DEATH WOBBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 903
Likes: 1
From: Pueblo, CO.
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
check your alingment, check front end bushings, have your tires balanced. a dropped pitman arm is not the cause of DW. I have a lifted XJ and a ZJ neither one of them have the DW and both have the stock pitman arm. the XJ had it once, it was out of alingment. a steering stab will help, but it won't fix it.
CF Veteran
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,059
Likes: 1
From: Indianola IOWA
Year: 1992
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Death wobble is never fixed with a single simple answer. Every xj is different and every situation is different. The entire suspension must be examined to determine the cause of the wobble. Continuing to drive with the death wobble will damage other suspension components.
1. Did you do anything recently that led to the DW? for example adding a lift, changing tires, hitting a curb at 60 mph ect, even a large pot hole.
2. Jack up the vehicle and place it on 4 jackstands, 2 in the front and 2 in the back so the entire vehicle is elevated and all four tires are off the ground.
3. Grab each wheel and shake it to check for movement in your ball joints.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2VrN2XYBgg
4. Check your steering components. and replace parts if needed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiayOVEk3gk
5. Check track bar for play using your hands or a small hammer. Also have someone sit in the drivers seat and turn the wheel while you watch the suspension. Check all other parts in photo that are not covered in the video.
6. Check all rims front and back for dents and make sure that no wheel weights have fallen off since tire balancing. (my ZJ hit a pothole once that bent the rim and cause that tire to be off-balance)
7. Check your alignment
http://www.jeep-xj.info/HowtoAlignment.htm
8. Move to the rear and visually inspect your leafs for damage. Try to move leaf springs by hand or with a pry bar to check bushings.
9. Check wheel bearings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FOPkif5E6o
If you have a lifted jeep you do not necessarily need new control arms or a drop pitman arm. You only need a drop pitman arm if your drag link and track bar are not parallel and if lowering the drag link will make the angles closer.
Control arms will affect caster but most lift kits come with the appropriate control arms. A steering stabilizer is not even needed on a jeep with proper alignment and in good running condition.
DW can be caused by any one of these issues and i have probably missed some more causes. Check your jeep over carefully and replace parts as needed. No sense in just throwing new parts at DW.
Good Luck and hope this helps
-Mike
1. Did you do anything recently that led to the DW? for example adding a lift, changing tires, hitting a curb at 60 mph ect, even a large pot hole.
2. Jack up the vehicle and place it on 4 jackstands, 2 in the front and 2 in the back so the entire vehicle is elevated and all four tires are off the ground.
3. Grab each wheel and shake it to check for movement in your ball joints.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2VrN2XYBgg
4. Check your steering components. and replace parts if needed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiayOVEk3gk
5. Check track bar for play using your hands or a small hammer. Also have someone sit in the drivers seat and turn the wheel while you watch the suspension. Check all other parts in photo that are not covered in the video.
6. Check all rims front and back for dents and make sure that no wheel weights have fallen off since tire balancing. (my ZJ hit a pothole once that bent the rim and cause that tire to be off-balance)
7. Check your alignment
http://www.jeep-xj.info/HowtoAlignment.htm
8. Move to the rear and visually inspect your leafs for damage. Try to move leaf springs by hand or with a pry bar to check bushings.
9. Check wheel bearings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FOPkif5E6o
If you have a lifted jeep you do not necessarily need new control arms or a drop pitman arm. You only need a drop pitman arm if your drag link and track bar are not parallel and if lowering the drag link will make the angles closer.
Control arms will affect caster but most lift kits come with the appropriate control arms. A steering stabilizer is not even needed on a jeep with proper alignment and in good running condition.
DW can be caused by any one of these issues and i have probably missed some more causes. Check your jeep over carefully and replace parts as needed. No sense in just throwing new parts at DW.
Good Luck and hope this helps
-Mike
im at 5.5 with no drop pitman arm or adjustible track bar. works ok with no dw.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
shelby5041
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here
50
Dec 26, 2023 09:09 PM
ROCKRIDGE 4WD
Vendor Showcase
1
Dec 22, 2018 09:49 AM
manningmode
Modified XJ Cherokee Tech
27
Mar 24, 2017 12:48 AM
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)



