VIDEO - JL JOURNAL : WORKING OUT the WOBBLE - Rancho Front Track Bar Installation

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Like many of you out there with a Jeep JL Wrangler, built up or stock, we developed a bit of wobble in our steering. It's one that mainly occurred when it's cold out and when driving over uneven pavement or hitting something like a pot hole with just one tire. Now, I should point out that what we've been feeling is FAR from being the infamous "death wobble", the violent and uncontrollable shaking of the entire Jeep and to the point where you can only stop it by bringing your Jeep to a stop. However, I can totally see how someone new to Jeeps might confuse it as being death wobble especially being that it does feel like the beginnings of it. Because a loose bolt or worn out track bar bushing is typically the cause something like this, that's where we decided to start focusing our attention. In this episode of the JL JOURNAL, you'll get to see what the wobble we had looked like and how we were able to work most of it out, if not all of it, simply by installing a new Rancho rockGEAR adjustable front track bar. We hope you find the information in this video to be useful.


I should note that we are by no means suggesting that the source of our steering wobble will be the same for everyone or that installing a Rancho adjustable front track bar will fix whatever you are feeling. This video was made simply to show what we had experienced, what we had tried and ultimately, what got things fixed for us.


BUY Rancho rockGEAR Track Bars for your JL Wrangler
Rancho RS62128 rockGEAR Suspension JL Wrangler Front Track Bar
https://amzn.to/2CuK9Dw


Rancho RS62131 rockGEAR Suspension JL Wrangler Rear Track Bar
https://amzn.to/2JqT52N


Buying from the links above will help to support this forum and at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support! :cool:
 

pop2tu

Active Member
That Rancho track bar really made a difference. Can’t believe the difference between the OEM and Rancho
 

frenchjk

Caught the Bug
i'm getting one for the JK....starting to get a bit of movement when hitting potholes too. (It's a JK mind you but same setup anyway and it sees way more blacktop than i'd wish for...:rolleyes2:.)
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Glad to see the improvement on the steering wheel wobble!

Thanks! We're quite happy with the results :)

Props to Rancho.... for keeping it tight. :thumb:

LOL - I like what you did there :D

That Rancho track bar really made a difference. Can’t believe the difference between the OEM and Rancho

Honestly, I'm really disappointed in the OE track bar being that I'm STILL running an OE front and rear track bar on Moby. Big difference.

i'm getting one for the JK....starting to get a bit of movement when hitting potholes too. (It's a JK mind you but same setup anyway and it sees way more blacktop than i'd wish for...:rolleyes2:.)

I would start by checking your track bar bolts.
 

99GoldenSahara

New member
Thanks for the video Eddie. I’m heading in your direction as mine wobbles when cold between 40-45 mph and it retains a very slight bit of wobble after hitting 50-55. Did the dry steer test and the TB is showing a bit of movement. Thanks for exposing and offering a fix for the rest of us.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 

DogHouse

Member
Like many of you out there with a Jeep JL Wrangler, built up or stock, we developed a bit of wobble in our steering. It's one that mainly occurred when it's cold out and when driving over uneven pavement or hitting something like a pot hole with just one tire. Now, I should point out that what we've been feeling is FAR from being the infamous "death wobble", the violent and uncontrollable shaking of the entire Jeep and to the point where you can only stop it by bringing your Jeep to a stop. However, I can totally see how someone new to Jeeps might confuse it as being death wobble especially being that it does feel like the beginnings of it. Because a loose bolt or worn out track bar bushing is typically the cause something like this, that's where we decided to start focusing our attention. In this episode of the JL JOURNAL, you'll get to see what the wobble we had looked like and how we were able to work most of it out, if not all of it, simply by installing a new Rancho rockGEAR adjustable front track bar. We hope you find the information in this video to be useful.


I should note that we are by no means suggesting that the source of our steering wobble will be the same for everyone or that installing a Rancho adjustable front track bar will fix whatever you are feeling. This video was made simply to show what we had experienced, what we had tried and ultimately, what got things fixed for us.


BUY Rancho rockGEAR Track Bars for your JL Wrangler
Rancho RS62128 rockGEAR Suspension JL Wrangler Front Track Bar
https://amzn.to/2CuK9Dw


Rancho RS62131 rockGEAR Suspension JL Wrangler Rear Track Bar
https://amzn.to/2JqT52N


Buying from the links above will help to support this forum and at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support! :cool:

In the video you said the rear axle defaults to the driver’s side. Is it designed from the factory like that or did you purposely set it that way, if so why? I’m pretty ignorant when it comes to setting up suspensions so I’m genuinely curious.

Either way another informative video.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 

Brute

Hooked
You have to love it when the fix is fairly easy and on the first try...

Do you think that contraction of the polymer of the bushings in colder weather is also a contributing factor? Any difference in polymer composition between the two track bars?
 

frenchjk

Caught the Bug
In the video you said the rear axle defaults to the driver’s side. Is it designed from the factory like that or did you purposely set it that way, if so why? I’m pretty ignorant when it comes to setting up suspensions so I’m genuinely curious.

Either way another informative video.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

Hi Doghouse, he mentions it because of the arc the trackbar end (bolted to the axle bracket) travels when moved up or down. Drop the suspension in a hole and the track bar pulls the axle to the pass side, shove it up on a rock and it travels to the driver side. In neutral on a flat surface if you lift the vehicle it pulls the axle to the passenger side and opposite if you lower the vehicle axle. As a side note the front is the opposite.
 

Rancho

Caught the Bug
Eddie
Great video from you and Cindy as always.
How many miles were on the previous trackbar by chance and OVERALL on the JL now?
See you soon (hopefully) in Moab. :beer:

Like many of you out there with a Jeep JL Wrangler, built up or stock, we developed a bit of wobble in our steering. It's one that mainly occurred when it's cold out and when driving over uneven pavement or hitting something like a pot hole with just one tire. Now, I should point out that what we've been feeling is FAR from being the infamous "death wobble", the violent and uncontrollable shaking of the entire Jeep and to the point where you can only stop it by bringing your Jeep to a stop. However, I can totally see how someone new to Jeeps might confuse it as being death wobble especially being that it does feel like the beginnings of it. Because a loose bolt or worn out track bar bushing is typically the cause something like this, that's where we decided to start focusing our attention. In this episode of the JL JOURNAL, you'll get to see what the wobble we had looked like and how we were able to work most of it out, if not all of it, simply by installing a new Rancho rockGEAR adjustable front track bar. We hope you find the information in this video to be useful.


I should note that we are by no means suggesting that the source of our steering wobble will be the same for everyone or that installing a Rancho adjustable front track bar will fix whatever you are feeling. This video was made simply to show what we had experienced, what we had tried and ultimately, what got things fixed for us.


BUY Rancho rockGEAR Track Bars for your JL Wrangler
Rancho RS62128 rockGEAR Suspension JL Wrangler Front Track Bar
https://amzn.to/2CuK9Dw


Rancho RS62131 rockGEAR Suspension JL Wrangler Rear Track Bar
https://amzn.to/2JqT52N


Buying from the links above will help to support this forum and at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support! :cool:

Ha. This made me laugh (Nice call back to the JK Experience in Colorado where Mel said that 1000 times a day. :D

Props to Rancho.... for keeping it tight. :thumb:
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Thanks for the video Eddie. I’m heading in your direction as mine wobbles when cold between 40-45 mph and it retains a very slight bit of wobble after hitting 50-55. Did the dry steer test and the TB is showing a bit of movement. Thanks for exposing and offering a fix for the rest of us.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

Yes, the test showed movement at the bushing at the frame mount with both the OE and RC track bars. We did not see any on the Rancho. Not say this will for sure be the fix for everyone but it sure made a big difference for us.

In the video you said the rear axle defaults to the driver’s side. Is it designed from the factory like that or did you purposely set it that way, if so why? I’m pretty ignorant when it comes to setting up suspensions so I’m genuinely curious.

Either way another informative video.

Hi Doghouse, he mentions it because of the arc the trackbar end (bolted to the axle bracket) travels when moved up or down. Drop the suspension in a hole and the track bar pulls the axle to the pass side, shove it up on a rock and it travels to the driver side. In neutral on a flat surface if you lift the vehicle it pulls the axle to the passenger side and opposite if you lower the vehicle axle. As a side note the front is the opposite.

What frenchjk said. Flex always defaults to where there's the least resistance and with the front sway bar connected, our rear axle would flex enough to cause the drive shaft to still make slight contact with the gas tank. This of course isn't something that normally happens but can happen when coming across a washout on a long desert trail.

You have to love it when the fix is fairly easy and on the first try...

Do you think that contraction of the polymer of the bushings in colder weather is also a contributing factor? Any difference in polymer composition between the two track bars?

So, both the OE and RC track bars use bonded rubber for bushings and they are pretty soft. The Rancho bushings use the D2 material and they're a lot denser - hence, why there isn't much if any side to side movement in them.
 
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