Bad idea?… Opinions.

[NyRey87]

Have you gotten under there and looked for any movement that shouldn’t be happening? My go to for DW is always the track bar. That’s the first thing I check. Try grabbing it yourself to see if there’s any play. Also have someone turn the steering wheel while you’re looking at alllllll the components down there.

The track bar is tight and won’t budge at all, but the Tierod and Draglink seems to wiggle slightly, idk if that’s normal but the bolts are all really tight.

As much as I would love to pretend I am no mechanic, but I am mechanically inclined and a tinker by nature, so I’ve been able to test things to the best of my limited abilities.

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[19 JLUR Bright Whit3]

My $.02. Check you track bar. There should be no play. Replace with a stout one. Again, just MHO.

 

[rohdawg]

“trackbar looseness is like the classic cause of DW going back decades, followed (IMO) by ball joints.”
This ?

 

[NyRey87]

My $.02. Check you track bar. There should be no play. Replace with a stout one. Again, just MHO.

Just got down under the Jeep and I can’t budge the track bar in any direction AT ALL, I also can’t get the bolt any tighter than the shop tightened it to.

 

[Remorseless]

The track bar is tight and wrong budge but the Tierod seems to wiggle idk if that’s normal but the bolts are all really tight.

As much as I would love to pretend I am no mechanic, but I am mechanically inclined and a tinker by nature, so I’ve been able to test things to the best of my limited abilities.

A good idea to have someone turn the wheel back and forth aggressively while the Jeep is idling on the driveway or something and you're watching the linkages. There's a lot of pressure put through the power steering system that can bring out weird movements/popping in the steering and suspension that you just can't get at by tugging on it.

Your caster seems fine if it's 6+, so not a geo issue IMO. Definitely still leaning towards trackbar > ball joints > tie rod/drag link > everything else being the path of investigation.

 

[srt20]

I did a lift this spring and had “unwanted shimmy” after. I was advised that ball joints and or drag link/tie rod can contribute.
Replaced them both, I used Rock Jock steering and I forget which BJs (popular brand but not rebuildable), and my shimmy is gone. I forget what I set my castor at, but I know its quite high, like over 7* maybe even around 8*.

 

[19 JLUR Bright Whit3]

Just got down under the Jeep and I can’t budge the track bar in any direction AT ALL, I also can’t get the bolt any tighter than the shop tightened it to.

All good. Place a camera on each end and turn the wheel back and forth. Review the footage. I had it and it was a bad bushing in the track bar.

 

[NyRey87]

A good idea to have someone turn the wheel back and forth aggressively while the Jeep is idling on the driveway or something and you're watching the linkages. There's a lot of pressure put through the power steering system that can bring out weird movements/popping in the steering and suspension that you just can't get at by tugging on it.

Your caster seems fine if it's 6+, so not a geo issue IMO. Definitely still leaning towards trackbar > ball joints > tie rod/drag link > everything else being the path of investigation.

I read up on the Death Wobble Sticky thread and I do need to have someone turn the wheel while against the curb I think it’s called for? I’ll have to check again. No one home right now to help me with it

 

[falcon241073]

You never said how many miles on the stock ball joints you’re replacing.

Are the track bar and drag link parallel to each other? (Same angle).

definitely have someone aggressively turn the steering wheel back and forth while you lay under and look at each bolt on each part as they do that.

 

[NyRey87]

All good. Place a camera on each end and turn the wheel back and forth. Review the footage. I had it and it was a bad bushing in the track bar.

Great idea, good thing I still have a GoPro laying around somewhere

 

[NyRey87]

You never said how many miles on the stock ball joints you’re replacing.

Are the track bar and drag link parallel to each other? (Same angle).

definitely have someone aggressively turn the steering wheel back and forth while you lay under and look at each bolt on each part as they do that.

750 miles give or take

 

[NyRey87]

My $.02. Check you track bar. There should be no play. Replace with a stout one. Again, just MHO.

Curious, recommendations for Trackbar? Really hoping the one I have is still good, it’s only got 5-6000 miles on it. No Hard off-roading either

 

[falcon241073]

750 miles give or take

Wow. So your Jeep is basically brand new? Hmmm…. Yea I doubt it’s the ball joints or a wallowed out bolt hole with only 750 miles on the Jeep. So bad bushing maybe. They can be bad from the factory. Rare with quality parts but it’s happened.

but check the drag link and track bar to make sure they are close to matches as possible with their angles. That can cause death wobble.

 

[19 JLUR Bright Whit3]

Curious, recommendations for Trackbar? Really hoping the one I have is still good, it’s only got 5-6000 miles on it. No Hard off-roading either

I have the Rock Krawler adjustable track bar. My original set up had me reuse my stock one with a bracket. Its all about geometry. (I wished I paid more attention in HS math) I have over 4in of lift and it cruises at 80mph with one finger on the wheel. (not recommended) LOL

 

[jaymz]

Just an FYI. There’s not a stabilizer on earth that will “fix” death wobble. Best case scenario it’ll mask the problem until either the cause gets worse, or the stabilizer wears out.

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