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EX-Police Cherokee Problem

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numberonefool

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Mountain Home, ID
i have a 1996 cherokee with a 4.0 and an AW-4 mated to a NP-242j T-case.

the problem is that whenever im going down the road it acts perfectly normal and whenever i reach mid 50's to about 60MPH it gets a wicked shimmy like i have a wheel about to fly off but I checked my lugs and they are all tight i am going to get them re balanced this weekend but i was wondering if there was anything anyone knows about the driveline setup that would cause this kind of problem.


thanks anyone
 
Does this only happen when passing a donut shop?

Sorry, couldn't resist. Sounds like you've got a case of death wobble. Do a search, there are plenty of threads on how to deal with it. First thing, jack up the front end and see what's obviously loose. Go from there.

Sorry for the donut thing, but just couldn't pass it up.

Mark
 
numberonefool said:
BTW there isnt any donut or porn shops in Mountain Home that i have found :(
Click to expand...

keep lookin' and if you can't find them, open one of each on opposit sides of town. It'll give the crackheads somewhere to hang out away from the cops and vice versa. If the cops are always running back and forth, they won't have time to bother you!

as for the shakes, crawl back under there with the front end off the ground and check again-- I'm sure you'll find somethin'
 
Definately death wobble, it's usually most evident at the 55 MPH range. Alot of times it can also just simply be the steering dampner that goes from the axle to drag link being old and worn out.
 
Bad steering stabilizers don't cause death wobble. Bad alignment and numerous other bad parts can. Wheel balance problems also occur at those speeds, but generally aren't as violent as DW.
 
Theres a million causes for DW and just as many symptoms. Check all your bushings, TRE's and wheels for balance and or alignment. My upper CA bushings where bad once and the other time it was a bad ujoint. It was a mystery the first time because you couldnt tell only the axle side bushings were bad untill you started unbolting things.
BTW- a steering stabalizer wont cause DW, they just cover it up. I normally dont run one at all.
 
man man man. bad problem to have. annoying and can have a million causes

i had a shimmy at 55 and sometimes death wobble, was fixed by replacing lower control arms.

check for dry rotted and loose bushings, also with the front tires on the ground have someone move the wheel back and forth while watchign for movement, you can also put your hand on things and it'll be easier to feel than it is to see.

it could be wheel balance though, sometimes it is.
 
dave92cherokee said:
Definately death wobble, it's usually most evident at the 55 MPH range. Alot of times it can also just simply be the steering dampner that goes from the axle to drag link being old and worn out.
Click to expand...

True the steering stabilizer may help with the Death wobble,BUT it's only going to cover up the real problem in the front end. Do get the front tires off the ground, you will find something not right.
 
Why do they put them on (steering stabilizer ) ? My front end is BRAND new, Guess what.. Yep you got it... Small but it is there, so i put back on the stabilizer ( like the dealer told me to do ) an it is gone.... My motorhome had the same thing, replaced the stabilizer an it is gone too.. So i don't know why they put them on but they help.... My 2 cents for this night...................................
 
I have an ex-government XJ as well, used to belong to the US National park service in the state of Oregon (it's amazing what carfax will tell you!!!), every time I go by a logging road it wants to up it....

J/K, I think you have a small DW issue, as do I, Mine is on the passenger side, so mine might just be a tire or a brake cailper (yes, the do become off balance) out of balance...

Though at about 70 I get definate DW as the whole front end shakes, so I have some work to as well....
 
They put steering stabilizers on in part to stop kickback from the steering wheel. My old jeep doesn't have one, and you can really tell-hitting a rock just wrong can spin the steering wheel around fast enough to break or dislocate your thumbs if you are not careful...
 
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