I installed a 3" RC lift on my 96 XJ 2 weekends ago, about a mile away from the shop I got up around 55mph and the jeep got death wobble...to the point where I had to pull over & stop before it would quit shaking . Since it started, I have installed my heavy duty steering stabilizer as well as had the front end aligned. The alignment SEEMED to help for about 4 or 5 miles, then it happened again, BUT it is easier to gain control of at lower speeds it seems like (35-40mph range). Everything is tight under the front end, I checked it and the tech @ that did the alignment said everything was good bushing wise. I've read a lot of DW threads on here and I KNOW that no one can pin point my problem JUST from reading my thread, but i'm wondering if I could get some guidance as far as what I should check/replace next. I've read a lot about the trac-bar being a lot of the problem b/c of the angle the lift puts on it compared to how it was factory height. I am running a used set of bfg at's (31x10.50's), they are in balance as far as I can tell from driving it. Any suggestions, feel free! Thanks for the

 

Are the sway bar links good? If the anything is wrong with them or the sway bar that will happen. I had the same problem. I fixed it with new sway bar links and it hasn't ever happened again.

 

Check the track bar. Mine loosend up a couple times after I installed the lift.
Also the drop bracket loosed up to.

 

Is it possible the alignment didn't hold? Something causing it to come out of alignment like a bad tie rod? I don't know anything about suspension really, just throwing that out there.....

 

Actually when I was disconnecting my sway bar to drop the front axle when taking the springs out, I broke off part of the threads on one of the links, there happened to be enough threads left where I could get a nut on the broken link and the sway bar is on, could that have anything to do with it??

 

probably not if its connected.

did a 4x4 shop do your alignment or a firestone or something? sometimes a regular tire shop will align it to spec but not read the lift instructions that say to adjust the caster or toe do a slightly different setting and it will cause the wobble too.

 

regular tire shop did the alignment...wonder what the probability is of it being the alignment, hate to drop another $60 down the drain...i'm gonna rack my brain a little more, been driving the company truck for a while now...it's a chevy! Quite a difference, BUT...it doesn't wobble

 

i have fixed death wobble with numerous things but i find it very hard to look at control arm bushings and tell they are bad (without being completely broken loose from the sleeve or outside ring). Just fixed my friends wifes 95 with doing control arm bushings and when you looked under there while turning or bouncing i couldnt tell they were bad (maybe thats why it got tie-rod ends and trac bar and drag link before we found that it was the control arm bushings). Control arm bushings are pretty inexpensive you can get them from quadratec for about $8 each but can be a PITA to replace. Just my opinion.

 

Here's my story...

We bought our Jeep last summer from a big local new/used car dealer (Jeep, Ford, Chevy, Honda, Toyota, etc)... It had a bad wobble, but it would go away or you could stop it by slowing down. Never had to stop. So, I didn't consider it "Death Wobble". Normally I would have walked away, but it was in such good shape, engine ran great, it was just what we needed, the price was right and the wife was in love (Plus they threw in a new Kenwood CD player since the stock one didn't work). I figured whatever the problem was it could be fixed with a little time/money/elbow grease. Before we took it home the dealer put two new tires on. That helped a little, then they aligned it. Helped a little more. Then they changed the front rotors/pads and that seemed to help the most. However, right at 70MPH it would still shake. I changed shocked, which were needed, but didn't help the shake, changed the steering stabilizer and that helped a little, changed the front sway bar bushings/endlinks, that helped a little more. New tires a few months back (10,000+ on the other Kumhos) seemed to help a bit too... Finally last weekend I changed the rear sway bar bushings, shackle bushings and leaf springs/bushing (heavy duty stock height). Drove it over a couple hundred miles a few days later at 70+ MPH, smooth as could be. The old springs were shot and almost inverted they were sagging so bad... I plan on doing the tie rod ends, track bar and control arm bushings one of these days. But for now, seems to be running great, and looks better too.

 

did the lift come with a new steering stabilizer? My jeep did it bad and i got under it and found that my stabilizer was bent...put a new one on and never had a problem

 

I had a bad DW after going over some railroad tracks at about 50mph, got home and re-torqued the mounting bolts for the track bar. The bar was already new, I just bought my ZJ and found it had a lot of new front end parts. After I tightened the track bar bolts I never had DW again. I did have a goofy vibration from the front at 48 to 53 MPH. I found the front lower control arm bushings to be shot. I replaced the control arms and the vibration is gone now. A tip when lifting your XJ or ZJ: loose the control arm bolts when installing the lift and torque them to spec after the lift is installed and has the weight of the vehicle on the tires. That will keep the rubber bushings from twisting and ripping.

 

i have a net of 5" i had a mad DW. installed TC drop it helped a little, tried axle shims, which made it even worse. i took off my swaybar completely and it solved the problem dont know why. i also took the back on off too because it was pissing me off when i installed the leafs never put it back on. this is my daily driver, it does have some body roll but nothing i cant live with..

 

Have some one drive along side you, hit a bump to initiate the shaking. Have them watch, if the camber adjusts (top and bottom move in and out alternatively) it's most likely a bad u-joint. If the toe moves in and out (wheels "turning" back and forth) the problem lies in your steering. If the wheels move in and out all together it's your track-bar.
I've been told 90% of the time it's the track bar.
If your lift is 3" or more you should get an adjustable track bar anyway.

 

F

 

Did you get this problem fixed? I just installed a 3" lift this weekend and I am having the same issue...