DW help please, running out of options

im at my wits end, looking for some suggestions. mabye some fresh ideas will help me. classic case of death wobble. 55mph hit a bump and start shakkin!

88 limited 4.0 dana 30/35 aw4 stock everything

things ive replaced

shocks
track bar
all tie rods
steering stabalizer

things i've done to try to remedy

balanced tires (twice)
rotated tires
removed front drive shaft

unique characteristics

seems like it doesnt want to do it when very cold out 30* and colder
the more weight in the jeep the less it does it
when i tow my boat it does it more often.
everything looks tight in the front end when i have someone turn the wheel, steering box doesnt seem to be moving and pitman arm is tight when i yank on it. I bought all new control arm bushing but haven had a chance to put those in yet.

i cant take my boat on the freeway and my boat is getting out of the shop friday. I want to go fishing !!!!!!!


if you have some fresh ideas please share

TIA:hang:

Your trackbar, did you just replace the trackbar or while you had the original out did you inspect the axle mount for a wallowed out hole, is their any movement in the frame mount?

When you saw the jeep is shaking, is it in your steering or is your entire jeep shaking? Are you sure it is the front end? This is a long shot but my friend had a 87 xj that sort of did the samething. His leaf spring bushings were so shot that the rear axle shimmed around quite a bit under the jeep. We put new leaf packs in it and it went away. It had nothing to do with his front end.

Two thoughts - 1) The ball joints looked ok, but what did they measure to? There is a guage that can check them.

2) I have a slight wobble that occurs at 55 when the tires are rotated to a certain position. I usually do front to back, and one of those rear tires is a problem. I'm beginning to think its out of round. In combination with 19 year old rear end bushings, it could be the problem.

And if the rear bushings are old, so are the fronts. One crushed one with a 1/4" dynamic play could be all it takes.

thanks guys, i did not look at the frame axel mount hole for the track bar. I will pull it out and take a look. when my buddy saw the front tires shaking he said it looked like i was turning the steering wheel back and forth really fast so my though was tie rods and my problem will be solved. to no avail. the only thing i can see move is the ball joint end of the track bar when someone turns the wheel back and forth. i assumed this was normal so i never asked if it is. let me know if you think otherwise. I'm almost positive it is in the front end cause we seen the front tires shaking and it only happens when i first hit a bump, never when i drive over it and the rear axel hits the bump.

not really sure how to check the ball joints other than wrestling the wheel at 12 o clock and 6 o clock.

The tierod end for the tracbar should not move. It should only rotate and flex when you flex. Any other movement is abnormal.

good to know, possibly the worn tie rods caused the track bar to wear prematurly. i'll pick up a new one and toss it in. thanks

check all tie rod ends on your steering. replace any that seem even mildy worn, they are relatively cheap.
if you used a stock trackbar again check your frame side tre hole to see if its wallowed.
check axle side mount.
if wallowed use a bigger bolt and drill it out.
check steering knuckle ball joints(wiggle the tire up/down with tire off ground)
check front unit bearings
check your toe in
check all control arm bushings
this is pretty much it for DW.
anything else might be driveline vibes...

check your controle arm bushings. i had1 bushing on drivers upper break and caud me problems.

I had this issue on my 90 and after checking everything and finding nothing visual or by feel I picked up a set of stock upper and lower control arms from a local wheelers late model low mileage XJ that he just lifted. I put those control arms on and that cured it. After I got the old arms out and inspected them it was the bushings that were worn on the lower arm passenger side.