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2022 Xtreme Recon with Death Wobble

XtremeRecon

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Ordered my Recon back in April and finally got it in August. I noticed when hitting bumps with the passenger's side front tire first, that I would get a little wiggle in the steering wheel. Thought it might just be the cheap BFG KO2's that come with the Jeep Recon. Didn't think to much about it.
Only a little over 1000 miles on the odometer, it has gotten to the point that I parked it in the garage.
Heading towards work I hit the usual railroad tracks. There is also a slight curve to the right, so the passenger's side hits first. Well let's just say the front end went into a severe death wobble. I pulled over immediately to stop the wobble.
Turned around and went and got my old 13' JKR (This is my built jeep for offroad) and took it to work.

Items I have installed after I parked it:
Synergy Brace: installed this when I first got it to help with the wandering it had. Not a fan of the steering assist in these new Jeeps.....
Teraflex Leveling Kit-wanted a little lift, but didn't have the $$$ for a full lift kit.
Teraflex front and rear track bar-align axles after puck kit install.
Clayton Overland + front/rear adjustable control arms-to correct caster.

So far, to fix the death wobble, I installed a steer smarts drag link flip, and steer smarts axle side track bar bracket. This is to make sure they are level with each other and the ground. All items have been torqued to specified instructions.
On my 13' JKR, I experienced DW, but it had been built and also had 40K on the odometer. It needed ball joints and everything was happy again.

I'm thinking that the tie rod or the ball joints, even though we checked to make sure they are tight, might be the culprit.
The Jeep has not even been offroad.....just has been on the pavement.
It's pretty sad that Jeep uses such cheap components on a $65K Jeep. From reading the forums, it seems like I'm not the only one that is having the exact same issue, whether it's a rubicon, sahara, or sport model.

If you have any thoughts as to what it might be, please post up.......before I buy ball joints and a tie rod......there isn't much more that it could be......
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Tech Tim

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Have you checked that your ball joints and tie rods etc are tight?

Many people have food them to be loose from the factory.

We've seen a few brand new JLs and JTs come through the shop that the ball joints have been finger tight.
 
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XtremeRecon

XtremeRecon

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Have you checked that your ball joints and tie rods etc are tight?

Many people have food them to be loose from the factory.

We've seen a few brand new JLs and JTs come through the shop that the ball joints have been finger tight.
Yes, we checked them and torqued to spec. They were not loose. That leads me to believe that the Recon might have faulty parts......Just put an order in through NorthRidge4x4 for the teraflex adjustable ball joints......see if that helps. The only thing left after those is the tie rod.
 

Tech Tim

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Yes, we checked them and torqued to spec. They were not loose. That leads me to believe that the Recon might have faulty parts......Just put an order in through NorthRidge4x4 for the teraflex adjustable ball joints......see if that helps. The only thing left after those is the tie rod.

Thanks for the order XR, those TeraFlex adjustable ball joints are really nice.
 
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XtremeRecon

XtremeRecon

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Well just ordered the steer smarts tie rod.
Took another look at it and it's just soooo cheaply made. Very easy to move the whole thing with very little pressure.
My thought is that everything else that I did, made the Jeep solid, the weak link is the tie rod. Something has to give when hitting a bump. That would be that cheap pressed fit tie rod that comes on our expensive Jeeps.
So once that comes in, we will install the tie rod, then we are going to do another test drive. Also going to put a camera under there to see what happens.
Keeping fingers crossed that it gets all better.....
If not then I'll move onto the ball joints.
 

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With the taller XR springs and the leveling kit you may not have enough caster…might benefit from geo brackets or longer or adjustable front lower control arms.
 

Rico1111

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I have never had it until a couple of weeks ago, passenger tire felt like it was out of balance. I hit a bump, not big...while making a small bend on the highway and bam it started. I checked all components nothing loose(totally stock)! Then when changing my oil..rotated tires and the passenger went to driver rear. Problem solved! The tire seems out of round (it literally wants to lean and fall to the floor toward the lettering) but it is fine on the back? I Have always rotated with oil change and up until a couple of weeks ago had no issues. The tires still have a decent amount of tread also. I'm a little over 48000 so once it gets cycled to the tailgate and then cycled back into rotation, I will probably order new tires. So my point for mentioning is it could be a tire and not components!
 
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XtremeRecon

XtremeRecon

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I forgot to mention that I have clayton upper/lowers front and rear adjustable control arms.....My caster is good......
 
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XtremeRecon

XtremeRecon

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I have never had it until a couple of weeks ago, passenger tire felt like it was out of balance. I hit a bump, not big...while making a small bend on the highway and bam it started. I checked all components nothing loose(totally stock)! Then when changing my oil..rotated tires and the passenger went to driver rear. Problem solved! The tire seems out of round (it literally wants to lean and fall to the floor toward the lettering) but it is fine on the back? I Have always rotated with oil change and up until a couple of weeks ago had no issues. The tires still have a decent amount of tread also. I'm a little over 48000 so once it gets cycled to the tailgate and then cycled back into rotation, I will probably order new tires. So my point for mentioning is it could be a tire and not components!
That seems strange that a tire would do that. I only have 1000 miles on it so far.
 

Rico1111

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That seems strange that a tire would do that. I only have 1000 miles on it so far.
Tell me about it! I thought so too! but like I said I rotated it into the Jeeps driver rear and problem gone. I was driving the last couple of weeks like an old lady so It wouldnt happen again and that same spot that would set it off I avoided until I rotated them. Go Figure! I like to drive lets say sporty! so when that happens at speed it can freak u the fk out!
 

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Xtreme recon with a spacer lift and nothing to correct the dreadful caster…I wonder what it could be? Not to state the obvious, but new LCA’s are almost mandatory on a stock height rubicon. You’re sitting 2-3” higher on stock control arms. I’d be willing to bet your caster is in the 3’s at best. Get the caster to 7° and you’ll be amazed how much better it drives.
 

Zandcwhite

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I forgot to mention that I have clayton upper/lowers front and rear adjustable control arms.....My caster is good......
Good according to Jeeps low caster spec, or actually good like high 7’s? I find 7.5°-8° to be the sweet spot on our JLUR personally.
 

mwilk012

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Cheap KO2’s? Point me in the direction of some of those, I could use a bunch of them.

You likely introduced the problem with the installation of your pile of parts. You’ve affected the geometry significantly and it’s showing it’s face. A good steering stabilizer would help.
 
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XtremeRecon

XtremeRecon

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Cheap KO2’s? Point me in the direction of some of those, I could use a bunch of them.

You likely introduced the problem with the installation of your pile of parts. You’ve affected the geometry significantly and it’s showing it’s face. A good steering stabilizer would help.
A pile of parts? If you read my first post, this started when it was brand new and stock. If you know anything about lifting a jeep, you need track bars, drag links, etc and they need to stay level to each other. You have to have correct geometry in order to keep everything in spec.
I have built over 10 jeeps and never had this problem..........
A good steering stabilizer will just mask the problem, not help it.
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