Death Wobble after wheels got changed

[TheWhites]

Hey all!

We have Jeep Rubicon 2016 (20.000 miles on clock), great condition.

We had wheels (both alloys and tyres) swapped for brand new ones (all got balanced twice now). And since the swap our car is doing the Death Wobble. Which was not happening before the wheels got changed.

Any idea what could have gone wrong while changing the wheels for this to happen, what to look for for first?

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[Deke]

What wheels and tires did you get? What's the backspacing and what's your current tire pressure?

 

[TheWhites]

We bought tyres/alloys as stated in our paperwork:
255/70/R18 (kumho all terrain) and 18" alloys 7.5" wide.

The tyre pressure currenly is 2.2 on all tyres.

What's the backspacing please?

 

[TheRaven]

We bought tyres/alloys as stated in our paperwork:
255/70/R18 (kumho all terrain) and 18" alloys 7.5" wide.

The tyre pressure currenly is 2.2 on all tyres.

What's the backspacing please?

What brand/model of wheels? If your offset changed that could definitely reveal suspension issues you didn't know you had.

 

[TheWhites]

So, we bought these alloys (38mm offset stated in specs):

MAK STONE 5
7.5X18 ET38 5X127 71.6

And these tyres:
Kumho 255/70R18 113T AT52 RoadVenture

Previously, the owner that had the car before us, had illegally installed:
STT Pro Cooper Discoverer tyres 305/70R/18
on KMC XD 18" alloys with 9" width (not sure about the offset)

I cannot find the info on offset of those but it will be defitely different to the new alloys.

I am sorry about my dumbness in this area, I just don't want to go to the car repair shop tomorrow and they will overcharge me unnecessarily so I would appreciate any advise what issues/fix to look for.

 

[58Willys]

Sounds like bent wheel or bad tire. Check all wheels and tires for runout and out of round.

 

[TheWhites]

Sounds like bent wheel or bad tire. Check all wheels and tires for runout and out of round.

Willys the tyres are brand new also the alloys are brand new.

 

[Sublime]

Pics of the setup would help.

Check for runout on the new wheels. Make sure the hubs are centered.

 

[Bandit59]

Willys the tyres are brand new also the alloys are brand new.

. New tires and wheels can be out of round. It can happen

 

[Mudyapster]

You may need an adjustable track bar which keeps the tires and axle centered under under your Jeep.
A Steersmarts track bar would be my brand recommendation, but there are plenty of other brands you can investigate.

 

[bcupton]

I would go to a different place and have them check the tires for rebalancing etc. as well as checking the tires and wheels as mentioned above. I suspect someone didn’t know how to mount them.

 

[VKSheridan]

Something as simple as improving road traction can trigger death wobble on a worn (not worn out) steering system. Added weight such as heavier tires and/or wheels can do the same. Think about how adding a batting weight to the end of a baseball bat makes stopping the swing harder.

Your steering system has wear and the new tires are merely pointing that out. Check your tie rod, control anrms and drag link ends for slop. Check your steering damper for wear or leakage. They don’t prevent wear, they just dampen the effect which is why they’re there. They like to show their weaknesses when the temperatures get colder so it could just be timing with your tire swap.

 

[Wabujitsu]

Pushing the tires farther out, with a different offset, changes the scrub radius, which could be taxing your 2016 components, which may have already been on the edge of death wobble. If that’s the case, have the ball joints looked at too - in addition to all of the other advice here.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

Are the wheels hubcentric? If not, the slightest mistake in mounting the wheel to the vehicle can cause vibration.

 

[Tech Tim]

Any idea what could have gone wrong while changing the wheels for this to happen, what to look for for first?

What brand/model of wheels? If your offset changed that could definitely reveal suspension issues you didn't know you had.

^^^This right here^^^

However, with the stock offset being +44, if those new wheels are 38mm, I wouldn't think that a 6mm difference is enough to cause big issues.

I would start by checking your ball joints. Make sure they are tight and torqued to spec.
Then check your front track bar and move out to the tie rod and draglink ends.

Do you have a lift?
Do you know what your caster is set at?

I just noticed, this is a JK, yes?

Are the wheels hubcentric? If not, the slightest mistake in mounting the wheel to the vehicle can cause vibration.

On many IFS equipped vehicles, hub centric wheels are needed. On a live axle 4x4, lug centric wheels are fine.

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