Steering wheel wobble sometimes full on death wobble 19 JLUR

bkac

Caught the Bug
I’m really at a loss and looking for something. I have a 19 JLUR and I’ve been fighting a steering wheel shimmy to full on death wobble. It only happens at slow speeds when hitting a bump with just one tire or both when it’s not dead on the bump. I’d say up to 35 mph. It requires me to slow to about 5-10 mph to get it to stop and mainly only happens when it’s cold. Here’s what I’ve done so far to defeat this really annoying issue. It’s been happening for months now off and on. I’ve tightened the balljoints, replaced the draglink, tierod, Trackbar, power steering pump, steering box, checked wheel bearings, control arms, checked alignment caster 6.6 6.8 degrees toe is set in 1/8”, tires are balanced. The whee is smooth until it starts. I have done the stabilizer recall twice, AD then AE part numbers. This one is so frustrating because everything is tight on the jeep. The lift has 10k miles on it. I’m at 4” of lift. It all just started one day around 9k miles on the jeep. Before that it was solid all the time. Does anyone have any ideas? I’m honestly at a loss now. I’m wondering if the frame is actually flexing and causing it. The frame is so much thinner on a JL then a JK. I’m at this point just guessing but would love some ideas or input. I might try an aftermarket stabilizer and the synergy Trackbar brace next but at this point I’m just throwing money at a problem.


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WJCO

Meme King
I’m really at a loss and looking for something. I have a 19 JLUR and I’ve been fighting a steering wheel shimmy to full on death wobble. It only happens at slow speeds when hitting a bump with just one tire or both when it’s not dead on the bump. I’d say up to 35 mph. It requires me to slow to about 5-10 mph to get it to stop and mainly only happens when it’s cold. Here’s what I’ve done so far to defeat this really annoying issue. It’s been happening for months now off and on. I’ve tightened the balljoints, replaced the draglink, tierod, Trackbar, power steering pump, steering box, checked wheel bearings, control arms, checked alignment caster 6.6 6.8 degrees toe is set in 1/8”, tires are balanced. The whee is smooth until it starts. I have done the stabilizer recall twice, AD then AE part numbers. This one is so frustrating because everything is tight on the jeep. The lift has 10k miles on it. I’m at 4” of lift. It all just started one day around 9k miles on the jeep. Before that it was solid all the time. Does anyone have any ideas? I’m honestly at a loss now. I’m wondering if the frame is actually flexing and causing it. The frame is so much thinner on a JL then a JK. I’m at this point just guessing but would love some ideas or input. I might try an aftermarket stabilizer and the synergy Trackbar brace next but at this point I’m just throwing money at a problem.


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Sounds like exactly what's going on with Doubletapdaddy's. He's checked everything and is really frustrated about it for sure. : https://jlwrangler.com/showthread.php?1899-dbltap-s-Mojito!-JLUR&p=54979&viewfull=1#post54979

What lift are you running?
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Honestly, it's everyone. Mel has it, Doubletapdaddy has it, you have it and now that it's been getting really cold out, we seem to have it again too. I just picked up a Synergy track bar frame mount brace to see if that'll help things out.
 

WJCO

Meme King
Honestly, it's everyone. Mel has it, Doubletapdaddy has it, you have it and now that it's been getting really cold out, we seem to have it again too. I just picked up a Synergy track bar frame mount brace to see if that'll help things out.

As far as you and Mel, On the JL or JT ?
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
As far as you and Mel, On the JL or JT ?

On the JL. I thought I had licked this problem but yesterday, I took my JL out to run some errands and had DW. Granted, it's the first time the temps have been down in the 30's in quite some time. Not sure why cold seems to make such a difference but it does. I've been hearing from lots of JL owners who have the same problem too.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I should note that I am no longer running the Rancho track bar. Also, I did find that the OE stabilizer did a much better job at dampening than the new Fox one I have now. Just throwing that out there for data.
 

bkac

Caught the Bug
Isn't this the one for sale?

Yes I’m selling it, I thought I had it fixed with the new steering box but it happened again yesterday. That’s another reason I’m trying to get to the bottom of it. It just started getting cold again and it’s now happening more often.


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bkac

Caught the Bug
I should note that I am no longer running the Rancho track bar. Also, I did find that the OE stabilizer did a much better job at dampening than the new Fox one I have now. Just throwing that out there for data.

I grabbed a new style OEM Trackbar last week and swapped it to see if it made a difference from my RK one that everything is tight on. What’s odd is if you pull the stabilizer and move it by hand it has a bit of movement before it gets tight almost like there’s air. Durham mentioned taking a steering ram and coupling the two ports together and bleed the air out. He said it makes a solid stabilizer. But we all know it’s just masking the real issue.


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bkac

Caught the Bug
Sounds like exactly what's going on with Doubletapdaddy's. He's checked everything and is really frustrated about it for sure. : https://jlwrangler.com/showthread.php?1899-dbltap-s-Mojito!-JLUR&p=54979&viewfull=1#post54979

What lift are you running?

I have a 3.5” RK with 3/4” daystar isolators. All new control arms and trackbars. I’ve had someone tell me that the drop brackets really help with this issue and also going longarm. I’m down for trying anything but don’t want to keep throwing wasted money and no fixes. I was told the arms really like being flat on the JL idk just grasping for answers.


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bkac

Caught the Bug
Honestly, it's everyone. Mel has it, Doubletapdaddy has it, you have it and now that it's been getting really cold out, we seem to have it again too. I just picked up a Synergy track bar frame mount brace to see if that'll help things out.

What are you having it on? JL With the PR44 up front? Are you PSC on that rig? I can’t keep up with your builds. You have so many now. [emoji13]


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WJCO

Meme King
I have a 3.5” RK with 3/4” daystar isolators. All new control arms and trackbars. I’ve had someone tell me that the drop brackets really help with this issue and also going longarm. I’m down for trying anything but don’t want to keep throwing wasted money and no fixes. I was told the arms really like being flat on the JL idk just grasping for answers.


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Doubletapdaddy and Wayoflife are already running long arms and I would assume Mel is as well.
 

bkac

Caught the Bug
On the JL. I thought I had licked this problem but yesterday, I took my JL out to run some errands and had DW. Granted, it's the first time the temps have been down in the 30's in quite some time. Not sure why cold seems to make such a difference but it does. I've been hearing from lots of JL owners who have the same problem too.

That’s exactly what I’m experiencing. It happened on those cold morning in Maine but once the temps warmed up it drove like a tight race car. Then sat and sun it was 25 out. It drove great the first 30 mins of coming out of a 60 degree garage then once it sat outside and got cold while running errands it started again. So strange. Is it the steering pressure from the box? I’m honest just thinking out loud.


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bkac

Caught the Bug
Doubletapdaddy and Wayoflife are already running long arms and I would assume Mel is as well.

Yeah and still having issues. Man it’s like it’s the frame moving or the steering box and pump pressures. Is anyone having it with a PSC setup? That would eliminate the steering pump and box.


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wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I have long arms installed and have a PR44. I should note that the problem started BEFORE we got the PR44 installed and I thought I was able to mitigate it through the use of a Rancho track bar and Synergy tie-rod and drag link. The fact that it's come back made me think that it's gotta be the ball joints being that Dynatrac recycled the ones from our factory axle. We now have over 40k on them.

What Durham said and or installing a ram assist will address the wobble but like you said, it would only be masking whatever is the real culprit. For now, my next move will be to brace the track bar frame mount and if that doesn't work, replace the ball joints.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
That’s exactly what I’m experiencing. It happened on those cold morning in Maine but once the temps warmed up it drove like a tight race car. Then sat and sun it was 25 out. It drove great the first 30 mins of coming out of a 60 degree garage then once it sat outside and got cold while running errands it started again. So strange. Is it the steering pressure from the box? I’m honest just thinking out loud.

I have always wondered about the electric steering box. I'm running a PSC on my JT right now and think that the steering feel is a lot better than it was bone stock.
 

bkac

Caught the Bug
I have long arms installed and have a PR44. I should note that the problem started BEFORE we got the PR44 installed and I thought I was able to mitigate it through the use of a Rancho track bar and Synergy tie-rod and drag link. The fact that it's come back made me think that it's gotta be the ball joints being that Dynatrac recycled the ones from our factory axle. We now have over 40k on them.

What Durham said and or installing a ram assist will address the wobble but like you said, it would only be masking whatever is the real culprit. For now, my next move will be to brace the track bar frame mount and if that doesn't work, replace the ball joints.

Well I was ready to just replace the front axle but that doesn’t sound like it fixes it. I really want cast knuckles again [emoji4] Does Synergy make a draglink flip kit? I could have sworn I saw one on a certain jeep. I wonder if that would help.


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Ddays

Hooked
Yes I’m selling it, I thought I had it fixed with the new steering box but it happened again yesterday. That’s another reason I’m trying to get to the bottom of it. It just started getting cold again and it’s now happening more often.


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Man, that's a bummer. Hope you get it figured out. I'm feeling pretty lucky I've not had that on my JL.
 

bkac

Caught the Bug
I have always wondered about the electric steering box. I'm running a PSC on my JT right now and think that the steering feel is a lot better than it was bone stock.

Yeah I moved your JT 50 ft and that steering was so nice even in that short distance. I might call Tom and hear his thoughts on just a big bore box on the JL. We gotta get to the bottom on this. It’s so frustrating and glad we can all work together towards a solution. Everything was amazing then one day it all went sideways. Watch it end up being the weaker frame and larger tires. Ugh
 
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