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wobble on take off

S

smalltownbird

NAXJA Forum User
Location
newport news,va
Alright here is the deal. I put a rc 3" lift on my 99xj. I the put on 15x8 cravat soft 8s with 3.75" backspacing. I got some pretty bad death wobble so I started to replace front end parts. Here is what I did: drivers side sway bar end link is new, adjustable trac bar, zj tie rod and replaced draglink tie rod and other end of zj tie rod, and new brakes and rotors. There is a wobbling noise on the passenger side when I start from a start. What could it be? The sway bar is loose enough that when I hit it with a hammer it moves side to side. Could that be it?

Preston
 
The one thing that it wouldn't be is the swaybar.Check your unit bearings and steering/suspension while parked and with someone working the steering wheel.Look for any movement on all the parts!Check the wheels for run-out,hows the tires/balance?
 
Castor Angle. Alignment shops rarely adjust castor. Put an angle finder on the top of the ball joint and tell us what you've got.

A unit bearing is basically the wheel bearing. Remove the wheel, brake caliper, bracket and rotor and you'll be looking at the unit bearing with the wheel studs in it. Remove the 3 13mm 12 point bolts from the back of the knuckle and tap it out with a mallet.
 
My alignment is off. After putting the tracbar in today the steering wheel is turned half way instead of straight up with the wheels straight. By the way, does anyone know where to get extended sway bar endlinks?

Preston
 
Seeing that you only have 7 posts, I'd like to say welcome to the forum. There is a ton of info here and the search function will help you. An alignment is a must after a lift. Either doing it yourself or a shop. Now, when you say "wobble", Do you feel it in your seat, steering wheel, where?

RE, JKS, RC and i'm sure the list can go on and on for sway bar links
 
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I've been lurking for a while and have done a lot of searching. He wobble is something I can hear. I hear it coming from the passenger side like something is shaking from side to side.

Preston
 
smalltownbird said:
I've been lurking for a while and have done a lot of searching. He wobble is something I can hear. I hear it coming from the passenger side like something is shaking from side to side.

Preston
Click to expand...
Check that your wheels are installed correctly, I know sound stupid, but it happens. Check unit bearings as suggested too. Check the toe also.
 
What do you mean installed correctly? Everything was fine until I did the brakes. I drove it for about 2 months after the loft before I did the brakes. The day after changing them I had death wobble and.this front end wobble ever since.

Preston
 
Ill check the wheels to male sure they are on tight although I think I've had them off a few times since it started. What about the control arms? Any chance they could wobble if they are old?

Preston
 
smalltownbird said:
What do you mean installed correctly? Everything was fine until I did the brakes. I drove it for about 2 months after the loft before I did the brakes. The day after changing them I had death wobble and.this front end wobble ever since.

Preston
Click to expand...

(italics added)

You do not want anything more clear than that. To re-phrase your post;...'the day after I did the brakes I had death wobble'.

:idea: Re-trace your steps.
 
That's what I've been doing but I can't figure out what it could be. The death wobble happened 6 times. I was driving about 40 miles to a meeting and after the first time kept it slow but it still happened 5 more times. Each time was more violent then the last. The 6th one was So bad change popped out of the ashtray and I was pretty sore. Is there any chance an axle shaft broke or would that be a constant problem?

Preston
 
OK here is some more to ad to the problem. When making a long left turn like through an intersection the front passenger side makes a sound like I'm drifting. The tire howls. Also when maintenance slower turns like into a driveway the passenger side tire will hop like it is catching on something. I'm going crazy with this thing.

Preston
 
Ok after lifting my jeep on take off id have kindof what you are explaining.. I thought it was the hub and or wheels I really couldn't figure it out.. when I was wheelin going up hills from a stop then at about 5-10 mph id feel a thunk thunk thunk on my feet and it would sound like it was coming from the front passenger side. So I got under the jeep pushed up on the transfercase and it was moving freely ended up being my trans mount. Not sure if that's what's going on but it won't hurt to crawl under and push up on the tcase and see if its moving causeing whta you are explaining! Good luck!
 
smalltownbird said:
OK here is some more to ad to the problem. When making a long left turn like through an intersection the front passenger side makes a sound like I'm drifting. The tire howls. Also when maintenance slower turns like into a driveway the passenger side tire will hop like it is catching on something. I'm going crazy with this thing.

Preston
Click to expand...
Brake caliper sticking? Will the P side wheel spine freely/smooth when off the ground?
 
The wheel does spin smoothly off the ground. I'm going to try an alignment on Wednesday and see where that gets me. I'm thinking the whole thing is out since putting the trackbar in. What are the chances the control arms are bad? Something is bouncing to the point where I can feel and hear it on take off. I'm more worried about fixing that than death wobble.

Preston
 
Ok got it aligned today and puton new swaybar endlinks and swaybar bushings. I thought maybe my swaybar was moving side to side on take off because the bushings were so bad. The wobble/knocking is still there. The jeep feels tighter and handles bumps a little better but something is still loose. Everything but the control arms is now new. Any more suggestions?

Preston
 
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