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Death wobble after hitting pot hole

U

USAF007

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Red Oak, Iowa
Hey everyone, so I was driving home from the lake today, around 55mph, and hit a small pothole. The jeep starting shuttering like CRAZY, mainly in the front, coming into the steering wheel. So much so that i was forced to slow down quick, or i was afraid it was going to fall apart. What could this be? Once i got down to below 40, it went away and i was able to get up to 55 again without incident, until hiting another pot hole?
 
Search death whobble lol tre and loose track back was my case of DW mine was so bad I couldn't drive over 25 mph but check all the tie rod ends for play check track bar torque if those aren't the case then move up to ball joints tires balance.. how big of a lift are you running??
 
Steering stabilizer will not cause nor cure it its kinda like a pain killer the pains still there but the pill covers it same as the stabilizer it just feels like its not there anymore when it still is.. fix the problem and you won't even need a stabilizer
 
sneakyjap96 said:
Steering stabilizer will not cause nor cure it its kinda like a pain killer the pains still there but the pill covers it same as the stabilizer it just feels like its not there anymore when it still is.. fix the problem and you won't even need a stabilizer
Click to expand...

I agree that steering shudder shouldn't happen when everything else is PERFECT. good ball joints, good tre's and a PERFECT alignment. but if the vehicle didn't have the potential to have a shake the Manufacturer wouldn't put one on. Every vehicle that uses this steering linkage arrangement uses a stabilizer. I Agree its PROBABLY the tre's but the stabilizer is CHEAPER than replacing all of the suspension and steering parts when they are all semi worn making for a situation where the shake can start.

End Rant.
 
How deep was this said pot hole? Could have bent something or knock your alignment off?

Just thinking outside the box here.I know the size pot holes we have around here you can tear a tire off your car.
 
Then again yes you can throw a stabilizer at it just to cover wat could be a bigger problem you can get tre for like 15 bucks all u need to do is have a buddy shake the steering wheel while you look at the tre fix the loose one unless you have the cash replace the three you can I'll b taken my stabilizer off here when I get my hiem steering
 
scottmcneal said:
How deep was this said pot hole? Could have bent something or knock your alignment off?

Just thinking outside the box here.I know the size pot holes we have around here you can tear a tire off your car.
Click to expand...

Not that big. Hit it at 25mph and nothing, at 50+, death wobble. Will check out the TRE's tomorrow, does the jeep need to be off the ground to check them?
 
No you want the load on the tre. Just have some one sit in the jeep with the key on can be running doesn't matter shake the wheel back and forth at this Tims check tre and track bar
 
Year?
 
Check out some youtube vid's too from people that have bad tie rod ends. It'll help you see what you're looking for if you haven't dealt with this kind of thing before.

I had death wobble on my stocker and took the opportunity to upgrade to the V8 tie rod, replaced the drag link, and tie rod ends. There's a write-up somewhere with Moog part #'s if you're interested in a stock upgrade. I also replaced the LCA's... the bushings were mushroomed out, dry and cracked. It fixed my problem.

Now I'm starting to get a little wobble again and I'm hearing popping when I hit bumps while making slow speed turns. I guess it's time to replace the UCA's next.
 
sneakyjap, your posts would be a lot easier to read with a little punctuation... but you are right.

Stuff to check
all TREs
play in steering box
balljoints
wheel bearings
all suspension bushings
tire balance (not likely in your case, but I've had it cause DW)
alignment

I would bet on a worn TRE or steering box or maybe a bad alignment in your case.

Steering stabilizers are a bandaid, they are designed to improve ride quality not stop DW. They may mask it somewhat however.
 
The manufacturer put out a technical service bulletin that reccomends dealerships to replace all four control arms.
I suggest you have somebody turn the wheel back and forth, engine running, while you look for what's loose.
 
sneakyjap96 said:
Steering stabilizer will not cause nor cure it its kinda like a pain killer the pains still there but the pill covers it same as the stabilizer it just feels like its not there anymore when it still is.. fix the problem and you won't even need a stabilizer
Click to expand...

WRONG.

The manufacturer DID NOT put stabilizers on MILLIONS of vehicles to make them "look tough" or for any other reason than to mechanically aid the steering/suspension of the vehicle.

Vehicles that came from the factory, without stabilizers, often need the addition of stabilizers after "mods"--different wheels, tires, lifts, etc., or even the USE of the vehicle--our early Chevy kill trucks required DOUBLE STABILIZERS on them due to the weight of the boxes, water tanks, generator, extra winches, and swinging meat.
 
ok im going to have to look at the youtube vids, because i didnt see anything seriously obvious at all. I mean ALL of the bushings on the TRE's are dry and cracked, but no movement in them that I could see.
 
the best way to diagnose it is to have someone steer back and forth with the tires on the ground and the engine running while you get your hands on stuff.

if it is only happening when you hit a pothole, my guess would be it is the trackbar. pull the axle side bolt and make sure the hole isn't wallowed out, then check the TRE on the frame side.
 
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