I’m buying an xj tomorrow and it’s got real bad death wobble. Once it hits about 30-35 it starts and doesn’t stop still you almost completely stop. The owner (my buddies dad) said it’s from a crack in the unibody where the steering box is. Could that be the cause? Cause if so it shouldn’t be to hard of a job to plate the unibody right? And if that isn’t the main cause what’s the things I should look at first?

 

Sfr has a inner frame plate stiffner.
the crack could definitely contribute to death wobble allowing the steering box move. Definitely get that fixed and go from there..

Check ttack bar axle side bolt for a wobbled out bolt hole that let's the track bar move. Check all steering joints for free play..

Likely cause is in steering or track bar.

Control arms and ball joints can also be contributing.
Basically everything can help cause death wobble

To fix frame id plate inside and out and put sleeve inside the 3 steering box bolts that way bolts can't compression frame when tightend.
​​tightened.

That thing appears to have quite abit of lift.

Any bump steer?

 

There are a number of possibilities. The short answer is, something is loose. To find it before you buy it, look under the front while your buddy saws the steering back and forth. Any joint that is not tight is the cause. Good luck

 

I would by any vehicle jeep or dodge pickup with a known death wobble issue would detour me at all.

 

Must be fun to drive without a sway bar. Should the passenger side coil have that much arch to it? Where the bumpstop is is where im looking. Looks like the axle could be off center?

 

I run swaybareless on both ends. Running long arms with about 9" of link seperation on axle side. Link seperation makes a huge difference in how jeep handles.
Though I don't expect it to handle like a sports car.


Good spot. Looks like drivers side coil is also bowing to the center. Normally the axle pulls to drivers side because track bar is to short for the lift.

Both springs bowing to the center is weird aworst like some welded brackets on the axle to narrow

If that was my jeep I'd ditch that steering and track bar and fab over the knuckle stuff. Or a kinda bolt on option might be wj knuckkes to help get some kinda decent angles... could definitely have alot contributing to death wobble. It appears track bar and steering are of different brands. If so theres a good chance track bar and drag link aren't at parralell angles and are swinging in different Arco paths bumping into to eachother kicking off death wobble

 

You gotta drop that Pitman arm about a foot!

 

Or at least get a better front-on photo to better assess geometry. The track bar looks funny. Who makes that one?

 

Yes a good front on photo would help us diagnose the problem. Did you check for loose steering joints yet?

 

 

I want to do a long arm kit eventually. And after we plate up the steering box/frame I want to replace all the rubber ball joints on the steering with heim joints.

 

 

In addition to the aforementioned recommendations, check the alignment (including front-to-back)(you can do it yourself) and check the performance of the steering stabilizer (I would turn it back to get a better angle. And the mounting area looks beat. Is it loose there?).

 

NM the angle doesn't look severe in the new image.

 

Angle looks horrible to me. Heim on pitman looks maxed out at ride heights
op will have to measure angle of drag link and track bar put some kinda straight edge from track bar mounting point to mounting point.

passenger spring is pulling towards the frame because its lifted so tall. But I wouldn't worry about that till you figure if track and drag link are at the same angle.

Steering stabalistabilizers do virtually nothing they won't stop death wobble won't cure a poorly put together jeep.. time and money put into them is waisted

this jeep falls into the poorly put together category. The Op will need to spend as much time learning steering and suspension geometry to teach himself/her how to correct the issues.
can throw parts at it but likely issues won't be corrected.

good luck and happy researching


On second look its a tie rod end on the pitman arm