dbltap's Mojito! JLUR

doubletapdaddy

Caught the Bug
Turns out editing videos is kind of fun, and I was itching to do another short one. Previously I posted pictures of my daughter taking her first water crossing at Middle Saint Vrain in Colorado, but the video is so much cooler....
 

JTCO

Meme King
Turns out editing videos is kind of fun, and I was itching to do another short one. Previously I posted pictures of my daughter taking her first water crossing at Middle Saint Vrain in Colorado, but the video is so much cooler....

I used to have a backpacking channel on YouTube. At first I loved filming and editing but it became so time-consuming for full trips. It would take hours just to put a 15 minute video together. And then I was filming so much that I missed the whole point of why I wanted to be out there (to enjoy nature and get away from technology). I ended up giving it up but still have the videos somewhere.

That's a cool video of your daughter. I'm sure she loved driving across that water.
 

doubletapdaddy

Caught the Bug
And then I was filming so much that I missed the whole point of why I wanted to be out there (to enjoy nature and get away from technology). I ended up giving it up but still have the videos somewhere.

When my daughter was younger, that's how I began to feel at holidays and birthdays. Like I wasn't experiencing it in real life, only experiencing it through the lens (screen) while I watched what I was filming while I was filming. Almost surrealistic. Like I was there and wasn't there at the same time. That's why I don't take videos at holidays anymore. And when I take pictures, I pretend I'm on a roll of film and limit myself to only a dozen or two. What I really miss though, that technology has taken away, are those boxes in the back of the closet. The ones filled with old pictures that you can just spend hours sifting through, reliving memory after memory.
 

OverlanderJL

Resident Smartass
I used to have a backpacking channel on YouTube. At first I loved filming and editing but it became so time-consuming for full trips. It would take hours just to put a 15 minute video together. And then I was filming so much that I missed the whole point of why I wanted to be out there (to enjoy nature and get away from technology). I ended up giving it up but still have the videos somewhere.

That's a cool video of your daughter. I'm sure she loved driving across that water.

When my daughter was younger, that's how I began to feel at holidays and birthdays. Like I wasn't experiencing it in real life, only experiencing it through the lens (screen) while I watched what I was filming while I was filming. Almost surrealistic. Like I was there and wasn't there at the same time. That's why I don't take videos at holidays anymore. And when I take pictures, I pretend I'm on a roll of film and limit myself to only a dozen or two. What I really miss though, that technology has taken away, are those boxes in the back of the closet. The ones filled with old pictures that you can just spend hours sifting through, reliving memory after memory.

IMG_0316.JPG



Sent from my iPad using JL Wrangler Jeep Forum mobile app
 

doubletapdaddy

Caught the Bug
Is this enough movement in the front track bar frame-side mount to cause full throttle Death Wobble?


Bolt is torqued to spec. The bushing sleeve is securely pinched within the bracket. There is no bolt or bushing movement. The track bar is moving on the bushing.
 

JTCO

Meme King
Is this enough movement in the front track bar frame-side mount to cause full throttle Death Wobble?


Bolt is torqued to spec. The bushing sleeve is securely pinched within the bracket. There is no bolt or bushing movement. The track bar is moving on the bushing.

I've had mine have that much play and do it. I have borderline DW as well from our last run. Noticed it on the way home. Haven't checked out cause yet.
 

doubletapdaddy

Caught the Bug
I've had this amount of play for a couple of weeks, and without any issues. That is until I installed the Synergy tie rod and drag link to address slop in the OE drag link tie rod end at the pitman arm.

Following installation of the Synergy components, I took it for a drive to check to steering wheel center and had full on Death Wobble. Not shimmy, not bump steer - but complete and uncontrollable violent death wobble. It felt like the whole goddamn front end of the jeep was going to come off.

I put the fox steering stabilizer on and the DW was gone (or at least masked). All of this was the day before our trip to Wheeler Lake. The morning after the trip, I took the Jeep out to grab some coffee and experience full DW within the first hundred yards, even with the fox steering stabilizer.

Unfortunately my OE front TB has the same issue with the axle-side bushing. I'm just going to have to patiently wait for my replacement TB to arrive.
 

doubletapdaddy

Caught the Bug
I should say that I've gone back and rechecked the torque on all tie rod ends as well as ball joints. I do need to jack it up to see if I have any ball joint play though.
 

doubletapdaddy

Caught the Bug
I've been waiting for my warranty replacement TB to ship for over a week now. I received FED EX shipping confirmation while typing the previous posts. LOL. Scheduled to arrive Saturday by end of day. Here's to hoping it comes one day early, as we are hoping to go back to MSV/Coney Flats on Saturday. If it doesn't arrive early, we'll just have to go another time.
 

JTCO

Meme King
If you had the same amount of play in your track bar with no death wobble prior to replacing the steering parts, I would look those over first. Make sure all the adjustment bolts and pinch bolts are tight. Did you have someone cycle the steering while you watched all of the steering joints? And all of the tapered studs are fully seated in the bores?
 

doubletapdaddy

Caught the Bug
If you had the same amount of play in your track bar with no death wobble prior to replacing the steering parts, I would look those over first. Make sure all the adjustment bolts and pinch bolts are tight. Did you have someone cycle the steering while you watched all of the steering joints? And all of the tapered studs are fully seated in the bores?

That's just the thing. I've been over it several times already. Tapered studs are firmly seated, pinch bolts are properly torqued and very tight, no movement in the steering joints... At least not anymore. Before adding the Synergy components I had lots of movement at the drag link / pitman arm, but now everything is very solid. It's almost as if tightening up the steering linkage accentuated any other weak link in the chain (bad TB bushing).

Also, when I did the initial installation and upon further rechecks, I had the front axle on jack stands with the wheels removed to ensure that everything was torqued properly. I've also checked my front UCA and LCA bolts, ball joint nuts, steering box bolts and bracket welds. I'm at 1/16" positive toe, and 5.5° of caster. The only thing I haven't done yet is check for ball joint play. If the death wobble continues with the new trackbar, I'm going to reinstall the OE tie rod and drag link to see what happens.
 

Last edited:
May be worth the time to re balance the tires and maybe rotate as well.I had full blown DW on my JK with similar play in the track bar.Replaced with a Synergy track bar and helped a little.I then rebalanced the tires and got rid of 90% of it.And finally got a sidewall puncture in my driver front tire,replaced with a new tire and DW gone completely...go figure.
BTW i have 37" MT-Rs which is not a great tire IMHO.
 

doubletapdaddy

Caught the Bug
May be worth the time to re balance the tires and maybe rotate as well.I had full blown DW on my JK with similar play in the track bar.Replaced with a Synergy track bar and helped a little.I then rebalanced the tires and got rid of 90% of it.And finally got a sidewall puncture in my driver front tire,replaced with a new tire and DW gone completely...go figure.
BTW i have 37" MT-Rs which is not a great tire IMHO.

I've considered rotating the tires to see if that helps at all. Now I'm definitely going to rotate. I'll go the rebalancing route if all else fails.

I've never experienced DW, and I'll tell you what... It's pretty damn alarming. While Googling and reading about DW over the past couple of days, I've read several reports of people attempting to clear up JLU "DW lite" by installing new tie rods and drag links from Synergy and / or Steersmarts, only to find that the symptoms have worsened significantly. I'm beginning to wonder if the play at the OE pitman arm / drag link joint is purposeful. IDK... I just can't wait until the new TB arrives. The bushing on my current one is so loose that you can hear it clunking in the video.
 

Onlyone

Member
Is this enough movement in the front track bar frame-side mount to cause full throttle Death Wobble?


Bolt is torqued to spec. The bushing sleeve is securely pinched within the bracket. There is no bolt or bushing movement. The track bar is moving on the bushing.
Any amount of play in a track bar can cause DW. I hope the new bushing can contain it. Seems tightening up the rest of the steering probably made the TB issue even worse. I’ll bet after the new bushing it will cease. You have found the problem.
 

doubletapdaddy

Caught the Bug
Any amount of play in a track bar can cause DW. I hope the new bushing can contain it. Seems tightening up the rest of the steering probably made the TB issue even worse. I’ll bet after the new bushing it will cease. You have found the problem.

Thanks for the encouragement. There's no doubt that it's a first world problem, but still a bummer. It's what my family and I like to do the most during the summer time, which seems to be wrapping up pretty quickly. Lol. I'll post up the results as soon as the new TB is installed.
 

Last edited:

doubletapdaddy

Caught the Bug
Up on jack stands today to check ball joint play.

20190822_171223.jpg

Doesn't appear to be any obvious axial or radial movement. This was an eyeball assessment, as I don't have a dial indicator. Also, there was no clicking or clunking. :idontknow:

Still waiting on the trackbar.
 

doubletapdaddy

Caught the Bug
Replaced the trackbar over the weekend. No change... continued DW. Took off the Synergy components, reinstalled OE components.

Here's where I stand right now:

OE TR + OE DL + OE SS = NO DW
OE TR + OE DL w/o SS = DW

Synergy TR + Synergy DL + Fox SS = DW
Synergy TR + Synergy DL w/o SS = DW

Wheels are going to be rebalanced Friday. Prep included torquing ring bolts (deflated) and a thorough scrubbing.

Kids love torquing ring bolts. Who knew? BONUS!!!
20190825_171604-1024x768.jpg

Do you think they'll grow? Maybe they'll be 40's when I wake up tomorrow.
20190825_184322-768x1024.jpg
 

doubletapdaddy

Caught the Bug
I should also note that the DW can be replicated by hitting a dip (such as a recessed manhole) with the driver's front tire or when stepping on the brakes hard.
 

Top