Tried everything STILL DEATH WOBBLE @ 55MPH
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 13
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Model: Cherokee
Death wobble
Ok so if your still getting the wobble you haven't tried everything right? In the world of xj's everything in the front end needs to be tight to get a nice smooth operating machine. You checkedthe ball joints, and all stearing tie rod ends. But... Have you checked your control arm bushings? I had the same issue. It ended up being the bushings in my control arms. If there is any play at all you will have drivability issues. Hope this helps.
Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 102
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From: Southaven, MS
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6
Ok so if your still getting the wobble you haven't tried everything right? In the world of xj's everything in the front end needs to be tight to get a nice smooth operating machine. You checkedthe ball joints, and all stearing tie rod ends. But... Have you checked your control arm bushings? I had the same issue. It ended up being the bushings in my control arms. If there is any play at all you will have drivability issues. Hope this helps.
That is the same thing that caused mine to DW I went through everything else and that was one of the last things I looked at. Since I have fixed them I have no more DW.
AND a lot of the time it would occur going around 55 and I didn't wreck my jeep just my pants!! (almost)
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 684
Likes: 1
From: St. George Utah
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L Rebuilt Renix "Low Output" haha
Haha, oh wow..... but uh, yeah DW is gone... it happened to be a combo of ball joints, track bar, and an alignment... yeah life is good now... thanks!
Junior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 81
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From: Mesa, AZ
Year: 1987
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
If the steering stabilizer "fixed" your problem, on think again. It is just a shock absorber. So, a NEW one just helps you to not feel the wobble as much. It does NOT fix the problem.
On mine, I checked everything... like, more than OP... all that, including, ujoints at steering, (need replacing) and bearings. if there is play in any of the u joints, bearings, etc... DW is imminent.
On mine, I checked everything... like, more than OP... all that, including, ujoints at steering, (need replacing) and bearings. if there is play in any of the u joints, bearings, etc... DW is imminent.
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Model: Cherokee
im having the same prob. i have a 1989 cherokee 2wd 2 door it has a solid axle front end no lift and no large tires just standerd oe truck and i have a mild dw @ 55 mph ive replaced every thing tierod ends ,stabilizer ,trac arm ,rotated and blalenced the tires ,wheel bearing i have tightend up the gear box but nothing seams to fix it just make it lighter ........i have 458,000 miles on it and just trying to fix it. I drive on the highway every day to work at 55. If i go up to 65 it stops its been O.R. be for and never did this.This last one was in claton GA for the bianual forestry ride with GA trail rider....yeah i kno 2wd its dum but i never got stuck and kept up with the big boys if anyone can help me plz any info would be helpful
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
So basically here is the rundown, i seriously need some help. Well my death wobble started out as at any low speed i would hit a bump while the steering was centered, and i would get the DW. So i went to a place called Dixie 4 wheel drive and they checked my ball joints and u joints and said they were good, but they found my track bar was pretty loose. So we tightened that up and it fixed the death wobble at low speeds, so life was good until i took it on the freeway. My jeep got the death wobble spot on at 55 mph.... it didn't have any wobble at all before i hit 55MPH, and it was so bad it wouldn't stop unless i completely stopped. So as soon as i got back home i tightened the steering box screw on the top (my steering was was loose anyway) and that solved it for a while. But then the next day the death wobble at 55mph came back. So i went and checked to see if it came loose or something and it did'nt, so i made sure it was tight and it still does it.... so now i can sorta get through the death wobble if i'm lucky by punching it up through and past 55. Ive talked to people, ive I balanced and rotated my tires, i checked my steering stabilizer, made sure all my linkages were tight, and it still does it. It won't do it before or after 55 mph, just right on at 55, thats why i'm so confused.... What could it be? its really a major problem and its making me mad because the i need to drive on the freeway to commute to work. But now with the steering box tightened it helped, but now my steering is stiff, and won't center if i let go of the steering wheel... Ive kinda experimented with different tightness settings on the steering box screw and it really seems to have a big influence on the death wobble. I am out of ideas, and i really need some input and some help because this problem is much more then a inconvenience. Thanks -Josh
CF Veteran
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,840
Likes: 117
From: In the middle of Minnesota!
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Possible causes of DEATH WOBBLE. Isolating death wobble is a process of elimination and the root cause is not always obvious.
Note: It can oftentimes be due to a combination of things!
--------------------------------------------------------
-Front tires out of balance (try swapping fronts to rear; see if symptoms change)
-Improper lug nut torque on wheels
-Front alignment out of spec
-Loose track bar
-Worn track bar bushings
-Worn track bar end
-Bad bushings/joints in control arms
-Worn/damaged steering stabilizer (not generally a cause in and by itself)
-Worn/damaged shocks
-Worn/damaged tie rod end
-Bad U Joint
-Bad ball joint
-Loose frame mount
-Steering box loose
-Bad front hub assembly
Note: It can oftentimes be due to a combination of things!
--------------------------------------------------------
-Front tires out of balance (try swapping fronts to rear; see if symptoms change)
-Improper lug nut torque on wheels
-Front alignment out of spec
-Loose track bar
-Worn track bar bushings
-Worn track bar end
-Bad bushings/joints in control arms
-Worn/damaged steering stabilizer (not generally a cause in and by itself)
-Worn/damaged shocks
-Worn/damaged tie rod end
-Bad U Joint
-Bad ball joint
-Loose frame mount
-Steering box loose
-Bad front hub assembly
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Model: Cherokee
replaceing parts will not always fix said death wobble the main cause of this is excessive amounts of positive caster is your alinment right do the draglink and track bar sit on the same plane/angle? also how much angle is in the lower control arms drop brackets help big time!