Principal Skinr
Member
Sure, it isn't bad enough not to drive it. Also, I've got the old JK to fall back on! Thanks again for the help!
Ghost Death Wobble Lite
- Thread starter Four Flusher
- Start date
Sure, it isn't bad enough not to drive it. Also, I've got the old JK to fall back on! Thanks again for the help!
Four Flusher
New member
My JLUR had bad wandering st8 from the factory. After adding the dynatrac lift and K02's in 315 the wandering issue went away. After about 9K miles the steering wheel started to shake when it's cold and I hit a bump just right. Dealer said I had a loose track bar, which was my fault since a added a lift. I never touched the track bar so I was innocent. The wobble persisted until I added Rancho drop brackets, per your suggestion, thank you very much. At this point I'm only getting a rare wobble. I can't wait to hear WTF is really going on.
thanks
thanks
Principal Skinr
Member
My steering wheel shimmy became a full blown death wobble incident today. I hit a bump while acelerating up an on-ramp, right about 50 to 55mph. It shook pretty badly until I applied brakes briefly, then it stopped. I think it is worsened when the center of gravity shifts toward the rear. I haven't been able to duplicate the death wobble, but the shake/shimmy can be duplicated any time, especially when accelerating even mildly through 50mph when hitting an expansion joint or small bump.
I'll be checking bolt torque throughout front suspension components. If that doesn't reveal a culprit, it will go to the dealership.
Well that sucks. Assuming you're still running a working steering stabilizer, what I can tell you is that changing from a factory track bar to a Rough Country helped what I was feeling by quite a bit. Running a Rancho track bar pretty much made it go away. As always, I like working in small steps so that I know what actually fixes my problems. I am slowly adding part by part to see what does it and in what sequence so please stay tuned as I'm still working on this as I get more stuff.
Principal Skinr
Member
I'm really curious about the stabilizer. On one hand the original was fine and this thing's steering was great, until a couple thousand miles ago. The new one, though, seems worse. I'm going to give the dealership a crack at it and then will probably start with a very good steering stabilizer and move to the track bar from there. Of course, I still need to torque everything properly, just to eliminate that. (I'd love to find something loose for a quick/easy cure, but I doubt I'll find anything.)
What steering stabilizer do you recommend? I see Fox has an adjustable one. I'm thrilled with the Fox shocks on my Jeep, so I lean a bit toward them. Does Bilstien make a good one? You said you don't like Terra Flex. Why?
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Principal Skinr
Member
On another note, I'm hearing that FCA has a new track bar part number. Does anyone know what that's about? If a response or fix to these issues, does anyone know what they figured was the problem with the original?
Actually, I really like the OE stabilizer and mine seems to get the job done a lot better than the Rough County I tested. I'm sure the Fox one will do well if not better BUT, I don't like the fact that it would just be masking whatever is really the problem. Ideally, you shouldn't need a stabilizer at all.
You mean aside from this?
or this?
Or the myriad of other crap they make that break that I can post up more pics of if you really want?
Like I said, installing my new Rancho track bar pretty much eliminated what I've been feeling. If I could guess, that's where the problem resides or at least, a good part of it just like it is the case most of the time.
NFRs2000NYC
Member
It seems the new and improved hollow trackbar just isn’t up to the task.
I don't think it is. It looks big and beefy but it's weighs a fraction of the weight of my new Rancho track bar, which is solid or the Rough Country one I was running before. I could be imaging things but I could almost swear I can see it flexing when parked and when trying to turn the wheel left to right.
Principal Skinr
Member
I had a guy tell me he adjusted his alignment with 1/8" toe-in and it solved everything. I'm not sure I love that idea, either, but I am certainly going to have the alignment checked. Maybe the trip to Moab put it out enough to exacerbate the problem.
I'll also be looking into the Rancho track bar.
No need to post more pics. Those satisfy my curiosity, Lol!
I find that hard to believe. If anything, a bent tie-rod will cause your toe to be in. If anything, toe-OUT is what you would want to do for a temporary fix. While it will mitigate DW, it will cause poor tire wear. Too much toe-in will actually make things worse.
LOL
GrayBeard
New member
Sounds like Track Bar may be the culprit. Seems like all the stuff I've been reading and different combo of parts trying to fix the steering, it's always fixed when HD track bar is added, hmmmm
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Principal Skinr
Member
Yeah, I'm thinking I will go ahead and pull the trigger on the Rancho or Rough Kountry today. I want the Rancho, but cash is tight right now and the RK is 25 bucks less. I do like the zirk fittings on the RK, but maybe the Rancho uses better bushings.
It sounds like the track bar is a good place to start and will be a good upgrade over the flimsy stock unit, even if not completely the issue.
The D2 bushings on the Rancho track bar are a LOT better or at least, so far as I have seen. The Rough Country uses a traditional bonded rubber bushing and it's nice but it also comes with the negative of being a bonded rubber bushing - as in, it binds the moment it rotates. The D2 bushing that Rancho uses is more like a spherical joint but without needing to be greased.
Principal Skinr
Member
Yeah, I've just been reading up on Rancho's D2 bushing and it looks like it is very good and very durable, but also good for reducing NVH, as well. I'm buying this thing today. I've also always had good service from Rancho parts, from shocks to skid plates. Hell, they gave me a set of shocks in Moab in 2015 at the Easter Jeep Safari and installed them, all for free!
LOL!! Awesome. I actually did a bench test of this track bar bushing versus a bonded rubber one and it'll be in an upcoming video. Hard to say how it'll do long term but so far, I'm liking what I'm seeing.
WiscoHR
Member
I think the track bar helps but not the culprit. I changed mine to Core4x4 a few months back. I just had the dealership install my 3rd stabilizer. It worked for 2 days. I’m still leaning towards the drag link as the problem.
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doubletapdaddy
Caught the Bug
Is it a Tier Four with Currie Johnny joints on each end? If so I've got the same thing in my garage.
Principal Skinr
Member
Please post a picture of the drag link. I don't know which part that is.
Thanks.
