XxJeepxX

So I had an alignment shop do an inspection, they said all my tie rods are good just my ball joints are all shot. So I replaced them and I'm still getting a death wobble when hitting a bump at 60. This is starting to get on my nerves, can't figure it out. I'm not running a sway bar currently either....?

md21722

When the entire suspension is worn, all parts can "share" the play and slop and it can blend together. As parts start to get changed, it is not uncommon that new vibrations start showing up as new parts will "force" other marginal parts to take the brunt of any jarring and cause vibrations/wobbles.

The rest of the suspension up front is going to be the track bar, control arms, axle bushings, and wheel bearings. Shocks and steering stabilizer will affect ride, but don't usually contribute to death wobble. Some parts like wheel bearings may pass all the regular tests but be contributing to wobbles. And some shops will not perform the work you paid for. They may "paint" the ball joints and call it good.

The track bar is relatively easy to check. With the engine running, in park, in the garage/driveway, etc. have someone turn the wheel left to right continuously while looking at the track bar bushing and axle joint. If there is any play in the axle joint, replace the track bar. The bushings tend to fail too, depending on style, and/or the bolt through the bushing may be loose.

Rubber deteriorates with age and miles. Your control arm and axle bushings are 17 years old if they haven't been changed. They probably should be.

The track bar is the usual culprit for death wobble, but unless play is eliminated from everything, don't expect a new vehicle ride.

andrewmp6

What shape is your track bar in ?

Bobolink

Put your sway bar back on for normal driving. Slow off road maneuvering doesn't require it, but on-road speeds do. DW is a resonant phenomenon that pits the springs against the weight and moment of the front axle, causing the rebound of one spring to augment the action of the other, whereby the action of each spring continues to add to the action of the other until you slow enough to stop the bounce altogether. All the components are factors in the equation to help prevent this, including all joints, the tires, and all damping components (shocks and sway bar). Want to see an examplre of real DW? Check this out...




In an chopper, it's known as ground resonance.

salad

Sway bar has nothing to do with death wobble.

md21722 has great advice.

chrisl757

I went through all this last year, and ended up replacing ball joints, u joints, tie rods, sway bar bushings, ALL control arm bushings (tough), and finally the track bar.

In the end, I could have saved my self a lot of money (and several weekends) if I just would have replaced the track bar and TIGHTENED it.

Save yourself. Go straight to the track bar and look at the passenger side mount. I'd be willing to bet it is either not tight enough or there is wallowing.

Get under there and have someone turn the wheels in each direction and watch for movement. It was not easy for me to see.

md21722

When testing the track bar, make sure to turn the wheel far left and far right, all the way to the stops. Just don't hold it at the stops for long. If you see movement, plan an alignment after it's changed because there's a good chance the steering wheel will be off center while driving.

Bobolink

Says you......

XxJeepxX

Track bar is brand new, Tera flex

salad

Yes, and everyone else that's dealt with it.

mr white

It's true...

Bobolink

Yet what you say is mere speculation. Look, I never said the swaybar caused DW, only that it is one component of a design that should be included if one is to drive the vehicle on the highway. Every suspension component has a function, and the system was designed by a lot smarter people than you (and everyone else that's dealt with it). The swaybar inhibits the action of the individual coil spring, and inhibition of the resonance set up by the springs (or the air in the tires, which also act as a spring of sorts) by any component, be it shock absorber or swaybar, is going to help to mitigate the problem. The OP should NOT be driving the vehicle on the highway without the swaybar, even if he's never encountered DW with it. One quick maneuver at speed, and he's likely to roll the thing.

Bobolink

BS

mr white

I've had dw with and without a sway bar. Putting the sway bar back on will not fix dw.
Have you had dw?

Radi

DW is typically one or both wheels oscillating side to side. It's a blast to watch on film, not so much to drive. Swaybar has no effect on side to side motion.
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