death wobble!!
 

Hi!

It seems our 97 wrangler has developed the 'death wobble.' Occasionally,
after i guess hitting a bump just right, we get a severe wobble in the
steering wheel that will only stop after slowing down. I have checked
linkages in the suspension, and the only play i can find is in the
stabilizer bar links. There is some play on both sides there. I replaced
the steering damper last summer, and I guess it could be defective. The
jeep handles great (well, as great as a jeep can!), and the tires are in
balance. What do i look for?? Could it be the stabilizer bar links?

thanks,
cal

Re: death wobble!!
 

Bill H will tell you to change the stabilizer again but you have some
play in the system that needs to get put right. Start with tie rod ends,
then check the ball joints. Jack up one wheel, try to turn it like you
would going around a corner. Any play, start looking for the source.
With the wheel hanging down, use a crow bar underneath and lift up. If
you get an 1/8 of movement and a 'clunking' sound, ball joints are
history. Same on the other side. Rebalance your tires, especially if you
have some oversized ones. Sway bar links have nothing to do with it.

Cal wrote:
> Hi!
>
> It seems our 97 wrangler has developed the 'death wobble.' Occasionally,
> after i guess hitting a bump just right, we get a severe wobble in the
> steering wheel that will only stop after slowing down. I have checked
> linkages in the suspension, and the only play i can find is in the
> stabilizer bar links. There is some play on both sides there. I replaced
> the steering damper last summer, and I guess it could be defective. The
> jeep handles great (well, as great as a jeep can!), and the tires are in
> balance. What do i look for?? Could it be the stabilizer bar links?
>
> thanks,
> cal
>
>

Re: death wobble!!
 

Bill H will tell you to change the stabilizer again but you have some
play in the system that needs to get put right. Start with tie rod ends,
then check the ball joints. Jack up one wheel, try to turn it like you
would going around a corner. Any play, start looking for the source.
With the wheel hanging down, use a crow bar underneath and lift up. If
you get an 1/8 of movement and a 'clunking' sound, ball joints are
history. Same on the other side. Rebalance your tires, especially if you
have some oversized ones. Sway bar links have nothing to do with it.

Cal wrote:
> Hi!
>
> It seems our 97 wrangler has developed the 'death wobble.' Occasionally,
> after i guess hitting a bump just right, we get a severe wobble in the
> steering wheel that will only stop after slowing down. I have checked
> linkages in the suspension, and the only play i can find is in the
> stabilizer bar links. There is some play on both sides there. I replaced
> the steering damper last summer, and I guess it could be defective. The
> jeep handles great (well, as great as a jeep can!), and the tires are in
> balance. What do i look for?? Could it be the stabilizer bar links?
>
> thanks,
> cal
>
>

Re: death wobble!!
 

Bill H will tell you to change the stabilizer again but you have some
play in the system that needs to get put right. Start with tie rod ends,
then check the ball joints. Jack up one wheel, try to turn it like you
would going around a corner. Any play, start looking for the source.
With the wheel hanging down, use a crow bar underneath and lift up. If
you get an 1/8 of movement and a 'clunking' sound, ball joints are
history. Same on the other side. Rebalance your tires, especially if you
have some oversized ones. Sway bar links have nothing to do with it.

Cal wrote:
> Hi!
>
> It seems our 97 wrangler has developed the 'death wobble.' Occasionally,
> after i guess hitting a bump just right, we get a severe wobble in the
> steering wheel that will only stop after slowing down. I have checked
> linkages in the suspension, and the only play i can find is in the
> stabilizer bar links. There is some play on both sides there. I replaced
> the steering damper last summer, and I guess it could be defective. The
> jeep handles great (well, as great as a jeep can!), and the tires are in
> balance. What do i look for?? Could it be the stabilizer bar links?
>
> thanks,
> cal
>
>

Re: death wobble!!
 

Bill H will tell you to change the stabilizer again but you have some
play in the system that needs to get put right. Start with tie rod ends,
then check the ball joints. Jack up one wheel, try to turn it like you
would going around a corner. Any play, start looking for the source.
With the wheel hanging down, use a crow bar underneath and lift up. If
you get an 1/8 of movement and a 'clunking' sound, ball joints are
history. Same on the other side. Rebalance your tires, especially if you
have some oversized ones. Sway bar links have nothing to do with it.

Cal wrote:
> Hi!
>
> It seems our 97 wrangler has developed the 'death wobble.' Occasionally,
> after i guess hitting a bump just right, we get a severe wobble in the
> steering wheel that will only stop after slowing down. I have checked
> linkages in the suspension, and the only play i can find is in the
> stabilizer bar links. There is some play on both sides there. I replaced
> the steering damper last summer, and I guess it could be defective. The
> jeep handles great (well, as great as a jeep can!), and the tires are in
> balance. What do i look for?? Could it be the stabilizer bar links?
>
> thanks,
> cal
>
>

Re: death wobble!!
 

Thanks!
I've jacked up the front end, and can't find any play. I plan to take the
jeep to a front end alignment guy and let him see if he can find something
i'm missing. At least he can check the alignment/camber.

cal

"RoyJ" <spamless@microsoft.net> wrote in message
news:ywdAe.3341$BK1.1557@newsread3.news.pas.earthl ink.net...
> Bill H will tell you to change the stabilizer again but you have some play
> in the system that needs to get put right. Start with tie rod ends, then
> check the ball joints. Jack up one wheel, try to turn it like you would
> going around a corner. Any play, start looking for the source.
> With the wheel hanging down, use a crow bar underneath and lift up. If you
> get an 1/8 of movement and a 'clunking' sound, ball joints are history.
> Same on the other side. Rebalance your tires, especially if you have some
> oversized ones. Sway bar links have nothing to do with it.
>
> Cal wrote:
>> Hi!
>>
>> It seems our 97 wrangler has developed the 'death wobble.' Occasionally,
>> after i guess hitting a bump just right, we get a severe wobble in the
>> steering wheel that will only stop after slowing down. I have checked
>> linkages in the suspension, and the only play i can find is in the
>> stabilizer bar links. There is some play on both sides there. I
>> replaced the steering damper last summer, and I guess it could be
>> defective. The jeep handles great (well, as great as a jeep can!), and
>> the tires are in balance. What do i look for?? Could it be the
>> stabilizer bar links?
>>
>> thanks,
>> cal
>>

Re: death wobble!!
 

Thanks!
I've jacked up the front end, and can't find any play. I plan to take the
jeep to a front end alignment guy and let him see if he can find something
i'm missing. At least he can check the alignment/camber.

cal

"RoyJ" <spamless@microsoft.net> wrote in message
news:ywdAe.3341$BK1.1557@newsread3.news.pas.earthl ink.net...
> Bill H will tell you to change the stabilizer again but you have some play
> in the system that needs to get put right. Start with tie rod ends, then
> check the ball joints. Jack up one wheel, try to turn it like you would
> going around a corner. Any play, start looking for the source.
> With the wheel hanging down, use a crow bar underneath and lift up. If you
> get an 1/8 of movement and a 'clunking' sound, ball joints are history.
> Same on the other side. Rebalance your tires, especially if you have some
> oversized ones. Sway bar links have nothing to do with it.
>
> Cal wrote:
>> Hi!
>>
>> It seems our 97 wrangler has developed the 'death wobble.' Occasionally,
>> after i guess hitting a bump just right, we get a severe wobble in the
>> steering wheel that will only stop after slowing down. I have checked
>> linkages in the suspension, and the only play i can find is in the
>> stabilizer bar links. There is some play on both sides there. I
>> replaced the steering damper last summer, and I guess it could be
>> defective. The jeep handles great (well, as great as a jeep can!), and
>> the tires are in balance. What do i look for?? Could it be the
>> stabilizer bar links?
>>
>> thanks,
>> cal
>>

Re: death wobble!!
 

Thanks!
I've jacked up the front end, and can't find any play. I plan to take the
jeep to a front end alignment guy and let him see if he can find something
i'm missing. At least he can check the alignment/camber.

cal

"RoyJ" <spamless@microsoft.net> wrote in message
news:ywdAe.3341$BK1.1557@newsread3.news.pas.earthl ink.net...
> Bill H will tell you to change the stabilizer again but you have some play
> in the system that needs to get put right. Start with tie rod ends, then
> check the ball joints. Jack up one wheel, try to turn it like you would
> going around a corner. Any play, start looking for the source.
> With the wheel hanging down, use a crow bar underneath and lift up. If you
> get an 1/8 of movement and a 'clunking' sound, ball joints are history.
> Same on the other side. Rebalance your tires, especially if you have some
> oversized ones. Sway bar links have nothing to do with it.
>
> Cal wrote:
>> Hi!
>>
>> It seems our 97 wrangler has developed the 'death wobble.' Occasionally,
>> after i guess hitting a bump just right, we get a severe wobble in the
>> steering wheel that will only stop after slowing down. I have checked
>> linkages in the suspension, and the only play i can find is in the
>> stabilizer bar links. There is some play on both sides there. I
>> replaced the steering damper last summer, and I guess it could be
>> defective. The jeep handles great (well, as great as a jeep can!), and
>> the tires are in balance. What do i look for?? Could it be the
>> stabilizer bar links?
>>
>> thanks,
>> cal
>>

Re: death wobble!!
 

Thanks!
I've jacked up the front end, and can't find any play. I plan to take the
jeep to a front end alignment guy and let him see if he can find something
i'm missing. At least he can check the alignment/camber.

cal

"RoyJ" <spamless@microsoft.net> wrote in message
news:ywdAe.3341$BK1.1557@newsread3.news.pas.earthl ink.net...
> Bill H will tell you to change the stabilizer again but you have some play
> in the system that needs to get put right. Start with tie rod ends, then
> check the ball joints. Jack up one wheel, try to turn it like you would
> going around a corner. Any play, start looking for the source.
> With the wheel hanging down, use a crow bar underneath and lift up. If you
> get an 1/8 of movement and a 'clunking' sound, ball joints are history.
> Same on the other side. Rebalance your tires, especially if you have some
> oversized ones. Sway bar links have nothing to do with it.
>
> Cal wrote:
>> Hi!
>>
>> It seems our 97 wrangler has developed the 'death wobble.' Occasionally,
>> after i guess hitting a bump just right, we get a severe wobble in the
>> steering wheel that will only stop after slowing down. I have checked
>> linkages in the suspension, and the only play i can find is in the
>> stabilizer bar links. There is some play on both sides there. I
>> replaced the steering damper last summer, and I guess it could be
>> defective. The jeep handles great (well, as great as a jeep can!), and
>> the tires are in balance. What do i look for?? Could it be the
>> stabilizer bar links?
>>
>> thanks,
>> cal
>>

Re: death wobble!!
 

There is a track bar and if it's bushings or ball joint end go bad you
can get the shakes,

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

RoyJ wrote:
>
> Bill H will tell you to change the stabilizer again but you have some
> play in the system that needs to get put right. Start with tie rod ends,
> then check the ball joints. Jack up one wheel, try to turn it like you
> would going around a corner. Any play, start looking for the source.
> With the wheel hanging down, use a crow bar underneath and lift up. If
> you get an 1/8 of movement and a 'clunking' sound, ball joints are
> history. Same on the other side. Rebalance your tires, especially if you
> have some oversized ones. Sway bar links have nothing to do with it.
>
> Cal wrote:
> > Hi!
> >
> > It seems our 97 wrangler has developed the 'death wobble.' Occasionally,
> > after i guess hitting a bump just right, we get a severe wobble in the
> > steering wheel that will only stop after slowing down. I have checked
> > linkages in the suspension, and the only play i can find is in the
> > stabilizer bar links. There is some play on both sides there. I replaced
> > the steering damper last summer, and I guess it could be defective. The
> > jeep handles great (well, as great as a jeep can!), and the tires are in
> > balance. What do i look for?? Could it be the stabilizer bar links?
> >
> > thanks,
> > cal
> >
> >