I figure it would be about $250 in parts from www.rockauto.com and a few hours and eight bolts if you did front and rear lower arms yourself. Double the price for parts and add $200 for labor if you have it done.

 

Well I made an interesting find while rotating the tires, hoping I'd be able to see something out of the ordinary. Well actually a number of interesting things, here they are, with pictures!

First of all, look at how beat to hell that shock absorber is. Looks like it came off the first ever manufactured Jeep.





Can anyone identify the part (rear axle) I've highlighted here? You'll see why in a moment.




These two pictures below show the left side (driver's side) bushing which are attached to this rear unidentified component. Is it me or are those bushings very heavily worn, and deteriorating?






And now, for the most important part, the right side (passenger side) rear unidentified component bushing, or lack thereof. In fact, it is more of a lack of most of that entire component.







Now here is my diagnosis, and I am just putting this out there because I want to see how much I have learned through this process, and I am curious if I am able to diagnose this problem myself. But nonetheless, please feel free to correct my anyway you like.

I think that is the swaybar (? maybe) connection, and because the right wheel isn't connected properly, it is drifting when the road surface is uneven and causing the car to track in one direction or another. Then when an adjustment is made to compensate for that drift, the vehicle begins to drift in the other direction, and the wheel has trouble finding dead center because it isn't fully mounted and can move freely in the X axis range of motion.

Also, it is tough to see on these pictures, but the hole that the bottom portion of that component should mount to is ragged, and uneven. Almost as if the bushing wore completely away, a pothole was hit, and the entire assembly was punched up through mounting bracket (? correct word). So upon replacement of this assembly, I guess I'd need to keep in mind that I would need to replace the mounting bracket as well.

Thanks a bunch!

 

That is indeed the rear sway bar and the sway bar end links. Those bushings look very worn, but I don't think that is the cause of your problems. All the sway bar does is help control body lean.

Is your jeep full time 4 wheel drive or do you have the option of being in 2 wheel drive? I've noticed that being full time 4 wheel drive, some problems are hidden when it comes to the front end and steering.

If you can have a friend turn the steering wheel back and forth from right to left you can probably tell what is wrong by just looking. When your friend turns the wheel back and forth, watch for movement from the drag link, and tie rod highlighted in the previous picture posted. If any of these parts do not move smoothly, thunk or clunk around, your problem is most likely tie rod ends at either the drag link or tie rod, which ever has the issue. If your trac bar moves a noticeable amount, that means it is bad. You can also check the trac bar by wiggling/shaking it. If it moves then, then it should be replaced. Hope this helps.

 

Ok, I will try to test the steering today.

I've purchased the nessecary replacement parts - the sway bar links, I am going to replace both sides. But what do the sway bar links attach to on the wheel assembly? I am on rockauto.com, and I think that part needs to be replaced (because the hole has been punched through and elongated, look at the pictures), but I can't find it on rockauto.com. Can anyone provide a name for me? Or better yet, can I just put washers over the hole so I don't have to worry about replacing it?

EDIT: Any chance it's the camber plate?
EDIT2: Yes, it is full time 4 wheel drive.

 

I had another thought. How much looseness do you have in your steering box? It's possible the box is worn out.

 

I'm going off of memory right now because I'm unable to look at my Jeep right now. As far as I can remember, the sway bar end links on the rear are connected to a bracket on the axle per side. It would not be a camber plate, due to the fact the rear can not be aligned what so ever because they are solid axles with no adjusting points. As for replacing the bracket, I would just put a sturdy washer like you said and make sure it is snug, otherwise you will run into the same problem with the washers that you have now.

Please note that the rear sway bar is most likely not causing your issues. I'm 99% positive that its not. I've been running with broken sway bar links in the front for a few months and its very common to disconnect the sway bars while offroading. I've had numerous steering problems with my 96 Grand Cherokee, caused by bad parts gotten from the parts store, but loose steering and death wobble seem to be my Jeep's play mates because of the new bad parts. Lol.

Its either the steering parts I listed above, or possibly the lower arms. Given how everything on your Jeep doesn't look like it was really maintained by the previous owner, I'd replace all steering components including the trac bar. It should fix your problem. Plus, it will all be new so you won't have to worry about them, just make sure you buy lifetime warranty parts. The only part I haven't replaced numerous times and has lasted thru my dilemma is the trac bar and that is by a company named Moog. They are very good, but expensive. I highly suggest them because they are that good and worth the price, and have a lifetime warranty.

I replaced all of my steering before taking my Jeep from South Dakota to NYC. By the time I got to New Jersey, my 'new' trac bar was shot and I ended up having to buy a new one because the parts store I purchased it at doesn't exist on that side of the US. I love sudden death wobble on the highway at 70+mph. Anyways, I ended up buying a Moog and, honestly, its the only part I consider reliable on the front end. I've ended up replacing all the steering components except my steering box, trac bar and stabilizer 5 times since that trip. I took that trip in May of 2010. I figured I'd tell you my story on steering issues.

 

Well I am going to replace the sway bar links before I do anything else. It's not quite safe to drive the car the way it is, at speed higher than 45, because I get what I assume you are calling "death wobble". I'm hoping that the sway bar links are causing my problems, but nonetheless I hear what you are saying about it most likely not causing my problems, but I am not willing to spend some cash until I replace $15 sway bar links.

 

I'm surprised that whoever did your alignment did not notice the issue, unless they did not road test the vehicle post alignment. If that's the case I would find another shop.

I took a 98 ZJ in, playing dumb, I did not complain or ask for an alignment. I just said the steering feels loose and let them do the diagnosis.

If you could lift it off the ground and have the front end hanging in the air you will be able to see more of the issues than if the vehicle is on the ground or sitting on jack stands under the axle.

 

I hear you there. I'm not saying to not replace them.... Just saying that the end links are more than likely not your issue of loose steering... If you feel as though you have a body lean issue, then I'd say the sway bar end links are definitely the issue. Death wobble is when the entire front end, entire Jeep and steering wheel shake like an earthquake while driving. Its common on vehicles running bigger tires and/or lift kits. I'm going to fix my front sway bar links as well, but I'm going to get quick disconnects because I like to offroad. Lol please keep posting here and let us know...

 

Death Wobble will almost feel like the vehicle is out of control, not sure if it is related to a set speed but I have been in vehicles that exhibit after hitting a bump. Like said prior the entire Jeep shakes like it wants to come apart.

On the other had if you are feeling bad vibration on relatively smooth roads and the start at a specific speed, like around 50 MPH, the first thing I do is look at wheel balance. But it really depends on how it feels.

For your own piece of mind, maybe take it to a JEEP dealer/shop and pay them to go over the front end. You will pay them for the 1/2 hour to an hour but you will leave pretty much knowing what is wrong. I think this is a better idea than just throwing hard parts at it from the start.

 

Agreed. I've taken my zj to the dealership for a recall that wasn't done by PO for the shifter. Check for recalls on the Jeep, grab the list and head down to the dealership. If the recalls haven't been done, they will do them for free. My local dealership does inspections on all vehicles that come in the door for any work, whether paid work or recalls or even oil changes and they check everything.. Including the exhaust. Lol I'm not sure if this is at every dealership or just my local, but it would be worth looking into... Plus you can make sure those recalls are taken care of while you are at it.

 

Check your front hub bearings. Often overlooked cause of Death Wobble.

 

Mine started after I replaced the messed up parts with new.. its only a little at 45mph+, almost like a tire out of balance, but I'm thinking its because I did a redneck alignment and haven't gotten a "professional" one yet. lol

 

How do I test the steering box?

I really think that the tie rod ends are worn-out, the symptoms of that are exactly what I am experiencing, here is what I found on the internet, "front end shimmy, hard steering, or pulling from side-to-side". Also, has anyone replaced these themselves, can anybody comment on the difficulty? Anyway I can really troubleshoot this myself, and be positive that the cause is the tie rod ends, not the entire tie rod?

I wouldn't say my Jeep has death wobble, but it is definitely wobbling, and I would think it would be unsafe to take on the highway. When I run over some bumps or go around a turn, the body leans pretty severely from the back and then has trouble recovering from the turn. But it isn't "death wobble".

 

Normally the tire rod bar isn't bent and the tie rods simply need to be replaced. Its not to bad of a job to do. I would suggest picking up a chiltons repair manual. It will have all the sizes for tools you'll need but as a break down here's the basics... I was able to pull this off once with out taking of the tires because of where the cotter pins were... I got lucky. Lol
Spray tie rod nuts and the adjustment sleeve where the tie rod threads in with penetrating fluid. (pb blaster is awesome). Make sure vehicle is off and tires are straight. Jack up the jeep and support with jack stands under the axel. Take tires off. Pull cotter pins from each tie rod end. Remove nut on each side. Remove shaft from the knuckle.

Some people count threads on the tie rod for alignment purpose, some measure the distance from the adjustment sleeve to the center pin on the tie rod, and some measure tires. This is your preference. Getting the new parts adjusted as close to the old parts is key. It will make driving to the alignment shop a bit easier.

Once you measure, loosen bolts on adjustment sleeves. Unthread the tire rod ends from the adjustment sleeve. Thread new ones in to your specifications. Pay attention to to which side of the tie rod bar is driver and passenger. Tighten adjustment sleeves and reinstall. When you put the nut on the tie rod end, pay attention to the cotter pin hole. If you over tighten the tie rod ends, you wont be able to grease them very well because you will destroy the boot and not have room for grease.

The tire rod ends on the drag link are the same process except you have to invoke your steering stabilizer.

If you are doing any tie rod ends, I'd suggest you replace all of them and inspect your steering stabilizer. Considering the lack of previous maintenance, I'd plan to replace it.

If you do this yourself, and have questions, I'll be here.

The lean is definitely from the sway bar end links and I believe the lack of recovering is your steering issues. I would replace both front and rear sway bar links. I'm not trying to suggest you rack up a huge bill, but IMO if the back is that shot, the front probably is bad or close to it.

some more food for thought... I've read some people have upgraded the stock tie rod end links with ones from the v8 zj. I'm not sure if you have to replace the tire rod bar and adjustment sleeves or if the v8 tie rod ends thread into the stock adjustment sleeves, but it might be worth looking into.