Experienced my first Death Wobble

[Lil Ronnie]

I just had my first ever death wobble while driving out for lunch. Went over a manhole and everything just started to shake violently so I had to pull over to the side to get it to stop. I have a 2019 JLU Rubicon that I've owned since Nov 2018. I lifted it with the 2" Mopar lift kit back in Sept 2019. No issues or whatsoever up until today. The only difference was that I just installed a Fox 2.0 TS steering stabilizer last night. Now my question is could it actually be the new steering stabilizer itself? I've heard of people saying that steering stabilizer often masks the death wobble issue so could it have been the OEM stabilizer masking the issue? I would be surprised because I would assume an aftermarket stabilizer would stronger and thus mask the death wobble issue even better.

What's the next step I should take to figure this out? Should I ask Fox for a replacement unit?

TIA!

I know. I'm an idiot but the dealer will not even admit to this happening. So I found low tire pressure on the front tires "does" impact death wobble. Air is cheep. Check first. Later I had tires wearing unevenly and the DW started again then I bought new tires it stopped. Just sayin'!

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[Steveo]

I vote for BJs

 

[Rodeoflyer]

IF you have an aftermarket trackbar, its THE trackbar.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Steering stabilizers don’t cause death wobble.

 

[cns721]

New track bar arrived today! In the process of installing it right now. Just checked the drag link and noticed a slight play as seen in the video below. Is this normal?

 

[Roky]

New track bar arrived today! In the process of installing it right now. Just checked the drag link and noticed a slight play as seen in the video below. Is this normal?

The movement of the joint is ok, they’re designed to rock back and forth, but I thought I saw some movement in the pressed joint. I don’t like that…..

 

[Northridge4x4]

Hard to tell on my screen, but that doesn't look good.

 

[cns721]

The movement of the joint is ok, they’re designed to rock back and forth, but I thought I saw some movement in the pressed joint. I don’t like that…..

There’s no movement on the pressed joint. I just double checked and confirmed there is no movement other the slight up and down movement. I’m gonna drive over to the local dealer and check one of the JLs there to see if they have the same movement.

 

[cns721]

Just checked out 7 JLs. 5 of them had the same movement as my drag link while the other 2 did not move at all. I’m going to assume it’s normal, especially with @Roky’s word lol

Now here’s to waiting for a replacement track bar since the one arrived today was defective

 

[mwilk012]

New track bar arrived today! In the process of installing it right now. Just checked the drag link and noticed a slight play as seen in the video below. Is this normal?

It’s hard to tell from that angle. How much of that is slack in the joint? Rotation is normal.

 

[Upnarms]

Maybe I missed it, what size and brand/ model tires are you running and how many miles on the tires?

I got my first dw on my 19 UR with 23k miles on the factory bfg ko2s 33s. Tires wore down enough to get a little out of balance and with the barely sufficient factory track bar/ tie rod/drag link the dw started.

1st upgrade was the steer smarts yeti xd trackbar. Dw gone. Got 35s falken wildpeak at3s. Keep them balanced and rotated at least every 5k miles so far good but a slight shimmy before I did the last rotation and balance. I def believe a beefy tie rod and drag link are needed and I got the ss sector shaft brace ready to put on. 35s it bigger you really need to swap out factory steering components.

If you are running factory tie rod and drag link and not the beefiest stiffest bushing track bar you can find, you are asking for dw. Just my opinion but from my experience as well. In my 03 TJ, other than some stiffer side walled tires and a synergy super hard tb bushing replacement, nothing solved the dw better.

Tires are a huge component in setting off the chain of events, don't overlook that. Real squishy thin side walls dont help.

 

[cns721]

Maybe I missed it, what size and brand/ model tires are you running and how many miles on the tires?

I got my first dw on my 19 UR with 23k miles on the factory bfg ko2s 33s. Tires wore down enough to get a little out of balance and with the barely sufficient factory track bar/ tie rod/drag link the dw started.

1st upgrade was the steer smarts yeti xd trackbar. Dw gone. Got 35s falken wildpeak at3s. Keep them balanced and rotated at least every 5k miles so far good but a slight shimmy before I did the last rotation and balance. I def believe a beefy tie rod and drag link are needed and I got the ss sector shaft brace ready to put on. 35s it bigger you really need to swap out factory steering components.

If you are running factory tie rod and drag link and not the beefiest stiffest bushing track bar you can find, you are asking for dw. Just my opinion but from my experience as well. In my 03 TJ, other than some stiffer side walled tires and a synergy super hard tb bushing replacement, nothing solved the dw better.

Tires are a huge component in setting off the chain of events, don't overlook that. Real squishy thin side walls dont help.

I'm running Mickey Thompson MTZs 35x12.5, about 20,000 miles on them.

I just installed the Yeti track bar today and unfortunately the DW is still happening. It actually shook more violently this time.

 

[Roky]

Did you ever check the ball joints ?

 

[cns721]

Did you ever check the ball joints ?

I jacked up the tires and checked for movement by hand as well as putting a pry bar underneath, no movements nor shifting. Is there another way I should be checking the ball joints?

 

[Roky]

I jacked up the tires and checked for movement by hand as well as putting a pry bar underneath, no movements nor shifting. Is there another way I should be checking the ball joints?

That’s how you do it, just make sure there’s not any movement… the slightest movement is exaggerated by the 5K ish pound Jeep……Double check the torque on drag link, tie rod and lower control arms…… make sure everything is tightened to spec…. The fact it showed up with a new firmer ss and it increased in severity with new track bar, is usually a sign that something is loose or a bushing is worn out, or bad ball joints.……It’s likely you’re gonna have to get the credit card out…….

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