Anyone actually resolved death wobble?

[fzdan4256]

2018 JLRU , 2in Mopar lift, 35's.......wobble started and has got progressively worse. 9500 miles. She has been in the dealer ship a week......Driving me nuts having a rental !

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[saltyaggie]

2018 JLUS with 20k miles here. DW started around 17/18k miles, installed the Teraflex 2.2 SS and no problems since... I realize that DW is not caused/corrected by a steering stabilizer, but I dont know what else to do. My front end is rock solid, so I think there's a suspension geometry issue at the heart of this. BTW, the Teraflex 2.2 is f'n fantastic - makes the steering so much better than stock and easily adjustable in a few seconds with no tools.

 

[NathanG]

I wonder if this might be caused by a tweeked track bar. When I had my lift put on they told me that the stock one was pretty flexy.

 

[Jeepsterfreak]

I wonder if this might be caused by a tweeked track bar. When I had my lift put on they told me that the stock one was pretty flexy.

That was mentioned in another thread. The track bar might be the main cause either due to flexing or play in the track bar ball ends. Apparently FCA has an updated part # so maybe they made a change?

 

[fzdan4256]

Today is day 8 at the dealership. The service writer called me and said they can't fine the problem. Still working on it...UGH

 

[Eloib]

It surprises me that Jeep has not taken a chance to examine why time can have such a big effect on the JL's vibration modes.

This is a resonance problem, and it is obvious. They need to reanalyze the vehicle kinematics and adjust dampening and K accordingly.

If anyone has access to this:

And suffers from the problem, I will be glad to help you out.

 

[5280]

Do you think the electric steering might need a firmware update? I wonder if it is something in how it sees bump steering and is trying to adjust?

 

[jeremyjeep]

That was mentioned in another thread. The track bar might be the main cause either due to flexing or play in the track bar ball ends. Apparently FCA has an updated part # so maybe they made a change?

Someone posted in another thread that there is an updated part number for the track bar. I checked, there is only the original part number, so no new version of the track bar. There is an AD version of the steering box and an AD version of the OE steering stabilizer, but none for the track bar.

 

[Spartan99]

DW can be traced to any number of imperfections in the steering and or suspension, incuding things as simple as unbalanced wheels and tires, low air pressure, bad tire manufacturing, etc. The potential for DW just part of having a solid front axle. The solution is to keep everything maintained. Once a slight imperfection happens, like a lost wheel weight, the vibrations that might eventually lead to DW have started, and as that vibration occurs, it affects the rest of the front end and the potential increases.

 

[PavementWarrior]

Do you think the electric steering might need a firmware update? I wonder if it is something in how it sees bump steering and is trying to adjust?

I think its likely a factor, my "no data theory crafting" is some the results of a better steering stabilizer are due to interaction between it and computer adjusting steering on with in tolerance vibrations.

I think we all agree everything needs to be dialed in exact: tire pressure and balance, alignment, no loose bolts, no defective gearbox/computer control, no defective stabilizer. And then if you have a lift and wider tires you get additional factors to compensate for.

 

[Rwitzke]

Teraflex 2.2 SS is a great product and it's stopping these syptoms. Even if the Internet experts don't think the SS is the problem. Worked for me.

 

[roaniecowpony]

DW can be traced to any number of imperfections in the steering and or suspension, incuding things as simple as unbalanced wheels and tires, low air pressure, bad tire manufacturing, etc. The potential for DW just part of having a solid front axle. The solution is to keep everything maintained. Once a slight imperfection happens, like a lost wheel weight, the vibrations that might eventually lead to DW have started, and as that vibration occurs, it affects the rest of the front end and the potential increases.

DW can and does frequently occur in other suspension systems. I drove a VW for years that had DW due to worn out king pins. I drove a Ford truck with "Twin I-beam" front suspension that DW'd until the king pins were replaced and the steering box rebuilt. Both are independent suspensions. But I agree, DW can be traced to various causes, almost all of which allow slop in the steering system. I think the track bar could play a role in this if it allows the axle to shift back and forth. But the mass of the entire axle would have to move at the frequencies encountered in DW. I'm just not sure that's possible, but still open to evidence the track bar is a contributor.

 

[jeepthang]

It blows my mind that all these geometry points and connections need to be absolutely perfect in order for DW to be minimized on a vehicle that is meant to be trail-riddin and taken to the most rugged extremes. I'm about ready to pull the trigger on a terraflex 2.2 myself just to make my rig enjoyable to drive again. I don't necessary want to spend out of pocket expenses for a manufacturing defect or flaw in design but these incompetent dealerships throughout multiple appointments with no resolve have me exhausted. Plus I have come to find the more time my Jeep spends at the dealership, the more opportunities there are for inexperienced technicians to practice driving a manual transmission for the first time. Yes, this has happened twice already where I had to drive my own jeep into the service bays.

I absolutely love this Jeep so I am bound to make it right one way or another.

 

[Boston.Irish]

I'll post this over here too!

I have the same issue... 2018 JKU Sport S... completely stock. I've only owned it for 3 weeks.

Started as a slight wobble at 850 miles, got worse by 1,500 miles. The dealer replaced the steering dampener at 1,700 miles. 3 days later, I had death wobble so bad I almost lost control of the vehicle. When I got to the dealership they found that the second dampener failed, the track bar bushings were dried out (it's only 3 weeks old!) and the drivers side rear shock was blown. Oh! yeah, and the rear seat was broken also. Customer care is involved and stated "we're going to try an aftermarket dampener... let's hope that fixes it. if not... we will try something else."
Sorry customer care, but... HOPE IS NOT A GOOD PLAN!
They've had it a week now... no answers.

I'm at the point of putting a mopar lift in it just to try and do anything to correct it... I'm seeing that the terraflex may be better... thoughts?

 

[jlewissystem]

I'll post this over here too!

I have the same issue... 2018 JKU Sport S... completely stock. I've only owned it for 3 weeks.

Started as a slight wobble at 850 miles, got worse by 1,500 miles. The dealer replaced the steering dampener at 1,700 miles. 3 days later, I had death wobble so bad I almost lost control of the vehicle. When I got to the dealership they found that the second dampener failed, the track bar bushings were dried out (it's only 3 weeks old!) and the drivers side rear shock was blown. Oh! yeah, and the rear seat was broken also. Customer care is involved and stated "we're going to try an aftermarket dampener... let's hope that fixes it. if not... we will try something else."
Sorry customer care, but... HOPE IS NOT A GOOD PLAN!
They've had it a week now... no answers.

I'm at the point of putting a mopar lift in it just to try and do anything to correct it... I'm seeing that the terraflex may be better... thoughts?

See if they'll buy you some SteerSmarts parts

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