Steering wheel wobble?

[RubiRob]

Any update on your issues/solution? Mine's going back in today...

The ball joints are a trq spec of 37ftlbs. Unless they are loose to the point you can spin them with your finger you should be fine.

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[Command Line RC]

The ball joints are a trq spec of 37ftlbs. Unless they are loose to the point you can spin them with your finger you should be fine.

Ya I replaced my steering stabilizer and no more death wobble. Replacing my track bar with the Yeti XD tonight as well.

 

[warc1]

I experienced a low speed death wobble for the first time last Friday on my stock 2dr JLR with 7k miles. When making a right turn from a side street, I hit a mild bump at 20 mph with the front wheels near but not fully straight. That induced a wobble that lasted at least 5 seconds until just before I came to a full stop.

It did not recur over the next few days, but I nonetheless took it into the dealer for a checkup on Wednesday. They found nothing. The said the alignment, tire pressure and tire wear were good and that they checked the torque on all steering components and found no issues.

As of today, I've only experienced the wobble that one time. However, in the days before that incident, I perceived that bumps on curves were sometimes inducing a shimmy in the steering wheel. It never progressed to a full wobble, but seemed like it was wanting to let go. That still happens, but it is limited. The shimmy doesn't occur when hitting bumps on straight travel and only occurs intermittently when hitting bumps on curves.

Could my encounter with mild death wobble be a freak circumstance since I'm not encountering the same experiences as most reporting in this thread? My wobble occurred at low speed where just about everyone else reports it at highway speeds. I do not experience loose steering like most other posters here. I don't perceive any play in the steering wheel and the vehicle tracks straight and true on the highway unless there is a crosswind.

Conversely, could it be that I'm experiencing the same issue as others in this thread, only mine hasn't yet developed into as severe a problem? Any advice on where to go from here would be appreciated.

 

[jeremyjeep]

I experienced a low speed death wobble for the first time last Friday on my stock 2dr JLR with 7k miles. When making a right turn from a side street, I hit a mild bump at 20 mph with the front wheels near but not fully straight. That induced a wobble that lasted at least 5 seconds until just before I came to a full stop.

It did not recur over the next few days, but I nonetheless took it into the dealer for a checkup on Wednesday. They found nothing. The said the alignment, tire pressure and tire wear were good and that they checked the torque on all steering components and found no issues.

As of today, I've only experienced the wobble that one time. However, in the days before that incident, I perceived that bumps on curves were sometimes inducing a shimmy in the steering wheel. It never progressed to a full wobble, but seemed like it was wanting to let go. That still happens, but it is limited. The shimmy doesn't occur when hitting bumps on straight travel and only occurs intermittently when hitting bumps on curves.

Could my encounter with mild death wobble be a freak circumstance since I'm not encountering the same experiences as most reporting in this thread? My wobble occurred at low speed where just about everyone else reports it at highway speeds. I do not experience loose steering like most other posters here. I don't perceive any play in the steering wheel and the vehicle tracks straight and true on the highway unless there is a crosswind.

Conversely, could it be that I'm experiencing the same issue as others in this thread, only mine hasn't yet developed into as severe a problem? Any advice on where to go from here would be appreciated.

What is the date code on your steering stabilizer? Compare to this: https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/steering-wheel-wobble.16577/page-8#post-436030

 

[TheJoyceIsYours]

I experienced a low speed death wobble for the first time last Friday on my stock 2dr JLR with 7k miles. When making a right turn from a side street, I hit a mild bump at 20 mph with the front wheels near but not fully straight. That induced a wobble that lasted at least 5 seconds until just before I came to a full stop.

It did not recur over the next few days, but I nonetheless took it into the dealer for a checkup on Wednesday. They found nothing. The said the alignment, tire pressure and tire wear were good and that they checked the torque on all steering components and found no issues.

As of today, I've only experienced the wobble that one time. However, in the days before that incident, I perceived that bumps on curves were sometimes inducing a shimmy in the steering wheel. It never progressed to a full wobble, but seemed like it was wanting to let go. That still happens, but it is limited. The shimmy doesn't occur when hitting bumps on straight travel and only occurs intermittently when hitting bumps on curves.

Could my encounter with mild death wobble be a freak circumstance since I'm not encountering the same experiences as most reporting in this thread? My wobble occurred at low speed where just about everyone else reports it at highway speeds. I do not experience loose steering like most other posters here. I don't perceive any play in the steering wheel and the vehicle tracks straight and true on the highway unless there is a crosswind.

Conversely, could it be that I'm experiencing the same issue as others in this thread, only mine hasn't yet developed into as severe a problem? Any advice on where to go from here would be appreciated.

It is possible it was a fluke, but based on your description it could be whatever issue we are dealing with. I had felt it once or twice at lower speeds, but never for 5 seconds. Certainly keep a record of when/if it happens and the dates, speeds, road bumps etc. I'm sure it could only help down the line.

I'm sure there is always a perfect scenario where it could do that at low speeds too.

Do you take it on the highway much? Seems speeds around 76 are troublesome for me.

 

[warc1]

Do you take it on the highway much? Seems speeds around 76 are troublesome for me.

Most of my miles are highway miles.

 

[warc1]

What is the date code on your steering stabilizer? Compare to this: https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/steering-wheel-wobble.16577/page-8#post-436030

I don't know, but I'll definitely follow up. Thanks.

 

[47Jeepster]

The ball joints are a trq spec of 37ftlbs. Unless they are loose to the point you can spin them with your finger you should be fine.

A little more complicated than that ... pic compliments of another forum member.

 

[xpsruler]

Add me to the list. Occasionally I get a slight shimmy/wobble feeling in the suspensions if I hit just the right bump at a speed of 55 or more (goes away on its own but feels strange). Seems to happen more when its cold as well.

 

[RubiRob]

A little more complicated than that ... pic compliments of another forum member.

the better question is how are you torquing this? My torque wrench is certainly not fitting in there

 

[Command Line RC]

the better question is how are you torquing this? My torque wrench is certainly not fitting in there

How big is your torque wrench? Mine fit just fine in there

 

[RubiRob]

How big is your torque wrench? Mine fit just fine in there

I'll need to get a smaller one. I only have one which is a 250ftlb max making it quite big.

 

[LeaN69]

I experienced this here and there, the roads in NJ aren't bad (at least the ones I take). But when I had to go into Queens NY to visit a customer I nearly shat myself on Belt Parkway...the combo of bumpy roards, narrow lanes, congestion and swift turns due to construction I thought I'd run into car to the right of me or cement barrier right on the left! lol

 

[47Jeepster]

the better question is how are you torquing this? My torque wrench is certainly not fitting in there

My torque wrench wouldn't fit either. But, since it's not as critical as say a head bolt or rod bolt, I used a combination wrench and a digital luggage scale. The application of the luggage scale on the wrench provided the "foot" part and the luggage scale provided the "pounds" part of the "foot-pounds" of torque. My combination wrench had a moment arm of 9.5" ... not a full foot, so some math was involved.

Because the ball joint uses a torque turn method of tightening, it's really not critical to obtain accuracy to three decimal points ... thus, this is an acceptable method.

 

[warc1]

My technician stated that Chrysler responded to our case:

Thanks for posting this, particularly the attachment. After assessing “no fault found” on my steering issue, I went back this morning with my iPad displaying your attachment. They immediately put my Jeep up on a hoist and found the date code was 105, well before the 257 threshold. They’ve ordered a new steering damper but I’ll have a bit of a wait since it’s backordered.

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