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2000 Cherokee Sport Death Wobble Help

TDoggs

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Indianapolis
Hello All,

I hope I'm posting in the correct section.

I know it's been discussed at length here but, I think I may have a weird situation and I know you guys can help.

I took my daughter's Cherokee Sport in for an oil leak (to a VERY reputable shop).

They got the leak fixed (rear main) and I also asked them to check the front end for any worn components.

He called and said the track bar bushings and upper control arm bushings needed replaced so I told him to do it.

They also added a new steering stabilizer.

I drove it home and on the highway she started shaking so bad, I had to pull over (63-64MPH) It NEVER had ANY wobble before.

So... I took it back to them to FIX and they changed both driver side ball joints, track bar and BOTH wheel bearing and hub assemblies. Car was also aligned.

Drove it on the highway and wobble is still happening.

I took it and had the tires balanced....NO GOOD Still wobbling.

I replaced the track bar bushings and linkage. I also up-sized the bolt for the track bar to axle bracket connection.

Back to the shop to have both upper control arms replaced with new OEM ones......Still Wobbles.

What are they missing?

At this point, I depending on some advice form you fellas and I'll do the work myself over Christmas Break.

I'll be requesting a refund for labor from the shop.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

TDoggs
 
You haven't mentioned anything about the steering? Tie rod ends, drag-link, steering box, and spacer/bolts? Also check the body side track-bar bracket?
 
Hello All,

I hope I'm posting in the correct section.

I know it's been discussed at length here but, I think I may have a weird situation and I know you guys can help.

I took my daughter's Cherokee Sport in for an oil leak (to a VERY reputable shop).

They got the leak fixed (rear main) and I also asked them to check the front end for any worn components.

He called and said the track bar bushings and upper control arm bushings needed replaced so I told him to do it.

They also added a new steering stabilizer.

I drove it home and on the highway she started shaking so bad, I had to pull over (63-64MPH) It NEVER had ANY wobble before.

So... I took it back to them to FIX and they changed both driver side ball joints, track bar and BOTH wheel bearing and hub assemblies. Car was also aligned.

Drove it on the highway and wobble is still happening.

I took it and had the tires balanced....NO GOOD Still wobbling.

I replaced the track bar bushings and linkage. I also up-sized the bolt for the track bar to axle bracket connection.

Back to the shop to have both upper control arms replaced with new OEM ones......Still Wobbles.

What are they missing?

At this point, I depending on some advice form you fellas and I'll do the work myself over Christmas Break.

I'll be requesting a refund for labor from the shop.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

TDoggs


Crawl under the front end while someone cranks the wheel back and forth. Look at and feel every joint for play. Check all the rod ends, trackbar upper mount, steering box isn't moving, control arm bolts, etc. It could be they aligned it incorrectly too, and they did mess with control arms so castor could be way off. Breakout the tape measure and see if you can estimate the toe-in.

You might also loosen the control arm bushing bolts and retorque them. Shops tend to tighten everything up while it's on the lift when you should really torque everything with the vehicle on the ground and the suspension bushings are resting in their normal position.
 
You haven't mentioned anything about the steering? Tie rod ends, drag-link, steering box, and spacer/bolts? Also check the body side track-bar bracket?


I installed a new steering box with a new stiffener a few months back. I’ll check the bolts tomorrow.

I’ll also check all you mention. Thank you.

Crawl under the front end while someone cranks the wheel back and forth. Look at and feel every joint for play. Check all the rod ends, trackbar upper mount, steering box isn't moving, control arm bolts, etc. It could be they aligned it incorrectly too, and they did mess with control arms so castor could be way off. Breakout the tape measure and see if you can estimate the toe-in.

You might also loosen the control arm bushing bolts and retorque them. Shops tend to tighten everything up while it's on the lift when you should really torque everything with the vehicle on the ground and the suspension bushings are resting in their normal position.

I’ll be doing this in the morning as well.

Good suggestion about re torquing the bolts.

Thank you.
 
Alignment?
 
I also confirmed that the leaf springs need replaced.

The shocks have 70K on them. Can THEY be the problem?
 
Nope! It's starting to sound like you need to find a new mechanic!
 
Nope! It's starting to sound like you need to find a new mechanic!

I already FIRED them. I also requested a refund for labor.

But now, I’m feeling like it may be MY fault.

I searched the forum and found a thread whaler a guy said his brakes were sticking and that caused the wobble.

Oddly enough, I changed the pads and rotors BEFORE I took it to the shop.

Like a day or two before.

How are sticky calipers diagnosed? Spin the wheels while on jack stands?
 
Never heard of brake caliper causing that. Brake pull is a good indicator of a bad caliper. I'd take a good look at the track bar frame bracket. They are notorious for getting loose. You had the tires balanced, we're they rotated too?
 
Never heard of brake caliper causing that. Brake pull is a good indicator of a bad caliper. I'd take a good look at the track bar frame bracket. They are notorious for getting loose. You had the tires balanced, we're they rotated too?


Pulsing brakes, bad u-joints, unbalanced or out of round tires can contribute to the problem by providing the driving force, but something still has to be loose or bad for the problem to resonate and grow into full blown death wobble. Like wise a bad steering damper can help the problem by dampening out the wobble but it's generally not the root cause by itself.
 
Never heard of brake caliper causing that. Brake pull is a good indicator of a bad caliper. I'd take a good look at the track bar frame bracket. They are notorious for getting loose. You had the tires balanced, we're they rotated too?

On my 96 the pads wore a grove into the knuckle causing the pads to not release all the way. At freeway speeds it got hot enough to cause binding on one wheel and death wobble.
Easy fix weld the grooves up and grind it smooth.
 
I'd still like to figure out, if it's not the brake work I did, how, changing the track bar bushing, control arm bushings and damper could START death wobble.

I really like this Jeep and want to get it back to driving like it used to.
 
Never heard of brake caliper causing that. Brake pull is a good indicator of a bad caliper. I'd take a good look at the track bar frame bracket. They are notorious for getting loose. You had the tires balanced, we're they rotated too?

No, they were not rotated. I kept the best tread on the front.

Do you think I ought to switch them around?
 
Yes. It's free and tires can often be the cause.

Tires rotated and still wobbles.

I did notice that the sway bar is moving in the mount (hole wallered out) while my daughter turned the steering back and forth.

Here's a silly idea. If I make a video of the joints while my daughter turns the wheel back and forth, do any of you think you might be able to diagnose it?
 
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