemed to be. I called Jack-It and had them send me a heavy duty steering stabilizer (thinking the 315's had taken their toll on the stock unit). No improvement after the install! It's ok for the wife to ride in it but I am afraid to take the kids anywhere! HELP!!!! Dealership is to look at it Monday(today is Saturday)----I'm sure to tell me it's the fault of the tires or the NEW steering stabilizer!

 

[rbattelle]

Death wobble on an '03? Maybe the track bar design is still flawed!

 

[y-knot]

If you were think it was a balance problem, and it seemed to go away after I assume a re-balance of the tires, I think a very close inspection of your front tires might help. You may have a belt seperating, or something simular. Look for anything odd, like a bump on the sidewalls, or cracking(rubber pulling apart) at the treads. It could be you have a bad tire, one that was just not cought at the factory. I had one of my Trxus tires like that, It was way out of balance (24 ounces), all the others were 2-3 ounces. I had to send it back for a replacement. If all eles fails to turn up something, I have found the Centramatic Balancers to work great.

 

[ghamilton]

Check your trac bar bolt. It may have worked its way loose. This is a common problem on the lifted Jeeps. This is what usually causes it on the Jeeps.

Greg.

 

[XJSuperman]

This may be something you have already tried... BUT having driven jeeps on and offroad with various degrees of lift/tires sizes it often goes overlooked.

Check the front end alignment... have someone who REALLY knows how to do it make certain it is aligned properly since you have the lift added. And even if you have done so already check it again. It sounds simple enough BUT that is a VERY common cause of death wobble AND can save you A LOT of money and headaches if that is the problem.

2" of lift does not seem like much BUT it is more than enough to toss both the steering and suspension geometries out of whack.



I hope you get it resolved.

 

[Duck]

Originally posted by ghamilton

Check your trac bar bolt. It may have worked its way loose. This is a common problem on the lifted Jeeps. This is what usually causes it on the Jeeps.

Greg.

A loose track bolt was the cause of my Death Wobble.

Get under there with a torque wrench asap.

 

[CATCRACKER]

my wobble doesnt sound as bad as yours but i have it at 60-65mph has not gotten any worse but i would like to get it fixed i have had my tires balanced 3 times no d/f. might check the track bar i think it is bad tire b/c it doesnt do it at all speeds. once i get to 73 it smooths out to about 80%.

 

[Swayse]

Yep, I've got the death wobble too. I hate it. Got new shocks, Rancho 9000x, front end alinement, not as bad now but it still does it. What helped the most was lowering the pressure in the front tires down to 35 psi. I'll try tightening the track bar, and see. Never had this on my 2001 with a 2" lift, and that thing had a crap for a track bar.

 

[CLWilliams]

Originally posted by CATCRACKER

my wobble doesnt sound as bad as yours but i have it at 60-65mph has not gotten any worse but i would like to get it fixed i have had my tires balanced 3 times no d/f. might check the track bar i think it is bad tire b/c it doesnt do it at all speeds. once i get to 73 it smooths out to about 80%.

Mine won't smooth out at all. Will quit when you slow to 40mph. Dealer looked at it today and said the pitman arm was loose ("out of specs") and they are replacing it tomorrow. They could not find anything else wrong and wouldn't you know it, they said "... we couldn't get it to do anything. " Once they change the pitman arm, if that's not the problem the mechanic is in for one scary ride with ME under the wheel!!

 

[CLWilliams]

Originally posted by Swayse

Yep, I've got the death wobble too. I hate it. Got new shocks, Rancho 9000x, front end alinement, not as bad now but it still does it. What helped the most was lowering the pressure in the front tires down to 35 psi. I'll try tightening the track bar, and see. Never had this on my 2001 with a 2" lift, and that thing had a crap for a track bar.

After dealer finishes his work, I'm going to put on new shocks all around and have the alignment checked..... I'm also going to have the tire shop check the tires--maybe I've missed something----I'm sure the dealer has. If it doesn't quit, I'm trading!!!!!

 

[Swayse]

Track bar was tight. Mine does it all the time on the little farm roads that I drive on everyday. If I stay under 70 mph, it's alright, I can feel it wanna start but then it smooths out. But take it to 80 mph and hang on, because it won't stop until you're back down to 40 mph. Mine only started after I lifted it 2" in the front.



I think we need some poly bushings in the arms that hold the axle, can't remember what the arms are called, to take the slack out. Anybody make them?



I wouldn't trade it just yet, there has to be a reason we have the death wobble and other people don't. If all else fails, take the lift off.



I have a lot of slack from my steering wheel to the steering box.

 

[CLWilliams]

Swayse---



Dropped my truck off Monday morning and the dealer couldn't replicate problem but said that the bar that runs from the pitman arm to the tierods (?) was out of spec and ordered a new one. Tuesday, pitman arm came (wrong part) but the service tech took truck for another drive and had the %^&**& scared out of him----he wouldn't even drive it back----hauled it back on rollback. Tuesday afternoon they found that the left front hub and bearing was bad and ordered a replacement. Wednesday afternoon they showed me the old hub and bearing (What a mess!!) and put on the replacement. Still no part ordered on Monday. Thursday morning I returned to pick up the truck---I use it for business---that particular part they had ordered on Monday is NOT AVAILABLE!! It has to come from the manufacturer of the part or has to be pulled from an assembly line---bottom line---7 days to get it----from Today (Thursday)---not Monday!! They re-balanced the tires and found (1) tire that was 4. 5 ounces off and placed the two best tires (least amount of weight) on the front. I drove it today and it has improved but I could feel the wobble coming on at 60mph. After they install the new bar, I'll let you know what happens..... the tech REALLY wants to figure it out since he &^&**('d in his pants!

 

[XcumminsX]

if that happen to me id demand a truck just like yours for when it is sitting in the shop.

 

[XJSuperman]

... maybe you already tried it BUT as I said above what about your front end alignment? If nothing else is fixing it... why not have it checked?

 

[CLWilliams]

Originally posted by XJSuperman

... maybe you already tried it BUT as I said above what about your front end alignment? If nothing else is fixing it... why not have it checked?

DEALER checked it and said it was in specs, but I am planning (as soon as it is fixed) on having it realigned when I change all the shocks. I'm driving the truck now and it is soooooo strange. You can hit some "chucks" in the road at 50-55 and never have a hint at a wobble, but you can also be at the same speed and hit a small rut or road differentiation and the truck will go crazy!!!

 

[CLWilliams]

7 days and still no word on my part for my truck!! Can't drive over 50mph on the speedo and even at that certain places in the road start the wobble!! Anyone ever heard of someone driving their new truck through the showroom doors----while they're closed!!

 

[guns101]

Death Wobble

My truck gave me the ride of my life when I took it for a 60 mile"test" ride from the used dealer. Got the Death Wobble at 65 mph on the way back. Left a hickey on the drivers seat. Almost violated the salesman when i limped the truck back to him. Hammered him down on the price,then had him fix the front end. 2nd time back to him did the trick. Still not sure how I muscled the truck to the breakdown lane,but it was nice of all those commuters to stop and let me over there... :--)

 

[CLWilliams]

Did they ever tell you what the problem was?

 

[BillGotthelf]

I had the death wobble in my 96 4x4 but have never got it on any 2wd (93,99,03). I fixed it by keeping the front wheels balanced all the time and then using balancing beads-much cheaper-$4 per tire for life of tire.

 

[guns101]

The problem with my truck was a simple fix... New upper and lower ball joints, tracking bar, tie rod ends, oh and new pads and rotors while they were at it. then a nice alignment.