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Got death wobble today...

smcdonaldaz

smcdonaldaz

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Litchfield Park, AZ
Exiting the freeway @ about 60, passing over a tight line of reflectors. That really sucked. First time it's happened but I kind of suspected it was coming. I have been feeling little bit of wobble now and then but it always stopped. Guess it's time to get under the rig and see what's loose. Maybe a full set of bushings are in order for the old gal.

Has anyone documented just what happens during death wobble? What kind of motion is it, up and down, side to side, orbital?
 
well on my old xj what happend i would hit the same bump and it would happen everytime...it went side to side till i slowed down to about meh i would say like 5-10 mph then stopped. i noticed that my tie rods were bent so i replaced those and got an alignment and it was normal again. but when it happend to me it was side to side
 
Put in new lower and track bar bushings and WOW what a difference. I borrowed Autozone's ball joint press and it went well other than having to wedge some scrap wood spacing to keep it from buckling. All in all only about 3 hours. I'll get the uppers done in a couple weeks. You know, it's a mazing how little there is to the control arms once you pull the bushings. I think I'm going to look for some aftermarket control arms.
 
that would be a good idea i would get adustable if i were you. i would but i gotta fix all the leaks and u-joint before i can do anything else and im always low on money
 
My 98 started to do it not too long ago. I put the jeep in the air and checked anything out that wasn't tight. All 3 tie rid ends were shot, wheel bearings, upper ball joints, and even after all of that my jeep still shook. I had my tires balance and it's perfect now. It can be multiple things, if it has play or is starting to go, don't wait until it's no longer an option. Do it now.
 
Everything on my 88 was tight, turned out to be the steering stabilizer and wheels out of balance. My buddy had a 96 and a stabilizer took care of his.
 
88 Wagonman said:
Everything on my 88 was tight, turned out to be the steering stabilizer and wheels out of balance. My buddy had a 96 and a stabilizer took care of his.
Click to expand...

Replacing the stabilizer is only a bandaid. Once it wears out (and will quickly) the shake will come back and all you have done is wasted the money on the stabilizer. Find what is wrong and fix it!
 
Replacing the stabilizer is only a bandaid. Once it wears out (and will quickly) the shake will come back and all you have done is wasted the money on the stabilizer. Find what is wrong and fix it!
Click to expand...
Well so far my "Band-aid" has lasted 4 years and 80,000 miles. Man do I hate it when I "waste" my money on things that fix the problem.
 
88 Wagonman said:
Well so far my "Band-aid" has lasted 4 years and 80,000 miles. Man do I hate it when I "waste" my money on things that fix the problem.
Click to expand...

Since this thread is probably going to go way out of hand like every other freakin thread with "death wobble" and "steering stabilizer" mentioned, I'll go ahead and say I agree with you. The same "Band-aid" has lasted me 10 months and 20,000 miles thus far with zero problems...and I drive a lot of highway with bad pot holes/ruts in the road, and occasionally it will see a little off road time.
 
99XJSPORT06 said:
Death wobble on a old Bronco:

And when it caught me at 60, I too was everywhere. And i'll bet it scared the hell out of you too!
Click to expand...

It sure did, fortunately I had already exiting the freeway anf there was a huge gravel area to pull out onto. I sat there for a few and wonder how I dodn't soil myself! :laugh:
 
First let me say that I'm not disagreeing with the SS fixes you had. The first thing I did when I bought my cherokee was to swap the SS because the steering seemed too light and the whole steering experience was "squishy". The SS was only a minor help for me. Obviously after swapping the bushings I know what an effect they have on the steering experience. In a couple weeks I'll do the uppers. I'm actually looking forward to seeing if they will make as drastic a change.
 
Which bushings did you replace again? I think I've started to experience some similar problems, but I think mine is one of my ball joints starting to go bad...

Thx...
 
Redsnake said:
Which bushings did you replace again? I think I've started to experience some similar problems, but I think mine is one of my ball joints starting to go bad...

Thx...
Click to expand...

I replaced the trackbar and lower control arm bushings. I'll do the uppers in a couple weeks

I didn't have any clunking, the best word I can come up with to describe the feeling is squishy. If I put my hands at 10 & 2 on the wheel and quickly moved each back and forth to the 12 position the body would kind of just rock like my mom's old AMC shagin' wagon, I mean staion wagon. It's much tighter now. Tommy likey!
 
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