First off, thanks to everyone on this board for some great info. Thankfully, I haven't had to post much and found most of what I needed on previous threads. That said, I'm pretty bad at diagnosing problems, so hoping you all could help with a front-end issue I have.

'96 Classic, 98,000 miles (just a baby!). I'm fairly certain the low-pitched vibration I hear and the "clunking" sounds when turning mean bad u-joints. That's first on the list.

But, the front-end seems terribly "loose" and I've had the death wobble a bunch of times now...and it seems to be getting worse. What should I expect to replace on the front end? Bushings, tie-rods, ball joints, track bar and steering stabilizer?

A few pics from underneath to give a bit more reference. Thanks! Here's a link to the full-size composite picture.



Composite




Left




Right

 

We can't tell what's worn out by the pictures. You can put your Jeep up on jack stands and check the components. You have to grab tight and give them a good pull and shake. (Make sure you have good jack stands on solid, level ground.) Anything that's loose will require replacement.

Or, you can take your Jeep to a good alignment shop. They'll tell you exactly what's wrong with it and give you an estimate for repairs. Tell them thank you, replace the parts yourself, then bring it back for the alignment. I've done this many times.

Typically, the drag link wears out which is a primary cause for the death wobble. The tie rod end which attaches to the pitman arm is another suspect because its under a lot of stress.

With 98,000 miles, I wouldn't expect much else to be wrong, but you never know until you get under there and check or have an alignment tech check for you.

 

Try front shocks .. Steering stabilizer .. And wiggle your wheels when you have it up in the air to check for loose tie rod ends .. My death wobble was fixed with a stabilizer and shocks

 

A steering stabilizer and/or new shocks is not going to fix 'death wobble' as they are not what causes it.

The track bar being worn out or the mounting bracket for it being out of shape is more commonly the culprit. It can also come from worn out tie-rod ends.

Also consider checking the ball joints and control arm bushings.

It is not possible to tell if these are worn in your photos, but if the parts are as old as the rest of the stuff in the pictures you might just want to replace all of it....and enjoy a new riding Jeep.

 

I agree. Your at the point of your Jeep's life that needs work. Death wobble is a complex issue that is not usually one piece causing it. Instead of just throwing parts at it until you find it, you might consider a total rebuild for the sake of fixing it all.

I did, and wow.. what a difference. It's tight and responsive, back to factory or even better.

This is a whole rebuild... bushings, bearings, breaks, shocks, springs, stabilizer, trackbar, ball joints, u-joints... everything.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I figured this was the case and am probably leaning towards a total rebuild, since it makes the most sense. Those before/after pics make it look worth the while.

 

When replacing the tie rods upgrade them to a complete set from a mid 90's V-8 GC they are a direct bolt-in and much stronger than the stock ones by far and if doing the work yourself under $100 at AutoZone. Only 3 pieces a long tie rod, short tie rod and the sleeve.


This is a very good upgrade the GC set had a large solid steel long tie rod where the stock XJ has a rolled sheet metal one plus the joints are much stronger also. This is a plus for anyone and a real benefit for any off-roading or oversize tire/wheel combos up to 33/35".