ThatAintStock00

So it's not really on an XJ, it's a TJ, but same principal. Death wobble around 50-60mph. intermittent. Took it to dealership, and they say, quote, "it's a worn steering shaft that's causing it." really? if that were so wouldn't I have some serious play in the steering?

I layed under the TJ and the trackbar moves just a little on the frame side when the wheels are turned lock to lock. Just noticable up/down movement. My XJ does not do this; AT ALL. It has no issues. Should I call BS on them and say do the track bar, or what???

LYKOS

I'm fighting DW right now and have done TONS of research on it.

FWIW based on what I'm reading the Track bar is a common culprit for this type of DW.

And apparently it's on the frame side of the trackbar.

There's a vid on youtube of a guy replacing the 14mm (I think) bolt with a 9/16 bolt to tighten things up.

It makes sense to me to do this first because it's the cheapest and easiest fix. If it doesn't fix your DW at least you've fixed something that will cause you grief later.

letsgomuddin

Trac bars are always the first thing to check with death wobble issues. If yours moves at all it's bad. As far as the steering shaft goes, If they mean the output shaft in the steering gearbox then it is also a possibility as my TJ went thru 2 steering boxes a year with bias ply 36's on it simply because the output shaft bearings wore out and caused leaking and death wobble. Also, most overlooked cause of death wobble are shot to **** lower control arm bushings!

ThatAintStock00

Exactly. Track bar is usual suspect. I just don't see how it's the steering can cause it. I would feel it in the steering correct?

letsgomuddin

Not necessarily, depends on your tire/wheel combo and the condition of the rest of your steering system. If you have big bias ply tires that flex alot, you may not notice the freeplay as much as you would with say stock tires. Usually when the boxes go bad, you feel it but it isn't an awful amount of play, maybe only a few degrees more than normal. Although I've also seen them so blasted that there was almost 90 degrees of play!

ThatAintStock00

Stock 06 TJ with 30x9.5 its a $200 repair and then the track bar if that doesn't fix it.

letsgomuddin

Do the trac bar first, if it moves it's bad. If you still have wobble, have someone sit in your TJ and just wiggle the wheel back and forth ever so slightly and you look underneath at all the tierod ends and the steering box output shaft for any play.

letsgomuddin

And by the way.....
Just because it shakes or shimmys a little doesn't mean it's Death Wobble. Death Wobble is when the whole front end literally feels like it's trying to rip itself off the jeep and you have very little control over the jeep. And usually once it starts, you can't stop it without a jolt like jambing hard on the brakes or something or coming to a stop. Trust me, once you've had real Death Wobble, you know it. It will scare the living crap out of you!!!!

ThatAintStock00

Oh it's death wobble. Definitely. Didn't believe it until I drove it. I'll have the shop replace the track bar.

letsgomuddin

Scary isn't it! Like it's going to just jump off the road! Good luck and let us know!

tjwalker

Track bar shouldn't have ANY play in it. The advice to replace it is where you absolutely must start. My death wobble was tamed with a Moog replacement track bar.

Ateo

I just had this happen to me also. I don't think its actual death wobble though because I still have controll over the jeep. It feels more like I'm going over a really bad washboarded road. I did just put a set of wheels and tires off of a 91 TJ on and this is the first time I've had it at highway speeds. After putting on the new tires and wheels I did tighten up the bolts in the lower control arms as there was a LOT of play in them. I'm not much of a mechanic so I am probably going to take it in and have it looked at. Should I tell them that it may be the track bar or lca bushings or just let them look at it and see what they find? I just don't want to steer them in a certain direction and have them overlook something else. I was also thinking maybe to have all the wheels balanced. Any other ideas??

And thanks for all the great info in this post previously!

ThatAintStock00

First thing I did was have the tires balanced. That helped as one was way out. LCA should also have no play.
Jeep is now at the dealership and should have it back this week. We shall see what happens.

justin92xj

x2 on control arm bushings. i replaced everything possible on my front end except for the axle itself and the control arms and still had death wobble. then when i took off my rough country lift to install a new IRO long arm lift i saw that the lower control arm bushing was wasted. havent had any d.w. since.

blinkbears

Didn't know what a DW was until I experienced it while driving home after buying my jeep.

Pretty much pooped myself.

It's fixed now, though Thank god.