Desperate need of help!

TonyViv

TonyViv

Member
Hello all,

Having serious problems I need fixed right away.
You may have read in my previous post about a "mini" deathwobble I was having. it wasn't serious and not at all violent. I super double/triple checked everything and only found slight play at the pitman arm, rechecked a few more times and found a tiny bit of play at the knuckle side too. Track bar fine ball joints fine. Ok no biggie, its a good time to do a drag link flip and track bar relocation.

I order up a synergy track bar relocation bracket and a no drill style drag link flip (sorry I didn't read about wayalifes issues with the manufacturer until after I ordered it) Get under there yesterday and put it all together minus the steering stabilizer(needed a new bolt) all goes together easy peasy................

Until I take it for its first drive. Hit the first bump on the side street full blown DW. Happy to be going slow!!
Double check everything and check torque all is fine....... wonder if my adjustable track bar isn't playing well, even though it collapses down to exactaly the length of the stock one. After a couple more DW episodes and a lot of rechecking and retorquing , I thought maybe Ill put my stock track bar back on... Same problem, just not as bad..

I also find that if I don't fully center my steering wheel, just slightly off but not setting off lights, the DW is better but will happen although less often..

Guys I am at a total loss, I had high hopes this would be better than pizza...

I have spent 8 hours under my jeep..... checking and rechecking..... I had my wife and daughter turn the wheel lock to lock about 68 thousand times, everything is super tight, not a tiny bit of motion on any bushings of the track bar the end link on the brand new drag link are solid and tight, the tie rod ends are solid..... ball joints had 0 play( I will check them again the morning...

My wonder is, I had such a slight issue before and now I made these changes, and everything went to hell..... I can only assume its something I did or are missing.... any ideas?

Where I am no is my jeep is undriveable and I have to go back to work on sunday
This sucks... any help would be appreciated...

thanks guys

Tony



Guys, I am a complete loss...... I had high hopes that this would be better than pizza
 
jkrichard

jkrichard

New member
I have had similar issues with everything being torqued but still having the ole paint shaker feel.

My first question is how the tires are balanced, If its with beads that might be your issue.

Second, check your steering stabilizer. My stock one had a dead spot right in the middle, if I hit a bump it would begin to bounce between the ends of the dead spot. Had nothing to do with anything else moving or having slack. Friend of mine had the same issue with the dead spot in the SS and he sold the jeep after because it scared him so bad on the highway.
 
Last edited:
TonyViv

TonyViv

Member
I had my tires rebalanced last week before I started this journey, they are In great shape wearing perfect.... My steering stabilizer was leaking oil so I left it off for now.... with everything I have read, its just a mask so Id like to find the real problem before putting it back on...
 
USMC Wrangler

USMC Wrangler

New member
I've never experienced it myself, so can't offer any help except a link to this...

http://wayalife.com/showthread.php?...s-What-it-isn-t-and-What-You-Can-Do-to-Fix-it

I know some great threads get buried. Maybe you've seen it, maybe not. Just trying to offer something to help with your frustrating situation.


.......................................................................
Overall "build thread"
http://wayalife.com/showthread.php?26097-I-guess-it-s-the-quot-Super-Stocker-quot-build

DIY trail/tube door build http://wayalife.com/showthread.php?24449-My-DIY-Doors
 
jkrichard

jkrichard

New member
Fair enough. Didn't know you pulled it off. Only other thought would be check the bushings in your control arms. Otherwise, that thread that was linked hopefully helps you out man.

Good luck
 
BABOOZLE

BABOOZLE

Caught the Bug
I smashed my stabilizer once and had to remove it. I had horrible DW. I put a new one on and it went away. Since then I have gotten a new tie rod and draglink. My tie rod was a little bent.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
JKbrick

JKbrick

Active Member
TonyViv said:
Hello all,

Having serious problems I need fixed right away.
You may have read in my previous post about a "mini" deathwobble I was having. it wasn't serious and not at all violent. I super double/triple checked everything and only found slight play at the pitman arm, rechecked a few more times and found a tiny bit of play at the knuckle side too. Track bar fine ball joints fine. Ok no biggie, its a good time to do a drag link flip and track bar relocation.

I order up a synergy track bar relocation bracket and a no drill style drag link flip (sorry I didn't read about wayalifes issues with the manufacturer until after I ordered it) Get under there yesterday and put it all together minus the steering stabilizer(needed a new bolt) all goes together easy peasy................

Until I take it for its first drive. Hit the first bump on the side street full blown DW. Happy to be going slow!!
Double check everything and check torque all is fine....... wonder if my adjustable track bar isn't playing well, even though it collapses down to exactaly the length of the stock one. After a couple more DW episodes and a lot of rechecking and retorquing , I thought maybe Ill put my stock track bar back on... Same problem, just not as bad..

I also find that if I don't fully center my steering wheel, just slightly off but not setting off lights, the DW is better but will happen although less often..

Guys I am at a total loss, I had high hopes this would be better than pizza...

I have spent 8 hours under my jeep..... checking and rechecking..... I had my wife and daughter turn the wheel lock to lock about 68 thousand times, everything is super tight, not a tiny bit of motion on any bushings of the track bar the end link on the brand new drag link are solid and tight, the tie rod ends are solid..... ball joints had 0 play( I will check them again the morning...

My wonder is, I had such a slight issue before and now I made these changes, and everything went to hell..... I can only assume its something I did or are missing.... any ideas?

Where I am no is my jeep is undriveable and I have to go back to work on sunday
This sucks... any help would be appreciated...

thanks guys

Tony



Guys, I am a complete loss...... I had high hopes that this would be better than pizza
Click to expand...

Tony, I too went down this road recently. My jeep only had 13,500 miles so I kept telling myself it must be something aftermarket I have added. I went so far to take my whole lift off and put back to stock with a set of brand new stock steel wheels and donut tires from the local dealership. I was so excited for that first drive and two miles down the road I hit a bump and DW. Long story short I tore my passenger side knuckle off to put one on Jeeep sent me that hadn't been drilled for a flip kit and there it was. The answer to all my problems. My lower ball joint had shown no signs of being bad when testing but it was just hanging there as loose as loose can be. I was going to post a video I took of it in my thread but I can't figure out how too. Anyway I would check your ball joints and front bearings but tear it apart to do it


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WJCO

WJCO

Meme King
My guess is the problem has been there the whole time. Now that your stabilizer is removed, you're experiencing it. I would agree, find the problem before putting it back on.

First thing I would check and assuming you already have, is that the new track bar bracket is 100% tight on the axle. If you welded it on, even better. Next, check ball joints. Truly if all of your steering is tight, I would look at ball joints and wheel bearings. And obviously if you haven't already, make sure the jam nut on the new track bar is really tight as well.
 
wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
WJCO said:
My guess is the problem has been there the whole time. Now that your stabilizer is removed, you're experiencing it.
Click to expand...

This ^^^

The death wobble link that was posted up is where I would recommend you start.
 
TonyViv

TonyViv

Member
WJCO said:
My guess is the problem has been there the whole time. Now that your stabilizer is removed, you're experiencing it. I would agree, find the problem before putting it back on.




This turned out to be exactly true..
Between remove the SS and adding in the drag link flip (original drag link end was surely bad too) completely exacerbated the main issue.
I was desperate today and took it in to the local off road shop and it was indeed the ball joints, I must have not been cranking hard enough to make them move, but they were shot. So they are replaced and had c gussets welded in at the same time. It cost me a little more than I wanted to spend, but I just didn't have the time to wait to bring it home and fix it myself....
They ended up being great guys and doing good work.. He let me take it for a drive before putting the SS back on and it was great, put the SS back on just like normal
Best of all the jeep drives better than ever but my pocket is a bit lighter...


Thanks for everybodys help

Tony
Click to expand...
 
WJCO

WJCO

Meme King
TonyViv said:
This turned out to be exactly true..
Between remove the SS and adding in the drag link flip (original drag link end was surely bad too) completely exacerbated the main issue.
I was desperate today and took it in to the local off road shop and it was indeed the ball joints, I must have not been cranking hard enough to make them move, but they were shot. So they are replaced and had c gussets welded in at the same time. It cost me a little more than I wanted to spend, but I just didn't have the time to wait to bring it home and fix it myself....
They ended up being great guys and doing good work.. He let me take it for a drive before putting the SS back on and it was great, put the SS back on just like normal
Best of all the jeep drives better than ever but my pocket is a bit lighter...


Thanks for everybodys help

Tony
Click to expand...

Glad you got it fixed. Thanks for posting the solution.
 
XJADDICTION

XJADDICTION

Banned
Dreaded DW, I'm just getting back into jeepin' after 8 year hiatus. I've driven Jeep's and owned them since I learned to drive... at 14, I'm over 50 now.

I never experienced true DW until I started a family and purchased a lifted (3" ?? Lift) jeep XJ. Used of course and had this little "shimmy " on certain bumps. So, I lifted with Tereflex to 4.5" short arm with all of the best parts and done by an experienced local shop. On the way home from shop with newly lifted XJ on 15x10 wheels and 32's at 70 mph... bam!!!! Serious DW and into the median I go on the interstate. The DW was so bad that everything I could see out of the windshield was a total blur. I didn't wreck the jeep thank you Lord, but was so scared to drive it again. This was in 1998 when lifting the XJ was brand new to aftermarket. The CJ suspension is Coils front and leaves rear, solid axle front 4 link (or 5 link some call it), short arms non adj. initially. With the help of a trusted friend who is a Jeep mechanic, problem solved on DW. No matter what lift I put on that Jeep, from initial 3" to 8.5"es DW appeared without having either drop brackets or long arms.

Reading recent JP mag I see that AEV, uses them on some of their short arm kits. Let's face it, changing factory geometry will give you problems. Some we can live with, some we can't like DW. If companies are making these for the JK, there must be a reason. I can tell you with short arms and drop brackets the ride was magnificent and the DW was gone! Never had it again even with loose trac bar, bad balance alignment issues etc.

Hope this helps, DW will make you want to sell your beloved jeep. I know, in '96 I bought one.

IMG_3812.JPG IMG_3811.JPG


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
TonyViv

TonyViv

Member
Well after a week of driving with my fixes, The jeep drives great, don't get me wrong its still a jeep on 35s lifted 4 in, so it drives like a jeep but now has good manners. Next lll have to dial in my caster(sitting at 2.9 and 3.1 but this will be a new thread) The new ball joints did wonders and to anyone that's on the fence about the drag link flip and track bar bracket, just do it. Well worth it... Ive read some people say ah it didn't do much, waste of money..... In my opinion, it wasn't some kind of night/day difference but a subtle change that you can really notice. No more steering wheel pulling all over the place over RR tracks or going through puddles.

Thanks for everyone's help

Tony
 
jeeeep

jeeeep

Hooked
TonyViv said:
Well after a week of driving with my fixes, The jeep drives great, don't get me wrong its still a jeep on 35s lifted 4 in, so it drives like a jeep but now has good manners. Next lll have to dial in my caster(sitting at 2.9 and 3.1 but this will be a new thread) The new ball joints did wonders and to anyone that's on the fence about the drag link flip and track bar bracket, just do it. Well worth it... Ive read some people say ah it didn't do much, waste of money..... In my opinion, it wasn't some kind of night/day difference but a subtle change that you can really notice. No more steering wheel pulling all over the place over RR tracks or going through puddles.

Thanks for everyone's help

Tony
Click to expand...

glad you got it fixed, now you can enjoy your Jeep even more!

definitely get the caster dialed in, a shimmy in the DS can cause a crack in the transfer case if left unfixed for too long
 
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