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Death Wobble

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Old May 6, 2008 | 05:34 PM
  #1  
CMurder's Avatar
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Default Death Wobble Help!!!

When ever I reach about 49 mph my front end starts to wobble slightly and if I hit a pot hole it does the death wobble. I just greased everything and tightened some bolts up which improved it but did not cure it. What should I do?

Last edited by CMurder; May 6, 2008 at 05:39 PM.
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Old May 6, 2008 | 05:44 PM
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Check all of your TRE's, ball joints, tracbar, tracbar mount, and tire balance.
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Old May 6, 2008 | 06:41 PM
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Dont forget to check the unit bearings! When they go bad it can let the wheel move : toe in then toe out causing the dreaded death wobble..dun... dun ......DUN!!!
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Old May 6, 2008 | 06:55 PM
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Originally Posted by NRT_Chris
Dont forget to check the unit bearings! When they go bad it can let the wheel move : toe in then toe out causing the dreaded death wobble..dun... dun ......DUN!!!
Completely forgot, thanks chris
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Old May 6, 2008 | 07:24 PM
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A couple of more thoughts...

A bad shock will make the symptoms of DW much worse.. So can a bad steering stabilizer.

Control arm bushings can also really intensify DW... Found that out after chasing a DW problem for almost a year...
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Old May 6, 2008 | 07:29 PM
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My current Jeep never had any death wobble but the one I gave my daughter(a 92) had it when I bought it and it was finally cured with a new set of control arm bushings and a replacement trackbar from Crown. Her jeep is not lifted but the DW was there when I got the Jeep thus was a good bargaining point.
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Old May 6, 2008 | 07:36 PM
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Originally Posted by whowey
A couple of more thoughts...

A bad shock will make the symptoms of DW much worse.. So can a bad steering stabilizer.

Control arm bushings can also really intensify DW... Found that out after chasing a DW problem for almost a year...
As a side note, a SS can only mask DW not fix it. A good steering setup does not need a SS and many XJ owners ride without them and manage just fine. Do not consider a new SS as a fix.
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Old May 6, 2008 | 09:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Kyle
As a side note, a SS can only mask DW not fix it. A good steering setup does not need a SS and many XJ owners ride without them and manage just fine. Do not consider a new SS as a fix.
That never even struck me that someone would consider a SS to be a cure... I certainly hope the OP didnt think I was suggesting that. Only more possible bad parts that COULD be involved.
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Old May 6, 2008 | 09:51 PM
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Originally Posted by whowey
That never even struck me that someone would consider a SS to be a cure... I certainly hope the OP didnt think I was suggesting that. Only more possible bad parts that COULD be involved.
Just making a point
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Old May 6, 2008 | 10:08 PM
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I had a 69 vw beetle with wide tires on the front. It had bad ball joints and when I hit a bump or railroad tracks it would DW so bad it would destroy the SS.
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