I just bought a 96 XJ with a 3.5" lift. The problem is that as soon as you get over 45 MPH and hit a bump the front end starts shaking really bad. We made sure the tires were balanced, replaced the trac bar and relocated it to put front end back under it strait, new stering stabalizer. Has anyone else had any problems like this? Any suggestions would be great.
This is my first Jeep so I don't know alot about them. Last truck was a 94 Toyota.
Thanks,
James

excessive toe in will cause DW, as well as caster changes, so it's probably a combination of both (better check balljoints while you're at it, how many miles ore on it?)

I have a Tomken 6" lift on my 98 XJ, and it came with a trackbar drop bracket. The bolts that hold the drop bracket to the frame like to work their way loose over time, and this causes death wobble at about 45 mph. Tightening these bolts makes the DW go away.

I would check that as well as everything else that has been mentioned.

- norton -

If you relocated the track bar, you'll need to the same to the steering. IE, if you got the RE track bar with the drop mount, or the Skyjacker bar that mounts on the top of the axle, you need to make sure the steering is at the same angles. Try getting a drop pitman arm, or use a ZJ pitman arm and some over-the-knuckle steering to get the angles back.

TOE!

I agree,
1. Alignment!!
2. Tighten every thing, Track bar brackets, Steering box bolts, Control arms, steering links, jam nuts....

When my alignment gets aroung 1in toe-in it always happens.:D

Big tires bounce NICE:eek:

It has 94,000 mi. I'll try to adjust the toe and check the bolts on the trac bar. Thanks for the help.
James

You went to the dark side. How could you?:flipoff2:

hmmmm,,,,,mine's doing exactly the same thing and I just put in a new tie rod.....interesting.....where's that tape measure????

Also check to make sure that the UCA and LCA bushings are in good shape and that the arms are fine. The stock crap isn't up to the job and is wasted easily. My DW was due to a slightly bent UCA that I hadn't noticed for a while.

just to elaborate,

The Drag Link and The Trackbar should have the same angles. This doesn't necessarily mean they should be parallel, because if they are different lenght and parralell, you will have bump steer issues. You want the ratio of rise (differecne in height of center of joint at axle/steering knuckle and height at frame-end trackbar mount/pitman, respectively) to length to be the same. This way they scribe the same arc's when the suspension is compressed going over bumps.

Or you can just trailer the vehicle and nver exceed 5MPH, then don't worry about geometry.

good luck

SeanP

I had horrible death wobble. I'm talking tilres bouncing so bad I was hitting the bump stops:eek:

Then I replaced the trackbar with an RE one.
I was using a RE trackbar bracket with a rustys trackbar.
Let me tell you that the the difference between the RE trackbar and the Re trackbar is liekt he diference between a 2 year olds dingaling and a grown mans dingaling.
The RE trackbar has balls while the rusty's one is pre pubecent.

So most of the deathwobble is gone now.

I still need to check my tierod and draglink.
I also need to see if the Balljoints are bad.
Alignment Probably not good ( bent tierod )

Non balanced trires don't help either

Monkeyboy:

Read my lips: NO MORE RUSTYS.

I am done with that fawka. His steering damn near killed my wife and I.

SeanP

Sean

What would you suggest for a quick easy but stronger steering?

My ends are shot and I need to do something and I also do not want to go the rusty's route.

Being out here in CA I need to get the steering ASAP. Dealing with Rusty's takes a week to get the shit. anjd that is if everything goeas smoothly.
Last time I ordered from him the damn exhaust took 3 weeks.

I was thinking of calling Currie or RE to see what they can do for my steering.

MB,

I hear good things about the latest generation of Curries. Their first gen used bad steel from Italy and was crap. They are in the process of changing out all of their customers that bought the old stuff, so I am not sure what their lead time was. I just built my own steering and I absolutely love it. I was so used to rusty's unresponsive steering that rolled on the TRE's and left a big dead spot.

Heres the parts list:
7 feet of 1.25 or 1.5" .250 wall DOM, $4.50 a foot= $31.50
4 3/4" teflon heims @ $21=84.00
4 weld in 3/4" inserts (2 left, 2 right threaded) @ $8=$32
2 weld on tabs with 5/8" hole @$2=$4
2 misalignment spacers for the pitman heim @$1=$2

So for about $150 you can build a stout steering set up that can be swapped to a D44 in the future. I drilled out my knuckles to 5/8" in a drill press (i guess that you could do this with them on the axle but I am a little anal). Tie rod is over the knuckle now, which gains about 2.5-3" which helps steering angles with big lifts. I have the RE track bar and I shortened it and put a heim on the end with another insert ($29 adidtional). I cut off the old axle track bar bracket and the sway bar link to clearance the tie rod at full turns. I built a support on the axle for the track bar and made my measurements to reduce bump steer (see my post above). It works and is stout. The draglink connects to the tie rod about 6" inward from pass knuckle via the two weld on tabs and a heim. The only place that I used the heim spacers was at the pittman arm, which is necessary for clearance when you droop the pass side.

It was a little involved and you need to have access to a tubing bender to put two small bends into the new draglink. Let me know if you go this way I can give you my list of "gotchas."

SeanP

I just checked my alignment (tie rod is bent again....) and I'm way out. I'd assume that that is the cause of my 'Death wobble'. I'll post if that fixes it.

SeanP hey can you tell me the "gotchas" of this setup you are using? I've been looking at building a different setup for my XJ for awhile now. Got any pics too?

Death wobble causes:

front tires out of balance
front alignment out of spec
loose track bar
worn track bar bushings
worn track bar end
need adjustable track bar
bad bushings/joints in control arms
worn/damaged steering stabilizer
worn/damaged shocks
worn/damaged tie rod end
bad U Joint
bad ball joint
loose frame mount
steering box looseness
need drop pitman arm
driveshaft(s) not balanced

Originally posted by AthlonAJ
SeanP hey can you tell me the "gotchas" of this setup you are using? Got any pics too?

Nah...
...SeanP is just a web wheeler, a pansy ass pavement prowler poseur, never been off road.
:flipoff2: :D


Jes

Originally posted by hardcore4wd.com
Death wobble causes:

front tires out of balance--SOMETIMES
front alignment out of spec--dEFINATELY
loose track bar--DEFINATELY
worn track bar bushings--YEP, YEP
worn track bar end--SEE ABOVE
need adjustable track bar--MORE LIKE THE CULPRIT OF BUMP STEER
bad bushings/joints in control arms--LESS LIKELY, BUT STILL SOMETHING TO CHECK
worn/damaged steering stabilizer--WHAT'S A STEERING STABILIZER?? SOMEWHAT LIKELY
worn/damaged shocks--NOT THE DREADED DEATH WOBBLE THAT COMES THRU THE STEERING WHEEL AND MAKES THE AXLE FEEL LIKE IT IS MOVING LATERALLY UNDER FRONT END. EASY TO RUL OUT BY CHECKING MOUNTS AND RESPONSE, THOUGH
worn/damaged tie rod end--SOMEWHAT, EASY TO DIAGNOSE
bad U Joint--HAVEN'T SEEN THIS ONE
bad ball joint--YEP
loose frame mount--HELL YEP
steering box looseness--YEP, AGAIN (ASK ME HOW i KNOW)
need drop pitman arm--THIS DEALS MORE WITH BUMP STEER THAN DW.
driveshaft(s) not balanced--NOT DEATH WOBBBLE, JUST DRIVELINE VIBES

good list, thanks for playing.

SeanP

no pics yet of the new steering. Jes, you smart ass! I have a second set up that I made for spares all ready to go for your jeep. We just need to fab the axle mount for trackbar/sway bar link/steering stabilizer (see Naviks). Steering to be bartered for some carpentry work.

SeanP

Originally posted by SeanP
MB,

I hear good things about the latest generation of Curries. Their first gen used bad steel from Italy and was crap. They are in the process of changing out all of their customers that bought the old stuff, so I am not sure what their lead time was. I just built my own steering and I absolutely love it. I was so used to rusty's unresponsive steering that rolled on the TRE's and left a big dead spot.

Heres the parts list:
7 feet of 1.25 or 1.5" .250 wall DOM, $4.50 a foot= $31.50
4 3/4" teflon heims @ $21=84.00
4 weld in 3/4" inserts (2 left, 2 right threaded) @ $8=$32
2 weld on tabs with 5/8" hole @$2=$4
2 misalignment spacers for the pitman heim @$1=$2

So for about $150 you can build a stout steering set up that can be swapped to a D44 in the future. I drilled out my knuckles to 5/8" in a drill press (i guess that you could do this with them on the axle but I am a little anal). Tie rod is over the knuckle now, which gains about 2.5-3" which helps steering angles with big lifts. I have the RE track bar and I shortened it and put a heim on the end with another insert ($29 adidtional). I cut off the old axle track bar bracket and the sway bar link to clearance the tie rod at full turns. I built a support on the axle for the track bar and made my measurements to reduce bump steer (see my post above). It works and is stout. The draglink connects to the tie rod about 6" inward from pass knuckle via the two weld on tabs and a heim. The only place that I used the heim spacers was at the pittman arm, which is necessary for clearance when you droop the pass side.

It was a little involved and you need to have access to a tubing bender to put two small bends into the new draglink. Let me know if you go this way I can give you my list of "gotchas."

SeanP

I drilled out my knuclkes while mounted, I took my time and did the final once over with a nice rounded hand file. I would highly reccomend a NEW and high quality drillbit, its important.

my plan was to mount over the knuckle but my track bar bracket is directly over the tierod when over the knuckle. So it would limit upward suspension travel. The track bar bracket would contact the tie rod long before the axle kit the bump stop. So I have to wait till I throw in some adj arms to shift my axle about .5in forward.

The distance between the arrows is about 4.5inches
no fun.

have fun..

4.5inches between arrows

holy chit, Batman. I don't have that problem on mine. I did extend my wheelbase a little to accomodate wheel stuffage earlier this year. Easy to do with the long arms, your caster stays the same, but the wheelbase changes.

SeanP

I had really bad DW on my TJ. Turns out I had a vad tie rod end.

Originally posted by SeanP


We just need to fab the axle mount for trackbar/sway bar link/steering stabilizer (see Naviks).

SeanP

Hmmm... I'll have to go up the street and look at it.

Jes

Originally posted by hardcore4wd.com
Death wobble causes:


worn/damaged steering stabilizer


If a worn settring stabilizer gives you the DWs, you'd better find out what's really wrong. Steering sabilizers don't cure DWs but merely hide the cause

Toe adjustment cured about 90% of my "Death Wobble". I'm going with some new tie rod ends, and some new control arm bushings, and maybe some balancing thrown in to fix the rest.....