Death wobble
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04-15-2018, 11:05 AM
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#1
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Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 4
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Model: Cherokee
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Death wobble
Wow it's been a while, I have a 2000 Grand Cherokee limited 4.7. So far I have replaced lower control arms , upper and lower ball joints (both sides) wheel hub bearings (both sides) outer tie rod ends had the wheels balanced and aligned and it still go's into a front end death wobble , it's violent ! I have to come almost to a stop to stop it , the upper control arms are going to be replaced and are on order but they don't look to bad . I have watched the movement in the front end and everything is tight . I have been chasing this problem for almost a year and the next steep is to run it into a large tree ! After the balancing and alignment of got better but it's still there . Any help would be greatly appreciated ! All so the jeep has a 2" lift and one size up over stock with the tires.
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04-15-2018, 08:56 PM
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#2
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CF Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Arizona
Posts: 1,004
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Year: 1999 Model: Cherokee(XJ) Engine: I6 4.0L
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bassnut
Wow it's been a while, I have a 2000 Grand Cherokee limited 4.7. So far I have replaced lower control arms , upper and lower ball joints (both sides) wheel hub bearings (both sides) outer tie rod ends had the wheels balanced and aligned and it still go's into a front end death wobble , it's violent ! I have to come almost to a stop to stop it , the upper control arms are going to be replaced and are on order but they don't look to bad . I have watched the movement in the front end and everything is tight . I have been chasing this problem for almost a year and the next steep is to run it into a large tree ! After the balancing and alignment of got better but it's still there . Any help would be greatly appreciated ! All so the jeep has a 2" lift and one size up over stock with the tires.
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don't recall on the y2k GC's.. but if you've got a solid front axle under it, I'd say a new track bar is in your very near future. Easy to do and fairly inexpensive too.
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04-15-2018, 11:30 PM
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#3
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CF Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Manlius, east of Syracuse, NY
Posts: 9,707
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Year: 2000 Model: Grand Cherokee(WJ) Engine: 4.0L
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It's the same as the ZJs except for a slightly wider stance and a track bar with rubber on both ends. The steering linkage is different in that it has one link to join the 2 wheels and one from the steering box to the opposite wheel.
Check the steering box for play and loose mounting bolts, and change the track bar bushings, making sure the mounting bolt holes aren't worn oversized. With the alignment, about the only thing you can adjust is the toe-in. The control arms don't have cams to adjust the caster and the camber is built into the axle housing. If the track bar bolt holes are worn, you can fix them by welding washers over the holes and drilling them to the right size to have no clearance.
You might want to check the front driveshaft to make sure it's still got some ability to change length and not binding inside the CV joints.
I almost forgot! Check the REAR lower control arm bushings. If the thrust angle is off and it's dog-tracking, that can amplify a tendency to wander with power changes.
Last edited by dave1123; 04-15-2018 at 11:45 PM.
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04-15-2018, 11:42 PM
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#4
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Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 4
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Model: Cherokee
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dave1123
It's the same as the ZJs except for a slightly wider stance and a track bar with rubber on both ends. The steering linkage is different in that it has one link to join the 2 wheels and one from the steering box to the opposite wheel.
Check the steering box for play and loose mounting bolts, and change the track bar bushings, making sure the mounting bolt holes aren't worn oversized. With the alignment, about the only thing you can adjust is the toe-in. The control arms don't have cams to adjust the caster and the camber is built into the axle housing.
You might want to check the front driveshaft to make sure it's still got some ability to change length and not binding inside the CV joints.
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I will take another look at the track bar, I have watched the front end while someone turns the steering wheel slightly back and forth and I see no movement at any of the joints from the gear box down and from the gear box up to the fire wall , but I'm going to look again just to make sure. Thank you for the quick replies.
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04-15-2018, 11:57 PM
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#5
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CF Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Manlius, east of Syracuse, NY
Posts: 9,707
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Year: 2000 Model: Grand Cherokee(WJ) Engine: 4.0L
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What I'm talking about with the steering box is any play in the pitman arm side to side moving it by hand without the steering wheel moving. You'll have to check that with the wheels hanging.
BTW, the steering damper does nothing! I drove mine for a week without one. All it really does is cushion steering kick-back when one wheel hits something.
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04-16-2018, 05:29 PM
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#6
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CF Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Arizona
Posts: 1,004
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Year: 1999 Model: Cherokee(XJ) Engine: I6 4.0L
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dave1123
What I'm talking about with the steering box is any play in the pitman arm side to side moving it by hand without the steering wheel moving. You'll have to check that with the wheels hanging.
BTW, the steering damper does nothing! I drove mine for a week without one. All it really does is cushion steering kick-back when one wheel hits something.
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True.. you could look at that as well it was just that my first thought was the track bar.
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04-16-2018, 09:42 PM
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#7
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CF Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Manlius, east of Syracuse, NY
Posts: 9,707
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Year: 2000 Model: Grand Cherokee(WJ) Engine: 4.0L
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Rocketmouse, your first instinct was correct. That's usually where the problem starts. Any sideways motion of the axle assembly starts a synchronous vibration that amplifies itself.
The reason I mentioned the rear bushings is because my jeep was wagging it's tail like a happy dog! If you nailed the throttle, it pulled right. Hitting the brake, it dove left. When I inspected the suspension, I found the outer cans of the control arm bushings had rusted thru! To save time and heartache, I bought complete assemblies rather than go thru pressing the old ones out and possibly bending the arms. I replaced all 7 arms and the balljoint.
Last edited by dave1123; 04-16-2018 at 09:54 PM.
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04-19-2018, 06:41 AM
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#8
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Beach Bum
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
Posts: 5,967
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Year: 2000 WJ Model: Grand Cherokee Engine: 4.0
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