xj_john

I have a 98 cherokee with a 4.5in rough country lift and 32" tires. When we bought the lift it came with a steering stabilizer from rough country. After driving it with the after market steering stabilizer when you hit a small bump the front wheels would shake and jerk the steering wheel out of your hands almost pulling you off the road. After going and getting my tires balanced, this problem became less of an issue but it still happened pretty bad. so we went out and bought a RANCHO steering stabilizer from oreily and this we though fixed the problem until today when im driving home from school and it happens again.This time it was minor but i know putting bigger and bigger steering stabilizers on my jeep is just covering a problem not fixing it. What is wrong with my jeep?

89eliminator

that is your friend, Mr. death wobble paying you a visit. the stabilizer is just a bandaid to the actual problem. usual culprits are tie rod ends, tracbar, ball joints... just jack up the front end and start shaking everything. look for something that is loose.

89 black

I am not going to clame to know what it is that would cause this but I will throw out my thoughts to possibly help jar an idea loose.

Off the top I would think this is a sign of a stiff suspention and hitting bumps at too high rate of speed. Unless your stabilizers are worn out there is no reason this would be causeing the shaking I would think. Also unless you are really hitting the trails enough to ware out a stabilizer that fast I cant see that being the issue expecially if you put on a good stabilizer like RANCHO. If that is the case then mabey you need two stabilizers. I have two on my 89 XJ but with out them it does the same thing you discribed with yours.

Anyway just some thoughts and I hope it helps.

Abovetimberline

This is a common issue,when you lift an xj. refered to as death wobble. Did you install a adj track bar with the kit? also did you install at least lower control arms?
if you did not you need to,the track bar will recenter your axle to norm and the control arms will allow you to place your caster back to norm approx +7. The stabilizer is just a bandaid and will become worn much faster and problem will just come back.
ball joints, tierod bushings should also be checked.

xj_john

The lift has only been on for 3 days and the stabilizer on two days i really havent abused the jeep much no trails just rough country roads

xj_john

I did not install a adj. track bar rough country just said to drill a new hole to mount the track bar. and yes lower control arms came with the lift kit.

Abovetimberline

I put mine on and drove it about 5 miles and noticed it.

89eliminator

dont even worry about the stabilizer, that isnt the problem here. im betting its the tracbar. there should be ZERO play in it. also have someone turn the wheel back and forth and check out the tracbar mount for any movement.

COSXJFAN

Yep, it's death wobble, XJ shimmy, what ever you want to call it, I called it terrifying as ****!! There are a ton of threads here regarding it, and some are mine, search, and ye shall find answers!! HTH!!

xj_john

So what do you think is wrong with it? ball joints?

89 black

I would have to agree with the other guys. The stabilizers should not be bad and they are just a cover up for the other issues. My XJ has an 8" rustys long arm lift with 2" lift leafs and I had to put all that extra stuff on there as well.

xj_john

One last question, Could it be the trac bar i have? we got it off a cherokee in a junk yard, but it looked like it was in great condition.

lifted1994xj

Put an adj trac bar on it and be done with. Thats what was happening with mine put the new trac bar on and no DW ever since

COSXJFAN

It could be a lot of things, but yes, a worn TB will cause it. FWIW, I run no stabilizer, and have no DW now.

MasterShakeXJ

get and adj tracbar, better than re drilling for the stock one IMO. see if that helps and go from there.