• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Chasing death wobble/steering problems

POSJ said:
The way I fixed my death wobble on my old Jeep was with hydro assist....because the hydraulic ram was an oversized steering stabilizer/dampener. That being said the real issue with my death wobble was a single sheer frame side panhard mount. The bolt had maybe 1/16-3/32" side to side play...It was the wrong way to fix the problem, because all I did was mask it. This thread is annoying...
Click to expand...

I agree. I have been following this thread from its inception and chuckle a lot from certain posts. There are some on here who now what they are saying. Some make authoritative statements that are all wrong and there are others that are plane argumentative.

I started working as a mechanic in the early 1970's in the British Caribbean. Since then every vehicle I have come across that have a solid front axle including those with leaf springs have some sort of steering dampener. Most of them back then had am idler arm bolted to the chassis and connected in some way to the steering arms. Early VW beetle buses and others had a dampener similar to the XJ. The one thing they all had in common was a steering box not a steering rack and pinion.

Fast forward today. My DD is a 1994 Toyota pickup, independent front suspension, a steering box, and yes,...a steering dampener similar to the one on the XJ.

Does a bad dampener cause death wobble? I doubt it. Would a good dampener prevent death wobble? It will not. Would a vehicle perform negatively without one? I do not think so. As a matter of fact, there are many here who can/proves that it is not necessary.

My XJ have a perfect steering dampener and a bad case of death wobble,...so much so that I now where every road imperfection is in and around Jacksonville that allow speeds of 50 MPH and higher. I do realize the old lady is due for new ball joints, new TRE's (all four) new bushings in the LCS's new tires and an alignment.

Please note,...The dampener is a larger after market unit that is in perfect or near perfect condition. I know that because I pulled it off earlier today and tested it.

There are plenty of really good posts on this forum. The OP just need to separate the "I KNOW IT ALL" posts from those that are actually helpful.
 
Bryan C. said:
Death wobble and a steering shake aren't the same thing. Death wobble is a violent shaking of the entire axle from side to side. Usually caused by a worn track bar or suspension links. A steering stabilizer will not fix this since it bolts to the axle itself. A steering stabilizer will mask the shake caused by worn steering joints or out of balance tires. Seems to me that you don't know what death wobble is.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure when I'm going down the road at 55 mph, hit a bump, and the steering wheel nearly breaks my wrists, and the guy riding beside me see my front wheels shaking like crazy, and the only way to stop it is to bring the Jeep to a virtual stop, I've seen DW.
 
My power locks don't work any more. I'm wondering if it's because I took my steering stabilizer off a couple years ago. Guys? Help me out?

Seriously, I've not had a dampener on my XJ for a couple years now. I got some new motor mounts and a double sheer track bar, and make sure my TREs and ball joints are in good nick. my driveline angles stay correct, and I service my driveshafts regularly. I'm in good shape.
 
My first bout with dw was slight. I was told to change my stabilizer. In all fairness it was shot. However that wasnt the problem. With a new stabilizer the vehicle was un drivable. Even at 15 mph the wobble was violent and constant.

They are a mask to other real problems. They are designed to lessen shock loads on steering components. They can not cure death wobble. Coincidence maybe. But its a mask for sure.

I havent had a stabilizer on my jeep since that first time. A proper alignment, balanced tires and components in good shape will not let that wobble happen.
 
seanof30306@yahoo. said:
This isn't a new problem, and it's not limited to Jeeps. Many vehicles with straight front axles experience death wobble.

My grandfather had a 1964 Ford Econoline pickup that did it right off the showroom floor.

My old man's 69 F-150 did it too.
Click to expand...
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You have proclaimed your ignorance! You cite two (2) vehicles that never existed, not to mention your ignorance of the accursed "power assist" steering.

If some bump-steer almost "broke" your wrists, you should get off the keyboard and do some wrist curls.

BTDT wore out the T-Shirt... :roflmao:
 
Ignorance atop ignorance!

I'll give you the Econoline Option, even though it did not come with a steering damper.

Show me a FOMOCO advertisement for a 1974 F150... I'll call BS on that as well. :roflmao:

If your internetz skillz can conjure up an image of a pre-1975 Ford truck with a steering damper, I'll challenge you for the Ford part numbers.

Better yet, just don't go there...

ba222d4c051ac1471c314eeddc70f9bc.jpg
 
Hypoid said:
Ignorance atop ignorance!

I'll give you the Econoline Option, even though it did not come with a steering damper.

Show me a FOMOCO advertisement for a 1974 F150... I'll call BS on that as well. :roflmao:

If your internetz skillz can conjure up an image of a pre-1975 Ford truck with a steering damper, I'll challenge you for the Ford part numbers.

Better yet, just don't go there...

ba222d4c051ac1471c314eeddc70f9bc.jpg
Click to expand...

Here are my exact words:

seanof30306@yahoo. said:
This isn't a new problem, and it's not limited to Jeeps. Many vehicles with straight front axles experience death wobble.

My grandfather had a 1964 Ford Econoline pickup that did it right off the showroom floor.

My old man's 69 F-150 did it too.
Click to expand...

Please show me where I said anything suggesting either vehicle had a steering stabilizer.
 
If anything can be taken from all of this, it should be that Firestone service out of Tulsa has hands down the best customer service available. Can you imagine the type of customers they would have to deal with?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Northbound said:
If anything can be taken from all of this, it should be that Firestone service out of Tulsa has hands down the best customer service available. Can you imagine the type of customers they would have to deal with?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Good point. lol...
 
scottmcneal said:
Did the OP ever fix his problem? To much BS in this thread.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Kind of hard to tell but from his original post, DW is gone and now just shimmy. With everything he's already done, I'd be replacing ball joints next and looking at control arm bushings. As a dd, I wouldn't mess with the box spacer until last unless there is obvious movement of the box itself indicating the oe spacer likely disintegrated.
 
30 miles from completing a 1200 mile trip, hit a large pavement break at 70 mph and experienced "death wobble" for the first time. Stopped and checked the obvious (drive shaft, loose tires) and nothing obvious.

Before I tackle the front end, could DW come from the rear end ? I've got bad shocks there (front are new). Rear u-joint is new. Could bad rear shocks cause some form of axle wrap or wheel hop forcing something on the back end to go hay wire ?

Have a Dana 35 with trak-lok. Could the rear wheels hopped and somehow triggered the limited slip ?

New 235R75 BF Goodrich Rugged T/A's...eveyrthing else bone stock (96 XJ, 2 door, manual 5 speed, 248,000 miles)
 
mn96xj said:
30 miles from completing a 1200 mile trip, hit a large pavement break at 70 mph and experienced "death wobble" for the first time. Stopped and checked the obvious (drive shaft, loose tires) and nothing obvious.

Before I tackle the front end, could DW come from the rear end ? I've got bad shocks there (front are new). Rear u-joint is new. Could bad rear shocks cause some form of axle wrap or wheel hop forcing something on the back end to go hay wire ?

Have a Dana 35 with trak-lok. Could the rear wheels hopped and somehow triggered the limited slip ?

New 235R75 BF Goodrich Rugged T/A's...eveyrthing else bone stock (96 XJ, 2 door, manual 5 speed, 248,000 miles)
Click to expand...


On a stock XJ the only thing I would check in the rear is that the u bolts on the axle to the leaf springs are tight. Not to be a Nazi but at over 200k on the that jeep I would take the time to just freshen the entire front suspensions and steering components if you have any doubt on component age, especially if you want to keep DW out of your driving experience brah.

Ball joints are a must, spicer for those.
Wheel/unit bearing if they are looking old and crusty and not smooth just turning by hand, Timken for that(keep the old ones as spares on your shelf).
Replace the bushings in the control arms with new rubber. WJ bushings are supposed to be a good upgrade from stock.
New trac bar if that rod end is toast. Inspect where the trac bar mounts on the axle. If that bolt hole is wallowed out you need to fix that problem.
New Tie Rod Ends or just a new steering system from quadratec or wherever if you want everything new.

Probably take an entire weekend to do the job. Longer if a lot of rusty bolts are going to be encountered. :peace:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
Which steering box brace? Bearing or not?
Replies
7
Views
393
75SV1
7
T
1 Ton steering clearance issues
Replies
9
Views
866
XJChang
X
E
Steering Redo.... Questions before I dive in.
2
Replies
28
Views
1K
RCP Phx
R
ehall
steering overhaul
Replies
7
Views
148
Evan03
E
R
I F***ed myself........
Replies
4
Views
2K
RCP Phx
R
Back
Top