Cause for death wobble
CF Veteran
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,802
Likes: 2
From: Justin, TEXAS
Year: 1988
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I've been chasing the same at about 50mph. Changed, checked, tightened, aligned, balanced, everything. 
In the end I come up with 'potholes'. It's my tires. I think that all the potholes have broken a belt or 2 in the MTRs and they are unstable at speed. Worse at 30psi, gone at 50psi. Different tires and wheels and DW gone. Driving down the road, rims are straight and the tires are wobbling all over.
Just saying it might be your tires.
In the end I come up with 'potholes'. It's my tires. I think that all the potholes have broken a belt or 2 in the MTRs and they are unstable at speed. Worse at 30psi, gone at 50psi. Different tires and wheels and DW gone. Driving down the road, rims are straight and the tires are wobbling all over.
Just saying it might be your tires.
Just put some very used 35's on my rig(BFF at's) no wobble before, death wobble after
CF Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,777
Likes: 22
From: PA KOTUFU!
Year: 1998
Engine: 4.0L 162,000
TIRES-
Manufacture's warranty is very limited. Goodyear- "during the first 2/32 in. (.16 cm) of usable treadwear, or 12 months from date of purchase, whichever comes first"
PennDot (Highway in PA) claims a 'Law' gives them immunity, have never paid for wheel or tire damage due to potholes or poor road conditions.
Good News. Ordered some new rims and 315/70 17 Duratracs from '4 Wheel Parts' and bought their tire 'Road Hazard Warranty' which covers this kind of damage. In fact covers most any damage, all except vandalism. >50% tread=full replacement, <50% tread=prorated.
Bad news is National Backorder of Duratracs and MTRs, 30-45 days.
Ordered 5x- ProComp 1069 17" rims, 315/70 17(35") Duratrac tires, new lug nuts, mount, balanced, weights, shipped, extended 'Road Hazard Warranty", $2000 total.
Manufacture's warranty is very limited. Goodyear- "during the first 2/32 in. (.16 cm) of usable treadwear, or 12 months from date of purchase, whichever comes first"
PennDot (Highway in PA) claims a 'Law' gives them immunity, have never paid for wheel or tire damage due to potholes or poor road conditions.
Good News. Ordered some new rims and 315/70 17 Duratracs from '4 Wheel Parts' and bought their tire 'Road Hazard Warranty' which covers this kind of damage. In fact covers most any damage, all except vandalism. >50% tread=full replacement, <50% tread=prorated.
Bad news is National Backorder of Duratracs and MTRs, 30-45 days.
Ordered 5x- ProComp 1069 17" rims, 315/70 17(35") Duratrac tires, new lug nuts, mount, balanced, weights, shipped, extended 'Road Hazard Warranty", $2000 total.
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
From: South Florida
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 Power Tech
ok so heres a noobie question.... How do you adj. the toe in/out? I would like to mess around with it myself before bringing into the alignment shop again because I think they went to stock specs and made it worse also and still charged me $150.
CF Veteran
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 47,923
Likes: 38
From: Broward County Fl.
Year: 1989 xj sport 2dr
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 12 hole bosch Injectors
CF Veteran
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 47,923
Likes: 38
From: Broward County Fl.
Year: 1989 xj sport 2dr
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 12 hole bosch Injectors
Is your alignment shop setting it for stock or compensating for the lift. Your caster should be at between 86º and 86.5º with 4.5" of lift (between 5.0º and 5.5º true caster on an HP D30), compared to stock at 87.5º. This should help your steering to center which will reduce the likelihood of alignment induced Death Wobble. Other things to check would be your driveline angles, specifically the drag link/track bar alignment, they should be parallel. Also, have a look at your LCA bushings and confirm they are seated properly. If the LCA is able to move at all then a slight bump can induce an oscillation that will become Death Wobble.
It sounds like you're going about it right but it can be frustrating finding the cause.
It sounds like you're going about it right but it can be frustrating finding the cause.
CF Veteran
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 47,923
Likes: 38
From: Broward County Fl.
Year: 1989 xj sport 2dr
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 12 hole bosch Injectors
Most alingment shops only do what computer tells them ,a good alingment shop learns ....http://go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoAlignment.htm
CF Veteran
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,048
Likes: 0
From: Georgia
Year: 2004
Model: Grand Cherokee (WJ)
Engine: 4.0 Inline 6
I had this too when I lifted mine and it turned out to be bad tires. Got rid of them and got brand new ones. No more wobble. And I keep the new ones rotated every 3k miles.
CF Veteran
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,048
Likes: 0
From: Georgia
Year: 2004
Model: Grand Cherokee (WJ)
Engine: 4.0 Inline 6
I agree, after lifting you have to fine tune all the alignment points. I imagine every Jeep is different.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 121
Likes: 0
From: Herndon, VA
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
So the caster should be between 5 and 5.5? Looks like I am set at 7 and 6.83. The crap shop that gave me alignment said that my jeep should be above 6.5
CF Veteran
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 47,923
Likes: 38
From: Broward County Fl.
Year: 1989 xj sport 2dr
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 12 hole bosch Injectors
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 121
Likes: 0
From: Herndon, VA
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Before messing with alignment, I went over everything to check for play. The bushings around the following bar (sway bar maybe?) have a some play, and the bushings are deteriorating, Could this be causing some issue?
Former Sponsor
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 864
Likes: 0
From: Yorba Linda
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.8
Those 'should' not effect it at all. But it might help prevent osculation and therefor not allow full wobble to take.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 121
Likes: 0
From: Herndon, VA
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Still have death wobble but looks like i have limited it down to steering box.
Is it bad to have death wobble for a long time without curing it? Dont want to cause more damage to jeep body or suspension than necessary
Is it bad to have death wobble for a long time without curing it? Dont want to cause more damage to jeep body or suspension than necessary
CF Veteran
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,802
Likes: 2
From: Justin, TEXAS
Year: 1988
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
But that all depends on how bad it is.
Go over everything again. Check for play, wash out your rims, or rebalance them and get an alignment. If that doesn't work I would replace the steering box.( do it anyway if it's on its way out) but I wouldn't think a steering box could cause a death or speed wobble
Last edited by 884x4; Jun 13, 2014 at 09:58 PM.