96 XJ DW, What I have done, what next?

My jeep is a 96 xj 4.0, aw4, with about 3" of lift from GC coils and 2" spacers. The back has bastard leaf packs also netting about 3". I replaced the left LCA bracket because it had been hit and broke by the previous PO. The left LCA appears straight to the naked eye. I have had the jeep aligned and the tires balanced. I am thinking that an adjustable track bar would be the next step. I really don't want to redrill the bottom trackbar bracket hole because it does not look like there would be enough meat around the new hole. The jeep drives/rides very nice until about 51 mph then the DW starts in.

Does an adjustable TB seem like the next step or should I be looking at adjustable LCA's? Through searching it seems that the stock LCA's are good through 4" of lift. Is there anything I am overlooking and should be doing before adjustable TB OR LCA's?

Thanks for any input.

Did you check all of your bushings on your control arms? is your axle centered? If it is not correctly centered that would cause some death wobble. How about all of your tie rod ends? are those good? Just a few things to check. Also your steering dampener (shock mounted to the axle and the draglink) do you know the condition of it?

i have the same set up as you up front and i recently got the DW. anyways it turned out the bushings in my lcas were bad. i think crimzon covered it all- good luck!

It's a good chance its the track bar, have somone turn the steering wheel back and forth, dont turn it enough to move the tires and look underneith especially at the track bar ends and look for movement.

I have gone through and tightened all the steerring parts such as TRE's. I'll check the steering dampner since it is the one thing I have not looked at. The axle has been centered once by me; however, I think it is probably drifting off center because the track bar probably needs to be centered. I replaced the bushing in the axle end of the TB. The TRE end seemed solid to me and I put a new boot on it and torgued both ends down tight, tight. The bushings on the LCA appear fine. They are solid and firm with no slop.

Thanks for the input folks. I think I will check the dampner and if it looks good then go with an adjustable TB.

I would go with adjustable lca's. That'll do two things, let you dial in the pinion angle and wheelbase and get rid of the squishy rubber bushings which have caused DW more than a few times.

JJacobs, I think you make a good point. I was under the impression that rubber bushings were more desirable to poly bushings when it comes to LCA's because they soak up more road vibration or does it boil down to personal preference?

Had similar issues after my lift. Adj track bar nice but redrilling hole at your lift size is fine too. Just back cover the old hole with some flat copper (flattened half inch pipe) and fill it in with weld then grind flat. Only had to move new hole over 5/8 inch. Go Jeep writes about using up to a quarter inch thick shim at the back of your LCA which worked for me. Damage to the LCA bracket...did it affect your axle? What are you doing about your front sway bar's position?

I too had dw at similar speed but it disappeared after alignment, new tires, new dampner, and proper tire inflation. My old front tire rubber was out of whack so the new rubber helped. Lastly, what is the condition of your ball joints? Any play there? Good luck.

dkross said:

JJacobs, I think you make a good point. I was under the impression that rubber bushings were more desirable to poly bushings when it comes to LCA's because they soak up more road vibration or does it boil down to personal preference?

Click to expand...

Most avoid "poly" anything as much as possible,and for good reason!

I would get Adjustable Control Arms, Uppers and Lowers and an Adjustable Track Bar to Properly Center your Assembly. I had Similar Issues at 5"s of Lift. I was Using an Adjustable Lower and Stock Uppers. I Set my Adjustable UCAs to 15 5/8"s and my Adjustable LCRs to 15 1/4"s and Centered my Assembly with the New Adjustable Track Bar. I have had Absolutely No Problems Since.

I Purchased my Parts from here. The Quality is Fantastic for the Price they are Sold for IMHO. You can not Beat his Prices compared to Quality. IMHO

http://www.ironman4x4fab.com/XJ_Inventory.html

LCA = Lower Control Arm
UCA = Upper Control Arm

Stock
LCA - 15¾"
UCA - 15"

2"
LCA - 16"
UCA - 15"

3"
LCA - 16"
UCA - 15"

4"
LCA - 16 3/8"
UCA - 15"

5"
LCA - 16 5/8"
UCA - 15¼"

6"
LCA - 17"
UCA - 15½"

7"
LCA - 17 3/8"
UCA - 15¾"

8"
LCA - 17¾"
UCA - 16"

9"
LCA - 18¼"
UCA - 16¼"

10"
LCA - 18¾"
UCA - 17"


For 1/2" lifts take the difference from the one above and below. So for example a 4.5" lift would be LCA - 16.5" and the UCA - 15".

I did have Front Driveshaft Compression issues at Full Drop with my Short Arm Kit at 5"s of Lift... I suggest having the Front Driveshaft Shortened 1 3/4"s with a Short Arm Kit over 4 1/2"s. I had this done and it was about $50.

Before Shortening my Front Driveshaft... my Front Driveshaft Blew the U-Joint and Punched a Huge Hole in my Transfer Case after going OffRoad and then on the Freeway.

I Shortened the Front Driveshaft because I Do Not Use Control Arm Drop Brackets. I Do Not Like the Way Drop Brackets Hit on Limestone Ledges (even those Hidden in Sand or Mud) Let alone Rocks or Logs here in Florida.



Hope this Helps.

Thanks for all the info and the website Cher96. What is the benefit or significance of the double shear on track bars? I'm not sure what they're getting at.

Hudson Bend, I have done nothing for the sway bar position to date becasue I have not found a suitable solution.. It is my understanding that they swaybar links need to be lengthened though. As for damage to the axle the tube appears straight.

Personally, I have JKS Quicker Disconnects but I never use them because I haven't hooked my sway bar back up for a very long time. It has been years and I don't miss it at all.

A track bar bracket moves your track bar forward on the chassis to eliminate bind on the front diff cover during full compression. A double shear kit converts a factory bracket to a double shear mount at the track bar.

A stock type rod end on a track bar is not as flexible as a double shear end.

I would suggest this awesome adjustable track bar.

http://www.ironman4x4fab.com/Jeep_XJ_Track_Bars/XJ_FTB.html

It's 3 am and I will answer what I can tomorrow.

cher96 said:

I Set my Adjustable UCAs to 15 5/8"s and my Adjustable LCRs to 15 1/4"s .

Click to expand...

Oops, Brain Dead moment.

Correction:

I Set my Adjustable UCAs to 15 1/4"s
and my Adjustable LCRs to 16 5/8"s

Sorry, my bad.