finiteguy

I have a 95 XJ. I started getting the death whobble. In addition, the Jeep takes the bumps very hard. I can feel every bump. I checked the track bar and it seems to be okay although I'm going to have a mehcanic look at it. I noticed that the front shocks are really rough. The shock bodies are showing rust through and they are original. They should have been changed long ago. The rears are new.
Can bad front shocks contribute to the death whobble?

tjwalker

Yes. Get new shocks on there; all 4 of them if they are original! Even if the shocks are not the root cause, you must replace them. Then see where you are at.

But a LOT of things can cause death wobble. Here's more in case new shocks don't resolve this.
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My understanding of “death wobble” is this. Somewhere in the vehicle, one or more components is worn beyond tolerances, and when oscillation initiates from a suspension “traumatic” event (hitting a bump or a pothole) or also when a vibration reaches a certain point and harmonic at a certain speed, it causes the other components to react. This is called the “multiplier effect”, where one component affects one or more other components as the event travels through the front end of the vehicle.

Death wobble is not uncommon with the XJ. It is even more common with a lifted XJ. Finding the worn component or components is not always easy. It can sometimes be downright difficult. Sometimes it’s obvious, other times everything appears to be okay when you perform an inspection on a hoist, but getting the vehicle up in the air and going over everything with a fine tough comb is always a good first step. It is very helpful if you know exactly how to perform a comprehensive inspection of every single front end part, looking for abnormal wear and or play in that hardware. If you do not know how to do this type of inspection, pay an experienced professional to do it. Be sure to ask them if they are familiar with “death wobble”, as not all technicians are versed in this…..

Check out the below link if you would like some extensive reading on “death wobble” causes and cures. From my research, Kevin (the author of this tutorial) is possibly the best in the business with tracking down root cause of death wobble. He does offer hardware for sale that can help resolve death wobble, but even if you don’t buy any parts from him, you can still get some excellent ideas on what to look at in resolving your death wobble.

http://www.kevinsoffroad.com/how-to-...-death-wobble/

Possible causes of death wobble are listed below. Isolating death wobble is a process of elimination and the root cause is not always obvious and it can often be caused by a combination of things! From my personal experience, I would first concentrate on the track bar and the control arms and associated bushings.
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-Front tires out of balance (try swapping fronts to rear; see if symptoms change)
-Tire pressure. Don’t laugh. It’s not a root cause but can exaggerate the problem. Experiment with lower tire pressure to see if it helps
-Improper lug nut torque on wheels
-Front alignment out of spec
-Loose track bar
-Worn track bar bushings
-Worn track bar (check for play!!)
-Bad control arms and associated bushings
-Worn/damaged steering stabilizer (not generally a cause in and by itself)
-Worn/damaged shocks
-Worn/damaged tie rod end
-Bad U Joint
-Bad ball joint
-Loose frame mount
-Steering box loose
-Bad front hub assembly

freegdr

hugh? shock control ride more up and down then back and forth

JeepDeep

I suppose it can set death wobble off like hitting a big bump but I would think there would be a different root cause like alignment or slop in steering setup.

xj guy

Check out this thread. Kind of helped me figure out what was going on. https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/whe...highway-78784/

OrrReese

This helped me out with mine. https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/di...-wobble-55021/

200sportxj

Death wobble is fun to try n figure out

tjwalker

His question was "can bad shocks contribute" to death wobble. Yes. While the shocks may not be an actual root cause, (many times there are multiple worn components) bad shocks can easily start the death wobble process in motion. I've seen it.

His shocks are shot; he made that very clear. Trying to troubleshoot something that can be complex like death wobble with bad shocks is a very bad idea. Replace them.

JeepDeep

Agreed 100% Bad shocks should be replaced for multiple reasons. As stated, to simplify the diagnosis of death wobble. Even if you don't have death wobble, the shocks keep your tire in contact with the pavement (traction) and it is unsafe to drive without them.

I drove a vehicle on the freeway with one rear shock completely missing and the first turn had some bumps which caused the back end of the vehicle to slide.

Bustedback

Cause a death wobble? no. Contribute to a death wobble? Yes.

200sportxj

And replacing the rear shocks can be quite difficult too, most likely your bolts will break off in the frame and you will prolly have to pull up the carpet and try and get em from the top.

katowkalin

this ^

bad shocks DO NOT cause DW. there is another reason as to why the DW started. CF is full of DW threads. Start reading

Mojp

Greetings,

I am new to the forum and also to this post but I did find this commentary insightful...

I have a 1997 Cherokee Sport that seems to have what you call the Death Wobble" - certainly feels like that when I hit even a small bump or drive above 60 on the highway...I am NOT a mechanic and wondering if placed like Meineke or Midus, who offr front end/suspension services are a reliable place to check these issues or am I better to find a specialized mechanic?
Thanx

tjwalker

It's really impossible to say as the work of ANY shop is only as good as the technician doing the work.

And with something that can be tricky like "death wobble", how I would approach it is to not be shy and ASK them directly if they have any experience with death wobble. If they give you the doe in the headlight look and ask what death wobble is, tell them thank you and keep looking.

In my own personal experience, I have found the sharpest technicians at an independent shop that specializes in 4X4s. If you have one of those in your area, I'd certainly start there.

Click on the link that I posted in post #2. Kevin gives very good insight as to this problem and how to resolve it.

Mojp

Thanx for your prompt response!