Lift kits and death wobble

[WXman]

It's all about geometry.

Strength of parts is important, condition of bushings is important, and tightness of steering components is important. But nothing trumps the importance of proper geometry.

That's why Lite Brite had her death wobble go away after doing the flip kit and relocation brackets. Geometry is king.

Sponsored

 

[Rock Krawler Suspension]

Find a road where you can duplicate it and take some videos. I walked in the door with 4 videos and posted them as private for them to view on my youtube page.

That almost looks like a front end shutter and not as bad as all out death wobble. But it could be an early indicator that death wobble is about to come. But, a true death wobble is way worse than that. You might need seat covers is that makes you nervous if you get full death wobble. Good luck finding your solution.

 

[Tech Tim]

Let's discuss some main causes of Death Wobble:

• Uneven tire wear
• Improperly or unbalanced wheel/tires
• Loose hardware (nuts, bolts, etc.)
• Worn suspension components
• Worn ball joints, tie rod ends etc.
• Loose or worn steering box
• Bad track bar to draglink angles (usually only and issue with tall lifts)
• Bad alignment, including bad caster angle
  
• Bad shocks or stabilizer
• Bolts are loose in their bores

These are new rigs, not enough miles on them to see big wear yet. So we can scratch a bunch of those off the list.

I would start out with getting under the rig and tightening everything. Literally take a wrench and/or socket on every single nut and bolt you can find.

Hit your tire shop and have them check balance of your wheel/tire assembly.

Have you had a full 4 wheel alignment? You typically don't have to align live axle 4x4 after a mild lift, but it might be something to check.

We have 3 JLs here at Northridge4x4 (employee owned). Two of them have lifts, our Red JLUR has a 2.5 EVO and 37"s and the Sahara ha a 2" Daystar and 35"s. Both drive down the road beautifully and neither have exhibited any signs of DW.

 

[Rock Krawler Suspension]

Let's discuss some main causes of Death Wobble:

• Uneven tire wear
• Improperly or unbalanced wheel/tires
• Loose hardware (nuts, bolts, etc.)
• Worn suspension components
• Worn ball joints, tie rod ends etc.
• Loose or worn steering box
• Bad track bar to draglink angles (usually only and issue with tall lifts)
• Bad alignment, including bad caster angle
  
• Bad shocks or stabilizer
• Bolts are loose in their bores

These are new rigs, not enough miles on them to see big wear yet. So we can scratch a bunch of those off the list.

I would start out with getting under the rig and tightening everything. Literally take a wrench and/or socket on every single nut and bolt you can find.

Hit your tire shop and have them check balance of your wheel/tire assembly.

Have you had a full 4 wheel alignment? You typically don't have to align live axle 4x4 after a mild lift, but it might be something to check.

We have 3 JLs here at Northridge4x4 (employee owned). Two of them have lifts, our Red JLUR has a 2.5 EVO and 37"s and the Sahara ha a 2" Daystar and 35"s. Both drive down the road beautifully and neither have exhibited any signs of DW.

And one should have an RK kit in it bud D is too lazy...

Worn components are definitely unlikely, but we have seen loose ball joints (nut tightness) and several loose pieces of hardware right from the factory, poor alignments, etc. All of which are easy to correct and track down though.

The videos posted almost looked like a tire going out of balance and then coming back. Not quite death wobble. But finding the cause of that shutter is important.

 

[Texas_Yote]

That almost looks like a front end shutter and not as bad as all out death wobble. But it could be an early indicator that death wobble is about to come. But, a true death wobble is way worse than that. You might need seat covers is that makes you nervous if you get full death wobble. Good luck finding your solution.

That's why I never called it death wobble only wobble And being that this is my wife's daily, yup it makes me nervous considering my kids are in the Jeep with her too.

 

[Texas_Yote]

And one should have an RK kit in it bud D is too lazy...

Worn components are definitely unlikely, but we have seen loose ball joints (nut tightness) and several loose pieces of hardware right from the factory, poor alignments, etc. All of which are easy to correct and track down though.

The videos posted almost looked like a tire going out of balance and then coming back. Not quite death wobble. But finding the cause of that shutter is important.

Not the tires. The videos in the rain are post a 5 wheel rotation vs. the dry video. I am getting a road force balance in a hour so I will confirm once that is completed.

 

[Rock Krawler Suspension]

That's why I never called it death wobble only wobble And being that this is my wife's daily, yup it makes me nervous considering my kids are in the Jeep with her too.

Good call.

 

[Tech Tim]

And one should have an RK kit in it bud D is too lazy...

It's my fault that it isn't in a JL yet... LoL! Lot's of stuff on the plate keeping me hopping! It's sitting in the studio, just waiting for me to get at it. We'll be installing it in the near future with a full Tech Tim write-up!

 

[djmason9]

I put a TeraFlex 2.5" lift on mine with a relocation bracket on the track bar. The only issue i have so far is that the bolt on the track bar loosened up and I had to tighten it. I have also had some squeaking in the steering a few times due to that stupid track bar being a little sloppy. In the end (so far) I took it all apart got a slightly bigger bolt and greased up the track bar in the bracket and no more squeak. I will have to keep an eye on it. So as far as getting a lift or not.. be prepared to learn a lot about your suspension and make sure you tighten up all the bolts after the first 100 miles or so, then check them over time.

Sponsored