another death wobble thread (not trackbar)

First off, it's not the trackbar! It's new and the mounting holes are not oval'ed.

ok, here's my setup. RE 5.5" springs (around 6.5" lift), TNT radius arms, Currie steering, JCR trackbar, HP30, no steering dampener. New hubs and steering installed back in November, new trackbar installed Tuesday. Toe alignment is out a little bit, I can see it and see that the front tires aren't wearing correctly, which I believe is causing an occasional slight wobble starting around 30mph. The real death wobble problem is if I hit a bump with only one of the front tires at speed (20+). Goes bezerk in the usual DW fashion. If I hit the bump with both tires, it's fine. I thought it was due to the trackbar (had play where the two pieces joined) but after a test-drive, was quickly shown otherwise. I don't have a steering stabilizer at all, but I doubt it would prevent this DW.

Any ideas what I could do to cure this? All of the suspension are either new or in good shape (including radius arm ends). I'm not sure about the shocks (5150s), though... they don't seem to be as firm as they used to be. The only problems I can identify is the slight toe-out and the tires starting to wear funny. Could the axle caster or steering geometry (Currie steering with almost 7" of lift, original pitman arm, trackbar in original locations) have anything to do with this? I'm going to try to put on a steering stabilizer this weekend, but I doubt it'll be a magical fix. Also going to fix the toe and rotate the tires.

meh.... I should have searched better. so many death wobble threads to look through... The "similar thread" below started by DrMoab has a lot of blame placed on the tires and alignment that I have to fix that before I start looking for more exotic problems.

Ok, bumping this back up...

I replaced the tires and fixed the alignment, but still experienced near-constant death wobble at speeds above 20ish. Talk about annoying! I needed to get it driveable so I put on a skyjacker steering dampener and it acted civilized again. However, you can feel a shimmy occasionally but never gets to full DW.

I talked to a local guy with a lot of fabrication experience and his thought was that the steering geometry was likely to blame. Combination of factory location trackbar mounts and the Currie steering. Thinking back, my occasional DW issues before the Currie steering kit were from a bad trackbar. And since installing the Currie kit the DW has been a continuous issue. Anybody have input about this?

I'm really considering selling this thing and getting a stock JK Rubi... lol

What are you caster angles?

Nothing wrong with factory trackbar mounts and currie steering.

How did you "fix" the alignment?

muddeprived said:

Nothing wrong with factory trackbar mounts and currie steering.

Click to expand...

I agree, I had currie steering and an RE 1660 track bar for years without a problem.

Now that I've raised my trackbar with the JKS axle mount, I have DW too. Pretty sure my TB bushings are to blame, which I'll be replacing today.

Check your steering box mount to the frame, or see if the sector shaft in the box is moving around when you steer. Does the frame side track bar bracket move when you steer? Even though it's bolted on tight, it could still move around. Mine is welded to the frame and the DW actually broke the welds in one spot.

Check you lower control arm bushings. Mine would be fine if i hit any bump head on with both wheels, but get severe DW when making a slight left bend turn and hit my left wheel on a bump. Thats what this sounds like to me

Have you retorqued everything since the install? A few things I've run across in the last three months
of comprehensive search are:
Trackbar (you mentioned this isn't your problem)
Steering geometry (specifically: tie rod not parallel to track bar)
Uneven ball joint wear
Odd tire wear (eliminated in your case)
Alignments not staying "aligned"
Axle U-joints
Tie rod end(s)
Lower control arms mount/bushing
Caster adjustment brackets bent/damaged
Steering box mount tweaked

I'm hoping this list is a lot of "already checked that" sort of stuff on your end. I've run through all of this and its still wobbling... one thing I have read on most posts/blogs/articles: stabilizers only mask the problem by absorbing the rapid changes/vibrations coming through your steering. They wear out prematurely and the wobble will sneak up on you.

There are 2 videos for diagnosis to search on youtube that are helpful, and one article that involves causing the wobble on purpose and having someone watch your rig shake from the front; different visible signs mean different worn parts.

I'll try to find some links that have been informative for me to share.

muddeprived said:

What are you caster angles?

Click to expand...

This!
The lack of a steering dampener isn't helping either but I just remedied my DW by adjusting my caster back into spec. I installed some 15x8 soft 8s and that's when my DW started, had some tire balancing issues in the beginning but fixed that in a hurry. Unless you have adjustable uppers or radius arms this really can't be done. With 4" of lift and stock uppers and lowers my caster was at the very minimum spec at around 5*, the long arms allowed me to bring it up to 8*

thanks for the input guys, I do know that the drivers side ujoint is stiff but didn't think that could have anything to do with DW. Just been lazy about replacing it. About the only thing on the list I'm not sure about are the balljoints. I didn't see any shaking the tire with the axle supported, but that's not exactly scientific.

I have been getting a weird steering bias, a bit of play when steering to the right, but tight (normal) when steering left. Weird caster, perhaps? I guess I need to find some level ground (driveway is sloped) and check the caster out.

whatevah said:

thanks for the input guys, I do know that the drivers side ujoint is stiff but didn't think that could have anything to do with DW. Just been lazy about replacing it. About the only thing on the list I'm not sure about are the balljoints. I didn't see any shaking the tire with the axle supported, but that's not exactly scientific.

I have been getting a weird steering bias, a bit of play when steering to the right, but tight (normal) when steering left. Weird caster, perhaps? I guess I need to find some level ground (driveway is sloped) and check the caster out.

Click to expand...

Do you mean you can feel it in the wheel? Or at the tires? If that seems unclear I mean does it feel like "slack" in the wheel when starting a turn? Or that "flop" sort of feeling at the wheels?


As far as ball joints go: they're an easy little day project, and relatively cheap. The feel they add to your steering is rewarding for the task, and you're knocking another possibility out on the front end.

I just finally sorted my own case of DW out yesterday by disassembaling my whole front end, and re assembling and properly torquing all my hardware. I also greased everything. In my case, I think the source of my wobble was the drag link at the pitman arm. Really all this goes to prove is that magic is real...

death wobble i had a few months back was tracbar bushings.

The feeling is at the wheel. Turn the wheel left and it feels normal. Right it right and it's "sloppy". Not like dead space where nothing happens, but like stuff is shifting kinda like bad trackbar bushings or an ovaled mount. But, new trackbar and the mount is tight. Turn it back to the left and after it gets through the sloppy area, it's tight again. I've been wondering if maybe the unibody is cracked, but my steering box bolts go through to my AJs Offroad bumper, so that *should* as as a steering box brace. I guess I really need to get somebody to turn the steering wheel while I lay under it

sounds like you're on the right track as far as the steering goes. Keep an eye on what's going on at the knuckle as well. Just have your front end jacked up and watch while someone cycles it. Have you checked your joints on your steering shaft going into the box?

i would get a drop pitman arm

I haven't had time to work on it, but did get a chance to look things over. the sloppy steering is the TRE at the pitman arm. I'll try tightening it and hope that works. If not, order a replacement from Currie.

Maybe that's the source of the DW, too... maybe. Right now I'm working on trading in my 2006 Charger Daytona on a 2012 JK Rubicon, so my time (and money) is tied up in that. lol