Got Death wobble? Look inside... Death Wobble checklist.

[Georgia boy '88]

So I feel like every week we have another person log on and ask how to solve their death wobble. Really if you're willing to search and sort through threads you'll always find the answer, but maybe some guys are discouraged, because it isn't labeled clearly in the title. If this is you then this thread is for you, because guess what... Your Jeep with a bolt on lift is nothing special and neither is mine.

If you have death wobble follow these simple steps and you will find your problem 95% of the time.

Just follow the standard death wobble/shimmy checklist.
-make sure all bolts are tight
-check tie rod ends for play
-check track bars for play
-have alignment checked
-check bushings to make sure they're in good condition
-check balance of wheels and tires
-play with air pressure of tires
-check unit bearings
-check ball joints
-check for a bent wheel or out of round tire

If your death wobble wasn't caused by something listed, please add it to this thread for reference.

[sandaddik2]

my steering stabilizer caused mine



to be more specific on the alignment part of it, having too much toe in our out will cause it or not enough caster causing your wheels to act like the front wheels of a shopping cart at the grocery store

[mrblaine]

Originally Posted by sandaddik2

my steering stabilizer caused mine



to be more specific on the alignment part of it, having too much toe in our out will cause it or not enough caster causing your wheels to act like the front wheels of a shopping cart at the grocery store

When new IH Scouts were delivered to customers, what was the caster set at?

[Georgia boy '88]

Originally Posted by sandaddik2

my steering stabilizer caused mine



to be more specific on the alignment part of it, having too much toe in our out will cause it or not enough caster causing your wheels to act like the front wheels of a shopping cart at the grocery store

I would say your steering stabilizer masked the problem, but if it's a small enough problem that a stabilizer can cover it, then I don't see a problem with using that fix.

Originally Posted by mrblaine

When new IH Scouts were delivered to customers, what was the caster set at?

Oh oh I know... 0 degrees

[sandaddik2]

Originally Posted by Georgia boy '88

I would say your steering stabilizer masked the problem, but if it's a small enough problem that a stabilizer can cover it, then I don't see a problem with using that fix.

nahh, if you go thru your check list of what to do then you should be able to run without a stabilizer. i was able to run (i did it once down my street) 35 inch tires with 10psi no stabilizer and no sway bars on it without death wobble. make sure its all tight and itll be good everytime...

[playdead]

I need all the help I cant get. I get the wobble around 40mph + or - a little when hitting a bump and it is so bad have to almost stop. It feels like the axle is going to rip right off. I have search for days on this issue and I think I have checked and tried everything. Here's what I got. Recently purchased a 2007 JK. It had a 4 inch superlift on it, procomp exp3001 shocks on front and procomp exp4500 on rear, front adjustable track bar,stupid wheel spacer/adaptors running 35" BFG AT KO's. I have installed the adjustable superlift rockrunner upper and lower control arms, Drop pitman arm, BDS trackbar raising bracket, BDS stabilizer, JKS quick diconnects, front and rear coast drivelines. Since all of this was done it still does it. Had the caster set at 3.6 on the left and 4.0 on the right by ORW. Toe was at 1/8 in. Camber is -.03degrees. Still did it. Had the wheels balanced several times by different shops, did not help. The track bar has a new hiem on it and the frame side holes are not ovaled out. All bolts are tight and torqued. Also loosened all of the bolts and retightened them when it was setting on the ground. Had the dealer replace the ball joints and the tir rod end on the pitman arm under extended warranty. They told me that my tires were the problem. To soft side walls. I had them set the caster at +5.87 on the left and +6.47 on the right. It still does it. I got a set of stock wheels mounted my tires on them to eliminate the wheel and spacer. Still did it. maybe not as often. Borrowed a set of wheels and tires from af freind(BFG KM2 tires 33") Still did it. By the way I have taken off my stabilizer so not to hide the problem. I even adjusted the toe to be out 3/8". It seems to help but it still does it sometimes. I need some help!!!

[djljeep]

Never worked on a JK beside trail fixes, but why are you running a different caster right to left? I don't even know how that is possible. I could be stupid though, its happened before. From what I have read you want Caster to be in the 6-7+ degree range.

[Wild Hare]

Originally Posted by sandaddik2

my steering stabilizer caused mine



to be more specific on the alignment part of it, having too much toe in our out will cause it or not enough caster causing your wheels to act like the front wheels of a shopping cart at the grocery store

if your front end is correct you shouldn't need a steering stabilizer.

[Randyzzz]

Make sure there is no play in the steering intermediate shaft. Should be on the list.

[nissandoms47]

Also check the wear on your tires, I had a 2005 cummins that I replaced the entire steering setup the most updated kind, still wobbled, thought it was the leveling kit so i took it off and still wobbled, shocks were replaced, stabilizer was replaced, control arm bushings were replaced and it ended up being weird wear on the tires.

[JDKing]

on the JK, look at the axle end of the track bar, bet its loose or moves. even a cunt hair of movment will set it off. seen it on a couple of jk's. get someone to turn the wheel and watch it for any movement in the bushing, then replace it.

[georgiaboy2500HD]

over extended trailing arm bushings is what cuased my buddies death wobble... of course, the idiot did shove in some fullsize bronco coils without extending the trailing arms... his bushings were already dry rotted, and got torn when they stretched. had to convince him to cut and extend the arms (with some "new" arms from the junkyard that had good bushings)... fixed it right up!

[mrblaine]

Originally Posted by Wild Hare

if your front end is correct you shouldn't need a steering stabilizer.

The steering stabilizer is the single cheapest insurance you can toss at your steering system. Tires hit millions of imperfections per mile of travel and each one that forces the tire to move other than perfectly straight ahead will create forces that the damper will mitigate.

Running a heavy duty damper on your steering is just smart business. It protects you, your expensive steering components and does actually lead to a bit more pleasure in regard to your driving experience.

[mrblaine]

Originally Posted by Georgia boy '88

So I feel like every week we have another person log on and ask how to solve their death wobble. Really if you're willing to search and sort through threads you'll always find the answer, but maybe some guys are discouraged, because it isn't labeled clearly in the title. If this is you then this thread is for you, because guess what... Your Jeep with a bolt on lift is nothing special and neither is mine.

If you have death wobble follow these simple steps and you will find your problem 95% of the time.




If your death wobble wasn't caused by something listed, please add it to this thread for reference.

Death wobble is only caused by one thing. How it manifests itself may be through many things, but the root cause is always weakness or wear in any of the components that turn the tires or control the axle as in locate it under the rig.

You can take a DW beast of a rig and toe it out and the DW will disappear which then leads folks to believe incorrectly that alignment was somehow responsible. It's not now nor has it ever been. All the alignment did was mask the real issue by changing the dynamics that were and still are the root cause.

There are a few cases of DW in stock rigs, very very very few. Where DW shows up is when we swap on larger tires and heavier rims WITHOUT a corresponding increase in the size and strength of the components that steer and locate the axle.

[Bubba_Jeep]

Originally Posted by playdead

I need all the help I cant get. I get the wobble around 40mph + or - a little when hitting a bump and it is so bad have to almost stop. ----- Had the caster set at 3.6 on the left and 4.0 on the right by ORW. Toe was at 1/8 in. Camber is -.03degrees. Still did it. ----- I had them set the caster at +5.87 on the left and +6.47 on the right. It still does it. ---- I need some help!!!

Can't change caster side to side on a solid axle, unless you cut the knuckles free and physically rotate, then re-weld.
You can spoof an electronic alignment machine to indicate caster changes from side-to-side by fiddling with toe and steering centering to compensate for lengthening upper control arms on one side, while shorting the opposite control arm; but, in my opinion, you fucked up your alignment. I'd wager your "thrust angle" is now off due to forcing the axle not to set square under the front.
I went through this with a local alignment shop, trying to solve a pulling to the right after building my front D44. Bottom line, the knuckle on one side was installed differently than the other side Caster and camber).
Unfortunately, for you, this will not cause "death wobble".

[cagle]

This list needs a bump. The search is your only friend