After looking on the internet I thought I might have a cracked/rusted/loose track bar frame mount. So I pulled the mount off to see. All bolts were tight, no rust, no cracks, no oval holes, basically looks like new. The track bar itself still looks like it did when I put it on six months ago. I put it all back together with loctite on the bolts and road tested it. Stlll have the DW.

The only thing left that I haven't replaced is the steering box and pitman arm. But somehow I don't think it's those.

Dave

what a nightmare....

God I hope this helps you, but I had to actually change my control arms out. The bushings wore and the hole went almost oval, when I would hit my brakes at 45 it would go nuts, along with acceleration too

I think I'll try that. I was pretty careful pressing in the new bushings with a balljoint press, but those arms are really flimsy. I just googled, and it looks like I can get a set for $130 + shipping.

It's not as urgent now. I'm picking up a 2004 Grand Cherokee with a 4.7L in the morning. Anybody in West Palm Beach want to buy a '99 Cherokee? No front end problems at all.

Dave

Sounds like you have checked everything except for separation of trackbar bracket from the axle. I have seen this on several jeeps and usually was the cause of the "clunking" when you turn the wheel. i would check that very thoroughly. If you have access to a welder it might be time well spent to reweld all the places that could crack or separate as a precaution. Good luck!!!

Ebay all day for 30 new, oem stock. shipped

I fought the same thing on my 96 i have put about 700 bucks in to the front end, i did everything you can replace including tires and still had damn death wobble!! I went and got me a dual steering shock setup from rusty's and im DW free! Yes i know it is a bandaid but i do not care im sick of putting money into this thing and fighting DW so if this is what it takes then so be it. I will put 10 of them on if i have to im at the point where i do not care if it is a bandaid or not. I cruise at 75 and hit every hole you can find and my steering is nice and tight and not even a hint of a shake. maybe give it a try it was worth my 70 bucks

Just for fun I replaced the steering dampener. No change. I also checked the track bar axle mount. Looks good, no cracks or oval holes.

I have a new theory. When I replaced the control arm bushings six months ago it solved my problem, until now. I recently read on the internet that you are supposed to tighten the control arm bolts when the car is on the ground. I tightened mine when the car was on jack stands. So when I put the car on the ground the bushings were twisted. Maybe six months twisted up like that caused them to fail early? Anyway, I ordered a new set of bushings, and I'll put them in, and tighten them once the car is on the ground.

I'm sure that will fix it. Ha ha.

Dave

Just out of curiosity...I started getting DW again after I hit a pothole today...As I was reading this thread, I went to check for loose or broken mounts/components...I noticed that my track bar (when turned all the way to the left) had up and down movement...there's a cotter pin holding it in and I was just wondering, How do you tighten it. I appreciate any advice...

So yesterday I pulled the control arms off. I got a full set of bushings, but only the front upper bushings looked even a little bad, so I swapped them out. I also found that two of the steering box bolts were a little loose, so I tightened them. And I cranked down on the track bar mount and the axle end of the track bar bolt, beyond the torque I had given them last time. Oh, and I greased the caliper slides, because they were sort of dry.

Time for a test drive! It's a little better. When I touch the brakes between 50 and 60 I can still make it go into the Death Wobble. It's not quite as bad as before, or maybe I'm getting used to it.

Here's the good part: last week I sold the Cherokee to one of my cow-orkers for $500. It cost him $433 to register it. I told him everything wrong with it, told him I'd make one last try to fix it (yesterday), and told him there was NO guarantee! He only needs it for the days that it is raining and he can't ride his motorcycle to work. He's already driven it pre-yesterday fix, and he's fine with the occasional violent front end shaking.

I'll be driving my new 2004 Grand Cherokee 4.7 HO. Thank you craigslist and motivated seller. I've been driving XJs since 1996, and I would rather have another one, but I couldn't find a low mileage one. So now I'm going to try a WJ.

Wow step up in the world, I love my wj, 4 inch lift 31's so on, love it. Grand loaded and more 2000.

Sounds like its over now but it sounds like it was one of two things. Hub assembly or something in the front drive shaft. I have had both happen to me and bad tiers and a lose sb bracket bolt. But you covered those.

Not trying to hyjack the thead I don't have DW but I see where someone said to adjust the slack out of the steering box. I have slack in my box how do you adjust it?

Here's my final post, since I'm turning over the keys to the XJ to my cow-orker today. Last night I rotated the tires front/rear and side/side, and it seems to help. I couldn't get the DW to start by hitting the brakes between 50 and 60 on the way to work, but I didn't try too hard since there was traffic behind me. I bet another alignment would help.

brutalxj: this is a 2WD, but you are making me wonder about front wheel bearings. Whenever I check for play they seem fine, but I have never had them apart in the 105K miles I had the car (at 173K now). I wonder if that could be the problem.

Anyway, thanks for everyone's help. I'm going to use all the experience I got on the XJ to go through the WJ's front end. There's no DW after 96K miles, but it feels a little loose and disconnected. I haven't really inspected it yet, but I might have tie rod ends and control arm bushings in my future.

Oh, about the steering box adjustment. It's pretty simple, check the manual, but basically you loosen a lock nut on the steering box and tighten an adjustement screw 1/8 or 1/4 turn. Don't go too far, or you'll get rapid wear in the box.

Sounds like someone need to come up with a replacement "DEATH WOBB's" bushing kit complete with full trouble shooter check list. Replace all these, tighten all these and check all these in this order. Seeing that I need my hand held on alot of machanical issues (not all though), I would appreciate a kit and DVD that walks me through the process and nipps the most common stuff in the budd. Our XJ are only getting older and as we are starting to see, the stocker jeeps are even gitting the wobbles. If one of you guys happen to take the death wobbs kit idea and run with it, then send me one please.
Thanks
Ross