mtglick
Member
- Thread starter
- #1
Hey, all--newbie looking for assistance with next steps. Experiencing moderate DW with my 20 JLU Sport 6-speed. Am in the middle of the process and hoping someone can point me in the most efficient direction from here.
I'm the 2nd owner, 21K miles, truck is on what appears to be a factory 2.5" lift (the Fox one) on 33" K02s. DW is not a light shimmy or a subtle vibration--it's a full-on shake. Have upgraded a couple of parts, and have succeeded in CHANGING the problem, but not fixing it.
Initial issue appeared about 2K miles ago or so--anything that upsets the front axle can trigger the shake, but generally only at or around highway speeds (+50 mph). Outside temp seems to be a factor--colder temps are more likely to incur a DW. Triggers most often in slow left turns when going over expansion seams on the highway. Does NOT self-generate, it needs that little bit of bump steer to get itself going.
Went through the internets, read boards here and elsewhere, and got a little more informed about the problem. Got under and pulled and tugged on everything remotely steering-oriented. Did not lift the Jeep and check without weight on the suspension, but ultimately, nothing looked all that much out of line, end links had no play, and nothing looked horribly out of shape, etc. Did the "watch underneath while somebody turns the wheel" process, but didn't see anything unusual or out-of-line Admittedly, my mechanical skills sort of top out at changing out radiators and plugs, so I simply may not have been able to identify any issues on sight.
After that, decided to replace the high-probability fail points to see if that would solve it. Upgraded the track bar, steering stabilizer, and ball joints with aftermarket pieces. If it matters, the new track bar is a Core 4X4 Camp, the SS is the Icon centerline, and the ball joints are the Metalcloak Ballers. All professionally installed at a tire and suspension shop, and (presumably) all done correctly, torqued to spec, etc. Just to note, I did NOT have the wheels rebalanced. However, I do know what unbalanced normally feels like, and not experiencing any other shimmy or shake--ONLY when the axle gets bumped out of line.
First and foremost, those three upgrades made a HUGE difference in the steering quality. Night and day. Highly recommend those changes to anyone reading. I have no idea why, but the truck actually pulls slightly harder off the line (SOTP, but it's noticeable--I'm getting out of first gear a little quicker). Steering is light, crisp, and precise. Just a massive upgrade and makes the truck that much more enjoyable to drive.
Unfortunately, the upgrades did not solve my DW problem--but it changed. Where it originally only took a slight bump to get the DW going, it now takes a somewhat harder "hit" to start it shaking. However, that also means the shake is proportionately more violent--more energy in, more energy out.
Before I pull the trigger and just rebuild the entire front end (tie rod, links, drag, UCA/LCAs, etc.), I thought I'd ask if anyone has a more targeted thought here--does the fact that the new track bar, SS, and ball joints failed to fix the issue, but did change it, point to one part or parts being more suspect than others? Or should I just tear it all down and start over?
I'm the 2nd owner, 21K miles, truck is on what appears to be a factory 2.5" lift (the Fox one) on 33" K02s. DW is not a light shimmy or a subtle vibration--it's a full-on shake. Have upgraded a couple of parts, and have succeeded in CHANGING the problem, but not fixing it.
Initial issue appeared about 2K miles ago or so--anything that upsets the front axle can trigger the shake, but generally only at or around highway speeds (+50 mph). Outside temp seems to be a factor--colder temps are more likely to incur a DW. Triggers most often in slow left turns when going over expansion seams on the highway. Does NOT self-generate, it needs that little bit of bump steer to get itself going.
Went through the internets, read boards here and elsewhere, and got a little more informed about the problem. Got under and pulled and tugged on everything remotely steering-oriented. Did not lift the Jeep and check without weight on the suspension, but ultimately, nothing looked all that much out of line, end links had no play, and nothing looked horribly out of shape, etc. Did the "watch underneath while somebody turns the wheel" process, but didn't see anything unusual or out-of-line Admittedly, my mechanical skills sort of top out at changing out radiators and plugs, so I simply may not have been able to identify any issues on sight.
After that, decided to replace the high-probability fail points to see if that would solve it. Upgraded the track bar, steering stabilizer, and ball joints with aftermarket pieces. If it matters, the new track bar is a Core 4X4 Camp, the SS is the Icon centerline, and the ball joints are the Metalcloak Ballers. All professionally installed at a tire and suspension shop, and (presumably) all done correctly, torqued to spec, etc. Just to note, I did NOT have the wheels rebalanced. However, I do know what unbalanced normally feels like, and not experiencing any other shimmy or shake--ONLY when the axle gets bumped out of line.
First and foremost, those three upgrades made a HUGE difference in the steering quality. Night and day. Highly recommend those changes to anyone reading. I have no idea why, but the truck actually pulls slightly harder off the line (SOTP, but it's noticeable--I'm getting out of first gear a little quicker). Steering is light, crisp, and precise. Just a massive upgrade and makes the truck that much more enjoyable to drive.
Unfortunately, the upgrades did not solve my DW problem--but it changed. Where it originally only took a slight bump to get the DW going, it now takes a somewhat harder "hit" to start it shaking. However, that also means the shake is proportionately more violent--more energy in, more energy out.
Before I pull the trigger and just rebuild the entire front end (tie rod, links, drag, UCA/LCAs, etc.), I thought I'd ask if anyone has a more targeted thought here--does the fact that the new track bar, SS, and ball joints failed to fix the issue, but did change it, point to one part or parts being more suspect than others? Or should I just tear it all down and start over?
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