Adrunkdrussian
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I purchased a 2021 JLUR pretty recently, and had some minor issues with it here and there, but most of it got sorted through our local dealer, including a paint repair due to the corrosion issue and all shocks being replaced. I decided to have a lift kit installed, the 2" Mopar Fox shock kit and around 2 days after the install, I hit a bump on the highway and started death wobbling all over the road.
Decided to take it back to the shop that installed the lift kit and make sure they didn't jack anything up, but everything checked out other then the drag link on the pitman arm side. The way we found it was that when moving the steering wheel a little bit left and right, you'd feel a small click in the ball joint. Accordingly, when I would move the ball joint after removal, you can feel the notch in the joint. After a quick trip to the dealer for some OEM parts, I decided to swap them out.
I read all the guides on here and the other forums about how its impossible for a drag link to be the cause of the death wobble, and how some people claim it can be. I'm here to add my 2c to the argument and say that it definitely can. after fighting the pitman arm for a few hours, it was out. My solution to popping it out is a 4lb sledgehammer, and this 10$ tool from Harbor Freight.
I went at it from the drivers side with the wheel turned all the way left for a few hours before I realized that I'm braindead. If you go at it from that side, the fork end of the separator is impacting the ball joint arm and won't go all the way in. The trick is with the wheel almost all the way left, go at it from the front left side of the bumper, almost where the fog lights are, it'll give you the right angle to get it all the way in. 10 hits later it was out.
The install was super easy, and we're back on the road. I don't have any videos of the shaking or the ball joints, but enjoy this picture from our last trip to the Pine Barrens
Decided to take it back to the shop that installed the lift kit and make sure they didn't jack anything up, but everything checked out other then the drag link on the pitman arm side. The way we found it was that when moving the steering wheel a little bit left and right, you'd feel a small click in the ball joint. Accordingly, when I would move the ball joint after removal, you can feel the notch in the joint. After a quick trip to the dealer for some OEM parts, I decided to swap them out.
I read all the guides on here and the other forums about how its impossible for a drag link to be the cause of the death wobble, and how some people claim it can be. I'm here to add my 2c to the argument and say that it definitely can. after fighting the pitman arm for a few hours, it was out. My solution to popping it out is a 4lb sledgehammer, and this 10$ tool from Harbor Freight.
I went at it from the drivers side with the wheel turned all the way left for a few hours before I realized that I'm braindead. If you go at it from that side, the fork end of the separator is impacting the ball joint arm and won't go all the way in. The trick is with the wheel almost all the way left, go at it from the front left side of the bumper, almost where the fog lights are, it'll give you the right angle to get it all the way in. 10 hits later it was out.
The install was super easy, and we're back on the road. I don't have any videos of the shaking or the ball joints, but enjoy this picture from our last trip to the Pine Barrens
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