Reaching my breaking point... may consider trading my JLUR

[jeme]

I don’t have those issues and mine is stock but I am selling after an enjoyable 3500 miles in my Rubicon Recon.

Sponsored

 

[sourdough]

Not sure that's true when you put on oversize tires. That increase in mass and leverage will wear components like BJs prematurely.

I understand that part. Weird that warranty would be denied when dealers sell new rigs with oversized tires

 

[Harrybeerbelly]

the diesels and mojaves get cast iron knuckles and i heard they may come to all jeeps next year

I have a Diesel and it has aluminum knuckles.

 

[SolarWizard]

I have a Diesel and it has aluminum knuckles.

bummer must just be the gladiators. Even the sports have them

 

[oldcjguy]

Do you have anyone around who can swap wheels with for a day? I know you mentioned you swapped rims, but you said you didn't swap tires because of cost. It's very possible that everything you did to correct the suspension worked and the tires are just bad at this point. Try running a different set and see if the problem goes away. At least maybe then you'll have a better idea that it may work with out just throwing dollar darts at it. If you can't find someone you can borrow wheels from and if your spare is unused try swapping it out for one of the fronts. If it still happens swap it out for the other.

What kind of tires are on there now? What load range C,D,E?

I had death wobble really bad in an old CJ7 once. I was running 33" TSL Super Swampers and they were great. I went and did a tire rotation to get even wear and longer life from them. I made it up to 35 mph after the rotate and death wobble big time. I leaned my head out the window and could see them flopping around. I thought I lost all the lug nuts and the wheels were about to come off. Had to come to an almost complete stop before I could drive back. I rotated them back to their original locations and it was gone. They balanced fine and I was able to get some more miles out of them, but was never able to rotate them.

I understand that the CJ and the JL suspensions are completely different, but once a tire gets set in a location, sometimes that's just it.

 

[SolarWizard]

Source?

I did a cursory search....couldn't find any info beyond Mojaves.

ive seen two myself at the local dealer with them already (diesels) I’m still waiting for my order to arrive. That’s how they accomplished the goal of raising the gvrw

 

[Halstem1]

if your spare is unused try swapping it out for one of the fronts. If it still happens swap it out for the other.

What kind of tires are on there now? What load range C,D,E?

I don’t have anyone to swap wheels and tires with for an extended period of time. I have done what you described here with no change.

tires are a D load range BFG KO2.

 

[rallydefault]

I imagine the first year of a completely new platform being a shot show, don’t you think?

Nah, not hopping on that bandwagon until there is actual proof. I'm sick of just joining in on the collective freak outs the internet likes to have about stuff that hasn't even come to fruition.

Anecdotally, I have a launch JL and haven't had any issues. I know it wasn't a new platform, but still, I put my money where my mouth is when I say that I don't mind taking a chance on new stuff.

 

[Walter-new jeeper]

Sorry to hear. Especially on a new car this kind of thing is super aggravating. If it makes you feel better, we just bought a new Highlander and it’s been in the shop three times with 5000 miles on it. Bad struts, broken windshield, engine leaks, misfires, you name it.

There’s a phenomenon called Hopf bifurcation behind the shimmy. Road bicyclists (the douche bags in the spandex suits on their racing bikes who hog the road) experience this shimmy a lot when they’re coasting downhill.

I would say to have your frame geometry checked. Then move to ball joints and trying your stock wheels.

And I hope you are not one of those douche bags in a car that tries to force bicyclists off the road.

 

[oldcjguy]

I don’t have anyone to swap wheels and tires with for an extended period of time. I have done what you described here with no change.

tires are a D load range BFG KO2.

I'd lean towards ball joints then too. It was fine for a period of time then started happening. Did it start after the lift? Not saying the lift caused it but it will cause parts to wear faster. Also load D are heavy stiff tires, that's going to effect bearings and ball joints too. I wonder if you change the caster if it will get any better. Sounds like you have adjustable control arms.

 

[Halstem1]

Nah, not hopping on that bandwagon until there is actual proof. I'm sick of just joining in on the collective freak outs the internet likes to have about stuff that hasn't even come to fruition.

Anecdotally, I have a launch JL and haven't had any issues. I know it wasn't a new platform, but still, I put my money where my mouth is when I say that I don't mind taking a chance on new stuff.

The 18 and 19 JLs have had plenty of issues and like you said, they aren’t even a completely new platform. Understandably, not all are having issues, I’m aware. But plenty of admitted steering issues, locker problems with the redesigned Dana axles, corrosion issues with the use of aluminum. Just to name the major ones.

a first year production Branco has too many potential points of concern, in my opinion. A modular hard top. First time removable frameless doors. Electronic “sway bar” disconnect system. Who knows what else. Growing pains are understandably likely.

As you can probably imagine, I’m not feeling adventurous after my current experience.

 

[Fsttanks]

My .02 would be to go forward with a set of quality ball joints. They did wonders for my JKUs steering feel and handling after it was lifted. You will be amazed at the more solid feel your steering will have.

There is an old school Jeepers saying: “For every one thing you upgraded, you have to make changes on two others things to make the one thing work correctly”. I have found over the last 35 years this is a very true saying.

Point is you are still missing one of the two things you need to adjust to make your steering issues go away.

 

[vavaroutsos]

I don’t have anyone to swap wheels and tires with for an extended period of time. I have done what you described here with no change.

tires are a D load range BFG KO2.

Have you replaced all of the factory control arm and track bar bolts with proper sized SAE shouldered bolts? The factory bolts are fully threaded metric and do not fit the SAE bushings very well. In addition, some of the control arm holes are elongated for use with caster adjusting cam washers. I replaced almost all of my factory bolts with shouldered SAE grade 8 bolts and got some rectangular washers (I think they were Teraflex for a JK) to put on the control arm bolts that had the elongated holes. There are some shallow stamped detents around the holes that the washers fit between. This keeps them from moving around. All the slop in the factory setup, along with improperly torqued bolts can result in a lot of movement, and the mounting holes getting elongated which makes things even worse.

 

[Halstem1]

Have you replaced all of the factory control arm and track bar bolts with proper sized SAE shouldered bolts? The factory bolts are fully threaded metric and do not fit the SAE bushings very well. In addition, some of the control arm holes are elongated for use with caster adjusting cam washers. I replaced almost all of my factory bolts with shouldered SAE grade 8 bolts and got some rectangular washers (I think they were Teraflex for a JK) to put on the control arm bolts that had the elongated holes. There are some shallow stamped detents around the holes that the washers fit between. This keeps them from moving around. All the slop in the factory setup, along with improperly torqued bolts can result in a lot of movement, and the mounting holes getting elongated which makes things even worse.

I have not replaced control arm bolts. I have replaced track bar bolts. I have paint marked everything with thread checker. Not ruling out that the issue could relate to this. But based on what I’m seeing, movement in the control arm mounting location does not appear to exist.

 

[oceanblue2019]

BTW, sorry brother....didn't really notice who I was responding to and that you already knew everything I was saying.

Oh well...maybe someone else reading along doesn't know that stuff and it'll be an education.

Apologies.

Hey no worries.

It's worth pointing out that any machining operation will have a certain number of "out of spec" parts come off the line. It's doubtful that FCA runs 100% through a metrology line to measure "as built" to the design specs. Maybe a random sampling to catch gross errors.

I feel bad for the OP - if he was closer I'd have no issues swapping stuff across until we found out the culprit.

Sponsored