You could be describing a seized up front axle u-joint. Maybe you got a
bad one or maybe you blew one?

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

cd wrote:
>
> two issues-
> '03 Wrangler rubicon, factory MTRs
> 1- at low speed (less than 10 mph) the vehicle exhibits a
> side-to-side rocking motion sort of like one tire has a large flat
> spot. I've rotated and checked them, nothing obvious.
>
> 2- around 50 mph, front end shakes violently, settles down
> a lot over 55, and is almost unnoticeable at 45mph or less. this
> started happening about the time I noticed the steering wheel returns
> to slightly left of center, and must be in this position for the vehicle
> to stay straight. Alignment seems ok best as I can check, and haven't
> found anything loose in the steering system so far. Anything else to
> check?
>
> - charles

 

Sounds like a severe alignment problem, or a damaged tire. I know you
said that you think your alignment is okay, but have you had it
checked at a shop? Almost everything you said points to that.
My other guess would be that a stuck brake caliper warped a rotor and
is binding at one point in the wheel rotation. Check the brakes on
the side that the Jeep pulls towards.


-Jim

cd <oneofthree@mindspring.com> wrote in message news:<is3Ac.13113$Y3.7530@newsread2.news.atl.earth link.net>...
> two issues-
> '03 Wrangler rubicon, factory MTRs
> 1- at low speed (less than 10 mph) the vehicle exhibits a
> side-to-side rocking motion sort of like one tire has a large flat
> spot. I've rotated and checked them, nothing obvious.
>
> 2- around 50 mph, front end shakes violently, settles down
> a lot over 55, and is almost unnoticeable at 45mph or less. this
> started happening about the time I noticed the steering wheel returns
> to slightly left of center, and must be in this position for the vehicle
> to stay straight. Alignment seems ok best as I can check, and haven't
> found anything loose in the steering system so far. Anything else to
> check?
>
> - charles

 

Sounds like a severe alignment problem, or a damaged tire. I know you
said that you think your alignment is okay, but have you had it
checked at a shop? Almost everything you said points to that.
My other guess would be that a stuck brake caliper warped a rotor and
is binding at one point in the wheel rotation. Check the brakes on
the side that the Jeep pulls towards.


-Jim

cd <oneofthree@mindspring.com> wrote in message news:<is3Ac.13113$Y3.7530@newsread2.news.atl.earth link.net>...
> two issues-
> '03 Wrangler rubicon, factory MTRs
> 1- at low speed (less than 10 mph) the vehicle exhibits a
> side-to-side rocking motion sort of like one tire has a large flat
> spot. I've rotated and checked them, nothing obvious.
>
> 2- around 50 mph, front end shakes violently, settles down
> a lot over 55, and is almost unnoticeable at 45mph or less. this
> started happening about the time I noticed the steering wheel returns
> to slightly left of center, and must be in this position for the vehicle
> to stay straight. Alignment seems ok best as I can check, and haven't
> found anything loose in the steering system so far. Anything else to
> check?
>
> - charles

 

Sounds like a severe alignment problem, or a damaged tire. I know you
said that you think your alignment is okay, but have you had it
checked at a shop? Almost everything you said points to that.
My other guess would be that a stuck brake caliper warped a rotor and
is binding at one point in the wheel rotation. Check the brakes on
the side that the Jeep pulls towards.


-Jim

cd <oneofthree@mindspring.com> wrote in message news:<is3Ac.13113$Y3.7530@newsread2.news.atl.earth link.net>...
> two issues-
> '03 Wrangler rubicon, factory MTRs
> 1- at low speed (less than 10 mph) the vehicle exhibits a
> side-to-side rocking motion sort of like one tire has a large flat
> spot. I've rotated and checked them, nothing obvious.
>
> 2- around 50 mph, front end shakes violently, settles down
> a lot over 55, and is almost unnoticeable at 45mph or less. this
> started happening about the time I noticed the steering wheel returns
> to slightly left of center, and must be in this position for the vehicle
> to stay straight. Alignment seems ok best as I can check, and haven't
> found anything loose in the steering system so far. Anything else to
> check?
>
> - charles

 

Sounds like a severe alignment problem, or a damaged tire. I know you
said that you think your alignment is okay, but have you had it
checked at a shop? Almost everything you said points to that.
My other guess would be that a stuck brake caliper warped a rotor and
is binding at one point in the wheel rotation. Check the brakes on
the side that the Jeep pulls towards.


-Jim

cd <oneofthree@mindspring.com> wrote in message news:<is3Ac.13113$Y3.7530@newsread2.news.atl.earth link.net>...
> two issues-
> '03 Wrangler rubicon, factory MTRs
> 1- at low speed (less than 10 mph) the vehicle exhibits a
> side-to-side rocking motion sort of like one tire has a large flat
> spot. I've rotated and checked them, nothing obvious.
>
> 2- around 50 mph, front end shakes violently, settles down
> a lot over 55, and is almost unnoticeable at 45mph or less. this
> started happening about the time I noticed the steering wheel returns
> to slightly left of center, and must be in this position for the vehicle
> to stay straight. Alignment seems ok best as I can check, and haven't
> found anything loose in the steering system so far. Anything else to
> check?
>
> - charles