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ChattVol

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I’m not a happy Jeeper. My first Jeep and I’ve had it over two years but this happening and me being out of warranty is really pissing me off. Considering it can be many things, it’s going to be expensive to figure out this death wobble.
I have a Steer Smart drag link and Trackbar going in on Monday and if that doesn’t solve the issue, I might be done with Jeep. This death wobble is dangerous and the fact they’re not being proactive about it is really disappointing @JeepCares
Merry Christmas! PM sent...need more info to help. The majority of the time something is loose and I'd follow the algorithm. Depending on where you're at in the diagnosis process, you don't have to start buying expensive parts guessing at a fix. Take a deep breath.. :beer:
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jlsahara

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Merry Christmas! PM sent...need more info to help. The majority of the time something is loose and I'd follow the algorithm. Depending on where you're at in the diagnosis process, you don't have to start buying expensive parts guessing at a fix. Take a deep breath.. :beer:
Thanks for your help through all this and happy holidays!

As noted, I sent this algorithm to my off-road guy and he had said he follows a similar type of process. I picked up my jeep yesterday after installing a new trackball and drag link. He didnt think there was a ball joint issue yet but has seen them go bad at 15k... Either way, the Yeti Pro-Series Track Bar and Draglink were installed. As it's been about 18 hours since I picked up the car and I haven't experience a death wobble or whatever you want to call it (which I should have by now)... I'll keep an eye on it and see if this is a long-term solution.
 

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I’m not a happy Jeeper. My first Jeep and I’ve had it over two years but this happening and me being out of warranty is really pissing me off. Considering it can be many things, it’s going to be expensive to figure out this death wobble.
I have a Steer Smart drag link and Trackbar going in on Monday and if that doesn’t solve the issue, I might be done with Jeep. This death wobble is dangerous and the fact they’re not being proactive about it is really disappointing @JeepCares
*********YESTERDAY I took my 2020 wrangler to Air Park Jeep/ Scottsdale with the wobble issue. After doing research about the class action suit I read FCA issued a service bulletin to add a stabilizer free due to a design error on 2018 up wranglers. BUT the part is backordered and no idea when it will be available. You might want to get on the order list. Will report if it works if I ever get it.
 

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*********YESTERDAY I took my 2020 wrangler to Air Park Jeep/ Scottsdale with the wobble issue. After doing research about the class action suit I read FCA issued a service bulletin to add a stabilizer free due to a design error on 2018 up wranglers. BUT the part is backordered and no idea when it will be available. You might want to get on the order list. Will report if it works if I ever get it.
I already had the stabilizer replaced over a year ago.
The steer smarts drag link and tie rod seems to have fixed my issue for now. We’ll see in the weeks and months ahead.
 

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I have 20k miles on my '18 JLR, and started feeling a very slow wobble at 40mph. Was getting new gears, and the mechanic said "if you restore your caster that should go away, and it'll track better." Had the LCAs replaced to get my caster back into spec, and it does track better but now the wobble is far more noticeable. Based on this list, I'm going to loosen and retorque all the bolts associated with the LCAs.

Apparently, throwing 37s and a 2" spacer into the mix changes angles a bit and makes a system that is already prone to wobble far more susceptible to the issue. 🙄

Update- Everything seems to be torqued correctly, and there is no play in the wheel consistent with a ball joint issue. I contacted my dealer (was given a specific tech who "knows his stuff") and his only suggestion was an adjustable steering dampener (supposedly, he says this has "fixed" the issue on a number of Jeeps- yeah, it is a $350 band aid). He says my Jeep does have the aluminum gear box that is currently being replaced, but says my Jeep's VIN doesn't appear on the TSB... yet.

Hmmm, that independent front suspension on the Bronco is looking a lot more attractive.
 
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Whats death wobble feel like? Because when I was stupid and took my jeep at roughly 170kph around a corner my front end suddenly got light and then i heard and felt something jumping in the front left wheel. Soon as my foot came off the gas it stopped. Wondering now if that was a minuscule amount of death wobble
 

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I have 20k miles on my '18 JLR, and started feeling a very slow wobble at 40mph. Was getting new gears, and the mechanic said "if you restore your caster that should go away, and it'll track better." Had the LCAs replaced to get my caster back into spec, and it does track better but now the wobble is far more noticeable. Based on this list, I'm going to loosen and retorque all the bolts associated with the LCAs.

Apparently, throwing 37s and a 2" spacer into the mix changes angles a bit and makes a system that is already prone to wobble far more susceptible to the issue. 🙄

Update- Everything seems to be torqued correctly, and there is no play in the wheel consistent with a ball joint issue. I contacted my dealer (was given a specific tech who "knows his stuff") and his only suggestion was an adjustable steering dampener (supposedly, he says this has "fixed" the issue on a number of Jeeps- yeah, it is a $350 band aid). He says my Jeep does have the aluminum gear box that is currently being replaced, but says my Jeep's VIN doesn't appear on the TSB... yet.

Hmmm, that independent front suspension on the Bronco is looking a lot more attractive.
A steering stabilizer is not the answer. You have a geometry, tire or wear issue.

The TSB for the steering box I'm looking at isn't broken down by VIN. It states 2018-2020 JL Jeep Wrangler with symptoms of wander or pulling.
 
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Whats death wobble feel like? Because when I was stupid and took my jeep at roughly 170kph around a corner my front end suddenly got light and then i heard and felt something jumping in the front left wheel. Soon as my foot came off the gas it stopped. Wondering now if that was a minuscule amount of death wobble
That's not death wobble...there is no miniscule amount...you know death wobble when it hits, bc you can't drive out of it and it's scary. A little shake is a shimmy. You could have had some bumpsteer hitting a bump. Here's what my jeep was doing hitting bumps at 45 mph...had to slow below 5 mph or completely stop for it to stop...pretty embarrassing during rush hour.:bandit:
 

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That's not death wobble...there is no miniscule amount...you know death wobble when it hits, bc you can't drive out of it and it's scary. A little shake is a shimmy. You could have had some bumpsteer hitting a bump. Here's what my jeep was doing hitting bumps at 45 mph...had to slow below 5 mph or completely stop for it to stop...pretty embarrassing during rush hour.:bandit:

Ouch thats pretty bad!! Kinda scares me thinking about passing someone on the highway now
 

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I have 20k miles on my '18 JLR, and started feeling a very slow wobble at 40mph. Was getting new gears, and the mechanic said "if you restore your caster that should go away, and it'll track better." Had the LCAs replaced to get my caster back into spec, and it does track better but now the wobble is far more noticeable. Based on this list, I'm going to loosen and retorque all the bolts associated with the LCAs.

Apparently, throwing 37s and a 2" spacer into the mix changes angles a bit and makes a system that is already prone to wobble far more susceptible to the issue. 🙄

Update- Everything seems to be torqued correctly, and there is no play in the wheel consistent with a ball joint issue. I contacted my dealer (was given a specific tech who "knows his stuff") and his only suggestion was an adjustable steering dampener (supposedly, he says this has "fixed" the issue on a number of Jeeps- yeah, it is a $350 band aid). He says my Jeep does have the aluminum gear box that is currently being replaced, but says my Jeep's VIN doesn't appear on the TSB... yet.

Hmmm, that independent front suspension on the Bronco is looking a lot more attractive.

Are your wheels hub-centric?
 

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Ouch thats pretty bad!! Kinda scares me thinking about passing someone on the highway now
Nah...my DW didn't hit overnight. It started with a shimmy and progressed. Interestingly, it only happened between 25-45mph. I cautiously took it on the hwy a few times and it never wobbled at high speed.:whew:
 

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A steering stabilizer is not the answer. You have a geometry, tire or wear issue.
Completely agree- personally, I think I might have thrown some wheel weights, and when the offending wheel was rotated to the front it is causing the issue.
That's not death wobble...there is no miniscule amount...you know death wobble when it hits, bc you can't drive out of it and it's scary. A little shake is a shimmy. You could have had some bumpsteer hitting a bump. Here's what my jeep was doing hitting bumps at 45 mph...had to slow below 5 mph or completely stop for it to stop...pretty embarrassing during rush hour.:bandit:
By the "undriveable" definition, I definitely do NOT have death wobble. My wobble is just annoying AF... when the driver's side front tire goes over a bump, I get a steady- but annoying- wobble until I accelerate or brake out of it. I'm getting the front tires balanced tomorrow and hope that will solve this issue. I cannot fathom how annoying a true "death wobble" would be!
 

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A steering stabilizer is not the answer. You have a geometry, tire or wear issue.

The TSB for the steering box I'm looking at isn't broken down by VIN. It states 2018-2020 JL Jeep Wrangler with symptoms of wander or pulling.
I agree- there is no reason why a vehicle with 17k miles on it should have a distinctive wobble when going over a tiny bump. Nevertheless, my dealer is not going to replace the crappy aluminum steering box... at least not yet.

I took my Jeep into Discount Tire today, and they found the front wheels were indeed out of balance. After the tires were brought back into balance the wobble is definitely less noticeable- but I still get a slow wobble between 40-45mph when I hit just the right kind of bump. I'm glad I don't have the severe "death wobble" other Jeeps have experienced. Fortunately, my Teraflex Falcon Nexus 2.2 Steering Stabilizer arrived today (plan to install tomorrow a.m.), which should "mask" the defective suspension design FCA put into the JL. Hopefully I'll have no wobble until they decide to replace the steering box (if I have to, I will eventually just purchase the steel box, which I'm sure is what FCA wants).
 
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SSinGA

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Nevertheless, my dealer is not going to replace the crappy aluminum steering box... at least not yet.

Hopefully I'll have no wobble until they decide to replace the steering box (if I have to, I will eventually just purchase the steel box, which I'm sure is what FCA wants).
You need to contact @JeepCares and discuss the unwillingness of the dealer to perform the TSB. That's BS!
 
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ChattVol

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I agree- there is no reason why a vehicle with 17k miles on it should have a distinctive wobble when going over a tiny bump. Nevertheless, my dealer is not going to replace the crappy aluminum steering box... at least not yet.

I took my Jeep into Discount Tire today, and they found the front wheels were indeed out of balance. After the tires were brought back into balance the wobble is definitely less noticeable- but I still get a slow wobble between 40-45mph when I hit just the right kind of bump. I'm glad I don't have the severe "death wobble" other Jeeps have experienced. Fortunately, my Teraflex Falcon Nexus 2.2 Steering Stabilizer arrived today (plan to install tomorrow a.m.), which should "mask" the defective suspension design FCA put into the JL. Hopefully I'll have no wobble until they decide to replace the steering box (if I have to, I will eventually just purchase the steel box, which I'm sure is what FCA wants).
It's very unlikely the steering box is the culprit. Have you followed the steps in the algorithm in the 1st post and performed them?
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