JoeKelly

Ok, i got the RC 3 inch lift installed, and during the install the passenger side front sway bar bolt broke, so I just removed the sway bar for better travel. The rear went ok except for the upper shock bolts broke off in the frame which I was expecting...Now I got the DW! would not having the front sway bar on might cause the DW? I know that I'm going to need a adj trac bar and an alignment. Also running 31.10.50.15 Coursers on stock steel xj wheels and got some rubbing...any thoughts on this or am I in the right ball park?

dogger15

Anything can cause dw

GeneralPatton

Also for the safety of others please keep your sway bar on, especially if its a DD. The rear isn't too large of a deal but u can find a lot of people who will tell u to keep your sway bars on.

where does your death wobble happen at? Higher mile per hour or lower. If u are hitting highway speeds and getting the wobble u may need stronger tie rods? If u are at low speeds and getting the woble perhaps its from a lack of a slip yoke eliminator?

98XJ40K

Not trying to be rude here... but how would the SYE affect steering?

jeepsurfer1

I would think sye is a non issue with the dw, check, tie rod, ball joints, control arms all for slack and report back bud

Atmos

I dont even know anyone who runs a front sway bar on their rig. I only see sway bars on rigs with garbage suspension and shocks
it's not a safety issue. it's a matter of what you're comfortable with

as for the DW. yes the sway bar can help cover up DW, but it will not cause it. could be the alignment, tie rod ends, off balance tires or any of the reasons in above comments

jeepsurfer1

Do you also agree there are some sway problems with tight turns that should be controled? Also this thread is about dw, we can debate the "to sway or not" after we help the op

Edit:
I missed the edit, sorry bud

Atmos

not if you're running good shocks. it would be more of an issue with long arms but he's not running them. and I know, I went back and edited it

jeepsurfer1

Its all good

JoeKelly

I plan on puting the rear shocks on when i get the broken bits out. The xj handles pretty good for no front sway bar. The DW starts around 45-55, when the wheel is straight there is no problem, but as soon as I turn the wheel or hit a bump the DW starts. The wheels and tires are balanced.

Atmos

get underneath there and check everything out. tie rod ends, track bar, control arms, *****, everything we said
then replace the parts that are clearly bad and go get that alignment and see what else they tell you to replace

98cherokee531

this may not be the same deal but an axle is an axle. I had a 78 1 ton chevy dump truck with a dana 60 front axle and the cause of death wobble was a bad axle shaft u joint. It was tight from lack of grease and when you turned the tires it would throw a fit and give some intense death wobble. That and ive covered DW up with a good steering stablizer

Garvin

The concepts are the same between axles (as 98cherokee531 said). I have a Ford Dana 60 front in my Jeep and had death wobble due to the tie rods having play in them. A steering stabilizer is just a band-aid fix at best, you should find the cause of the death wobble to fully cure it. The first things I would check are the hubs, ball joints, and tie rods as those are the most likely culprits. Bad control arm joints and ball joints could also cause it.

Just to add on the sway bar thing, I never run one but it is something I would highly suggest on a daily driver lifted vehicle. Even with a set of Bilsteins on my Jeep, the Jeep still sways on corners (I'm running one tons so I have so much weight on the ground that the Jeep will never flip).

BNJeepsta

Something in your steering is worn out. And do you mean you have been driving with no shocks??

danjr2010

You might as well forget trying to diagnose anything until getting an alignment. Cleared mine up perfectly, not before three incidents on the way to the alignment shop.

If its a DD, run a sway bar. My jeep rides much nicer without one, but its a safety issue. Emergency maneuvers can turn from a close call to a totalled jeep without it.