Bryan Tift

Hey jeepers. This is going to be a long one. I have two issues. My jeep tried to run into a pole today with it's DW so I need all the advice I can get.


First issue: Death Wobble!!!

I have replaced the track bar, drag link, and tie rod ends (1AAuto). I have gotten my car aligned (twice). My track bar is stock and I do have a 4 inch lift, so my axle isn't centered perfectly. I torqued the tie rod ends to 55 ft-lbs. Nothing feels loose that I can grab and shake.

The death wobble began several months ago after a trail ride but only at high speeds. I ignored it for a while. Just a week ago I used to get the death wobble above 65mph. I figured now it's time to replace some things. I did the track bar one week and it had no change, it still death wobbled at 65mph. The next week I replaced the drag link and tie rod ends. I immediately went and got an alignment - and what do you know??? Now I get death wobble at 45mph+.

Every bump I go over it feels like I'm going to go into death wobble when doing more than 30mph. Over 45 mph, and bumps/potholes/manholes send me into the death wobble. Did me installing tie rods and getting an alignment mess it up even more?? My alignment also isn't holding. They say they get it perfect and I see the numbers the computer says they did. But one day later I come back between I'm out of alignment again and they ask me if I changed anything!? (I didn't).

I'm at a loss. My daily driver is parked right now. If I can't find a solution soon I am going to have to take it to Adam's Driveline (a 4x4 repair shop in Vegas). I don't really want to have to do that since the tow will cost a chunk of money and the diagnoses/repair will cost money too. Budget is tight though, as I'm still in high school.

Any help in this area would be nice! Thank you!



Second issue: Knocking Noises, Banging noises from Drivers side

I also have a knock, it seems to be coming from the drivers side. When shifting from 1-2 (Manual) or going over bumps like driveways and speed bumps, I get banging I can feel under the floorboard and hear it audibly too. It's feels like something is about to break off. It doesn't seem to occur at higher speeds. I cannot for the life of me figure it out.

I did notice though that my drivers side coil was missing a coil retainer. I am ordering new coil retainers now as well as coil isolators (why not?). I noticed too that with my front end lifted up by the frame, I am able to punch my drivers side coils and get knocking/clanging noises. I can also shift it around. I cannot do this to my passenger side coil. Should I be getting new coils? Video of coils

The ball joints also don't have any play (tested by jacking up with tires and grabbing them 12 and 6 and shaking). I figured maybe the shocks could be causing it (shock bushings were all bad), but I still get noises with both shocks removed. Sway bar link bushings are also new and tight, as well as the sway bar bushings themselves.

I was driving at about 30 mph today (slowly because I almost crashed from the death wobble) and I hit a small bump. It literally sounded like something fell off of my jeep (nothing did that I can see).


so yeah. death wobble and terrible noises from my front end. Any advice on what to do here? I have ordered an adjustable track bar from rusty's as well as shock bushings (to install Bilstein 5100's) and a new steering dampener (mine was old and leaking fluid. I know it isn't a reliable fix for DW, but I figured they're cheap and I need a new one anyway).

Here are some pictures of under my jeep.

Thanks for any suggestions.

(I have cross-posted this with Reddit, Jeep Forums, Cherokee forums, and NAXJA just to explain why you might be seeing this post a second time)

tinytrax78

you need an adjustable trac bar to start , and probly some ball joints . get this thing off the road before you kill someone !!!

CastorTroy

To add to tinytrax, you definitely need lower control arms, and probably upper control arms as well. Your caster is way out of spec, which is known to cause death wobble as well.

4.3L XJ

First thing to do with that death wobble is to have someone saw the steering wheel back and forth while the engine is running and look at all joints. If there is movement at a joint without the affected part moving, then replace that. Be sure to look at the frame track bar mount and the axle track bar mount. And as suggested, get the right track bar for your lift

Bryan Tift

Okay. How do I measure my caster? And should I start with adjustable lower or upper control arms first? I don't have the money to buy both. I'm thinking of buying from Core 4x4, the tier two arms (johnny joint on one end) and they're about $210 for lower and $190 for upper.

I had someone turn my steering wheel left and right and I noticed a small movement in the axle mount of the track bar. It's a new bar, and it's torqued down to 40 ft-lbs (factory spec), so the bolt hole must've rounded out!! I'll be drilling the hole out to 9/16 and getting a Grade 8 replacement bolt and nut to stabilize that while I wait for my adjustable track bar to arrive.

Some people have mentioned the steering box. How do I check for play in the steering box? I didn't notice any while under the car when my friend was turning the wheel back and forth.

CastorTroy

Lower control arms are what you need. According to this chart, they need to be adjusted to 16.5 inches in length:

PatHenry

Drilling out the wallowed out track bar mount is helpful, but I think that the incorrect TB length for your lift and probably bad control arms are your main problems along with the coil spring being loose. You probably need a new spring there or a spacer to compress it enough to keep it tight.
That retainer is good to have, but the spring tension is the most important part of keeping it in place, if you can move it as you describe, it's either way too short for your lift, or is worn out.

tinytrax78

for track bar you can drill a new hole and move it over some , look around on craigslist for adjustable control arms there are a few sets close to me cheap

craiso

I had a consistent DW and replaced everything that is mentioned about DW on a Jeep. Of course, it came back a short time later. I recently put some new shocks on the REAR, and the DW is gone. Total surprise to me...

Bryan Tift

It's interesting you mention this. My rear alignment is off. The thrust angle is off like .15*. I know this probably isn't the main cause since I found the track bar moving slightly, but the shop mentioned how the bad thrust angle could be pulling my jeep to the right slightly. My leaf springs are basically bending downwards at this point so after I fix my front suspension issues I'll go ahead and get new rear suspension stuff.