SOLVED: Pre-Death Wobble

[omnitonic]

SOLVED: Thanks @Roky, it was the frame side track bar bushing. Changed that, and 100% improvement.

Original post follows:

I have a '21 JLU Wilys with a TeraFlex 2.5" lift kit, TeraFlex 9550 shocks, and Rock Krawler track bars fore and aft, running 315/70R17 Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ P3 tires, 50k miles on the Jeep and 40k miles on the wheels and tires.

I rotated my tires a couple days ago, and all of a sudden, I'm getting significant side to side oscillation of the steering wheel whenever I hit a bump. It's not death wobble, but if you cranked this phenomenon up just a little bit more, I can see how it could become death wobble.

When I had each front wheel up, I shook it top to bottom and side to side, and everything was very tight.

I dunno. I'm not sure where to go from here.

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[Friday2322]

The ball joints on my 18 JLUR were trashed at 30k miles and it started just like that. I considered it more of a bump steer that got worse over time. I don't wheel often, just a couple of trips a year to Colorado.
I'm running a 2.5" MC Dual Sport with added front lca's and the upgraded MC steering setup with the same tires in 35". I have been running it for about 28k of those miles.
I replaced the ball joints and it's gone now. If you go that route just spend the money on a rebuilable set if you can afford to.

 

[Roky]

I have a '21 JLU Wilys with a TeraFlex 2.5" lift kit, TeraFlex 9550 shocks, and Rock Krawler track bars fore and aft, running 315/70R17 Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ P3 tires, 50k miles on the Jeep and 40k miles on the wheels and tires.

I rotated my tires a couple days ago, and all of a sudden, I'm getting significant side to side oscillation of the steering wheel whenever I hit a bump. It's not death wobble, but if you cranked this phenomenon up just a little bit more, I can see how it could become death wobble.

When I had each front wheel up, I shook it top to bottom and side to side, and everything was very tight.

I dunno. I'm not sure where to go from here.

There’s a long list of things it can be, but since it happened when you rotated the tires, I’d rule them out first… it’s a pita I know, but try putting tires back and see if it goes away…..

 

[Billyg73]

I just had this. Talked to a lot of shops. 1 usuall suspension to body connection. Check torque on all suspension points
Track bar is usuall issue
Control arms
Drag link and tie rod

lastly apparently these ball joints are trash. Duratrac makes a rebuildable one and tbey get great reviews. I replaced control arms to adjustable and track bar to adjustable and wobble stopped. I plan to do the ball joints at some point. Good luck.

 

[au176]

Happened right after you rotated the tires? Barring an incredible coincidence, one of your now-on-the-front tires is probably bad. Start there. Start small- make sure your lug nuts are all torqued.

 

[BadA$$Rubi]

Also wire brush the crap off all the mating hubs.

 

[Upnarms]

40k mikes on the tires? My money is on the tires. My bfg ko2s started giving me that shimmy you describe at 23k miles. Tires get hard to balance right after awhile in my experience. Tread gets uneven, tread damage, just plain wear etc.

Im not familiar with the rc track bars. I did the steet smarts hd trackbar and apex 2.5ton tierod/drag link after I got new tires...went to 35s, imo can't go too overkill on steering and front end components. Almost 30k miles now on my falken wildpeak at3s (same size you are running) and rock solid, no shimmy, dw, nada.

 

[jhackathorne]

As others have said, check tires first. BUT... also check to make sure you didn't lose a weight on one.

 

[Upnarms]

As others have said, check tires first. BUT... also check to make sure you didn't lose a weight on one.

This^

I just saw you said you rotated tires, but did you rebalance? I always have discount do both every 5k. Jeeps are super sensitive to out of balance tires.

 

[omnitonic]

This^

I just saw you said you rotated tires, but did you rebalance? I always have discount do both every 5k. Jeeps are super sensitive to out of balance tires.

That really is the most obvious thing I should do first. It might really be as simple as re-balancing the tires. I last had them balanced in May. I rotate them myself, and I don't have a balancer.

I had all the suspension components re-torqued in May. The Rock Krawler track bars are absurdly over-built, and I think they would be the last component to fail. Everything else, though, the more I think about it, the more I think if the cheap fix doesn't work, it's time to replace the entire front suspension with good components, and put in a new clutch too while I'm at it.

If only I could afford to do any of that. Inflation has really eroded my standard of living, and I'm in trouble. I'm so close to the edge that it's hard to see which side of it I'm on. I might be making it, by the skin of my teeth, and I might have tipped over, and I'm heading inexorably toward a bankruptcy I haven't yet seen on the horizon. I don't know which. I hate this feeling. I already tried to get a better paying job, but it didn't work out.

 

[Upnarms]

That really is the most obvious thing I should do first. It might really be as simple as re-balancing the tires. I last had them balanced in May. I rotate them myself, and I don't have a balancer.

I had all the suspension components re-torqued in May. The Rock Krawler track bars are absurdly over-built, and I think they would be the last component to fail. Everything else, though, the more I think about it, the more I think if the cheap fix doesn't work, it's time to replace the entire front suspension with good components, and put in a new clutch too while I'm at it.

If only I could afford to do any of that. Inflation has really eroded my standard of living, and I'm in trouble. I'm so close to the edge that it's hard to see which side of it I'm on. I might be making it, by the skin of my teeth, and I might have tipped over, and I'm heading inexorably toward a bankruptcy I haven't yet seen on the horizon. I don't know which. I hate this feeling. I already tried to get a better paying job, but it didn't work out.

Yeah, start with the cheap rebalance. New tires are probably in your not so distant future, but use em for everything they have left.

I bit the bullet on the 2.5 ton apex aluminum tie rod, drag link. Was worth every dime in my opinion (pretty much same exact thing as rpm). That way I would never feel I needed to upgrade. The other upgrade I made really had the most impact on steering feel and eliminated a slight right pull I had since day one- a thru shaft stabilizer (I went falcon). Every stabilizer before that gave me a slight right pull. The falcon ts stiffened the feel of the steering a lot and let the wheel stay where i wanted it.

Yes, our jeeps are not going to make dave ramsey's list of wise investments...but they sure are fun!

 

[word302]

Uhh, if you’re really living on the edge financially sell the Jeep. You can always get another one down the road. Everything on these vehicles costs too much to be trying to do upkeep while struggling. Sorry man, hopefully a good job comes your way. I’ve definitely been there.

 

[racerdude90]

since it happened after a tire rotation it could totally be cupped tires. “drifting” wrecks the rears and once they move up front they can cause issues like this

 

[tk1700]

I would say tires. Maybe get them balanced or put them back in their previous position. I had a JK with very worn tires and severe death wobble. After I put new tires on the DW was gone.

 

[RFR JLR 2.0]

Same thing happened to me after I rotated the tires but it was full on death wobble. 2019 JLUR 2.5” lift and 35” KO2’s w/45K miles. Had the tires balanced, front end alignment, replaced drag link bushing, adjusted caster, and torqued everything. Still had death wobble on certain bumps. Finally replaced the ball joints and all good no more death wobble. Went with Dynatrac.

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