Camber and my death wobble what is left?

[spdyracer]

I'll try to make this short and sweet. 98 Cherokee Dana 30, rubicon 4.5" lift. Started to have death wobble issues and here is everything I have replaced new double sheer rubicon track bar, synergy ball joints, new rubicon upper control arms, rebuilt my lower control arms, have a newer serious off-road utk 1 ton stearing, new control arm bushing on the axle hell I've even put on a new trans bushing and brown dog motor mounts on. Have a brand new tire that was the spare on front left and the othe three are still in good conditioon with plenty of tread left, 33" Micky Thompson mtz with new raceline wheels. Now for the alignment just had done everything in spec except the right camber that is -1.4. Could this be what is causing the wobble? I'm starting to be at a loss because I have pretty much rebuilt the front end and this is the only thing that I can find that is off now. Any thoughts and should I try to fix the camber?

 

[planewrench]

I don't think the camber issue would cause your death wobble, but it could be addressed with an offset ball joint. What is your caster setting? Try to get as much caster as possible while avoiding front driveshaft vibration. Kind of a juggling act. Tires worn evenly, balanced? Be sure there is NO slop in the steering. Do you have a good steering damper? Have you tried swapping tires around?
It doesn't take much to set off DW with larger tires.

 

[acruz95]

Could be a bad u-joint on the drive shaft. I had death wobble and started changing front end components and looked at my rear drive shaft and there it was.

 

[CarbonXJ]

Could be a bad u-joint on the drive shaft. I had death wobble and started changing front end components and looked at my rear drive shaft and there it was.

:huh:


OP, definitely check to make sure there is NO slop in the steering; not even the shadow of a doubt of movement. Swap tires with a buddy and see what that does.

 

[mikerhyne]

Check your steering box for play. I have a pretty similar set up and started with a durango box upgrade (after trying a reman stock) and that had much less play than the stocker and then replaced pretty much everything else in the front end like you. I am putting in another durango box this week to see if I can get rid of my play in steering. My wobble is completely gone with an OME stabilizer but there without it. I want to get rid of the play and hopefully the wobble too with another steering box.

 

[IslanderOffRoad]

:huh:


OP, definitely check to make sure there is NO slop in the steering; not even the shadow of a doubt of movement. Swap tires with a buddy and see what that does.

.

I had it caused by a steering box whose bolts had disintegrated

 

[spdyracer]

Thanks for the ideas. I think I'll have to look at the stearing box. My stearing wheel has a bad habit of not always being centered. Some times it is and other times it points more too the right then other times more too the left. I'll have to look at it and see if it's lose. I do have jcr spacer on it but maybe the bolts have loosened up.

 

[831_xj]

If it's constantly moving your adjustment sleeve probably isn't tight on the drag link.

 

[XJLI]

If your camber is that off, check the axle. The housing or inner C could be bent.

 

[old_man]

Thanks for the ideas. I think I'll have to look at the stearing box. My stearing wheel has a bad habit of not always being centered. Some times it is and other times it points more too the right then other times more too the left. I'll have to look at it and see if it's lose. I do have jcr spacer on it but maybe the bolts have loosened up.

What you are describing would normally be caused by the track bar being loose or the holes egged out. A cracked or shifting track bar bracket can also cause the problem.

 

[spdyracer]

Just double checked bolts on he track bar and steering box. Everything was tight but I did crank them down a little more. Had my son move the steering wheel back and forth quickly while I was under it. Had a popping in the steering. Started taking the bolts out so I could check the spacer and as I did the steering box started leaking,never ending with this thing. Spacer was good put it back together and still has a pop. No movement in the track bar that I could see.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

You wont see it. Youll feel it

 

[spdyracer]

I was feeling it also and the place I could feel it the most was putting my hand on the steering box.

 

[jeeptec]

Check your steering stabilizer. Are all the tires the same. Ballanced properly. What is your toe and caster set at. You only mentioned your camber is negative. Bent knuckle on housing causing camber to be negative. Never seen camber to cause wobble.

 

[spdyracer]

Have no steering stabilizer, all tires are the same and have been balanced. Toe on left is -0.02 and right is -0.05 caster right is 6.6 and left is 7.0. Think I'll check the track bar bolt hole on the axle and see if it's ovaled out at all.

 

[RoyalXJ]

If one front tire has alot more tread then the other it can cause a wobble

 

[jeepNphotog]

I replaced all the same things but to include the pitman arm $80 part. It drives like new, a complete 180. I'm no master Macanic, but the pitman arm is the only difference between what you did and what I did.

 

[spdyracer]

Thanks I'll check my pitman arm. Does make me think that I did have to drill it out for the one ton steering maybe it's working loose

 

[AXEKICK]

Any luck?

 

[DeftwillP]

I don't think the camber issue would cause your death wobble, but it could be addressed with an offset ball joint. What is your caster setting? Try to get as much caster as possible while avoiding front driveshaft vibration. Kind of a juggling act. Tires worn evenly, balanced? Be sure there is NO slop in the steering. Do you have a good steering damper? Have you tried swapping tires around?
It doesn't take much to set off DW with larger tires.

Ding ding we have a winner...come on down. Skip, tell him what he's won!

I'll bet a beer that this has something to do with it.