Death Wobble

Death Wobble / Steering Shake Test

I tried to be as consistent as possible in these tests. Unfortunately I no longer had the JKS track bar when I decided to make this so I used old video. All the tests were done within 4 MPH of each other (according to my GPS).

For the JKS the wobble was triggered by a pot-hole on a freeway on-ramp. The Full Traction and Teraflex were triggered on a set of railroad tracks near my work.

Please note that my wobble issue was not related to the track bars them selfs. This is simply to show the relationship between the stiffness of the track bar and how long/severe the wobble will be. If you watch my track bar flex video, you can see how much flex/spring each track bar has.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Jeep
• JK
• Track bar
• Full Traction
• Teraflex
• JKS
• death wobble

[Sieran83]

As for the comments about ball-joints, bushing, steering geometry, etc... those are all factors and possible causes.

I know people who have adjusted every single one of those and never fixed it, others tried just one and it solved the problem.

Me.... After dumping over 2 grand into parts trying to fix this problem, my last attempt before i sold the Jeep was to replace the wheels/tires.

That fixed it. Not sure if it was changing the offset/backspace of the rims or the tires, but it fixed it.

[Sieran83]

All bushings were replaced, i replaced the trackbar with 3 different manufacturers. Stock (MOPAR), Tera-Flex, and Full Traction. In rank from best to worse as far as "helping" this problem (not fixing) is 1.Full Traction, 2.Tera-Flex, and 3.MOPAR.

The full traction was by far the most rigid flex wise and had a metal joint on one end and hard plastic bushing on other end instead of rubber bushings. This didn't allow the axle to shift left and right as much once the wobble started.

[Sieran83]

I guess i should check my videos more often... been off this account for a while (and no longer own the Jeep).

I just used a cheap $40 Microsoft webcam. I would have liked to use something more expensive that could record more FPS, but didn't have the money at the time. I just zip-tied it to the passenger upper control arm.

[SarahRoseCO10]

A dropped Pitman arm will cause that...if the drag link and the track bar aren't parallel, you can say hello to Death Wobble.

[Sieran83]

@SarahRoseCO10 Checked all that, after i installed the lift I adjested everything i "should" have had to adjust. For me, it boiled down to getting new wheels and tires. Not sure if the offset of the new wheels helped, or the higher load range of the tires is what made the difference.

[Sieran83]

Actually swapping out the track bar made a huge difference at what speed and what severity the wobble would happen at.

Steering stabilizers just mask death-wobble. They never solve it. You should be able to drive without one... as i can now.

I replaced the SS, track-bar, and added lower control arms. None of them fixed the problem. New tires did... seems the stock SRA tires sidewall was too flimsy and going to a tougher sidewall (load range D) fixed the problem).

[elitecssplayer]

I have a 1999 Jeep Cherokee Sport with a 4.5 Rough Country lift kit, 33x12.50 R15 tires and a ARB bumper, and it makes a clunking noise after about 100km/h, what is the problem? Thanks!

[shawnpg]

How did you mount the camera, and what camera did you use?

[kingsize71]

Ball Joints!!!

[Rangerdb]

@MrTruckerdon

I have a two wheel drive comanche...no drive shaft in the front.....have experienced death wobble a couple of times...kind of blows the ujoint theory away.