2021 Gladiator Death Wobble

[amillerr10]

Hi all,

I have a 2021 Gladiator sport which started doing the death wobble. previously, i had a 2018 JL that had the exact same issue. I have the JL steering stabilizer changed 4 different times at 3 different dealerships before they put a fox racing stabilizer on, then no more death wobble. fast forward a few years and now i have the same issue with the 2021 JT. 5000 miles on it, both vehicles have been completely stock. anytime i go over a bump/bridge on the highway, i get the death wobble---steering wheel shakes violently and wont stop until i slow down to around 40mph. it has already been at the dealership twice now. First time they swapped the stabilizer with another (same part) and did wheel alignments, and checked "all" bolts in the suspension system and tightened them up then sent me on my way. as soon as i got on the highway, hit the first bump around 75mph and it happens. took it back and they ordered a steering gear box. they installed that yesterday and i just picked it up. got on the highway and IT STILL HAPPENS. anyone have any suggestions? i will buy my own aftermarket parts if i have to. i am tired of dealing with the issue and it seems like they arent going to address it like they should. (test drove it 1 mile with no highways around a 1 mile radius)

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[darkhorse13]

Hi all,

I have a 2021 Gladiator sport which started doing the death wobble. previously, i had a 2018 JL that had the exact same issue. I have the JL steering stabilizer changed 4 different times at 3 different dealerships before they put a fox racing stabilizer on, then no more death wobble. fast forward a few years and now i have the same issue with the 2021 JT. 5000 miles on it, both vehicles have been completely stock. anytime i go over a bump/bridge on the highway, i get the death wobble---steering wheel shakes violently and wont stop until i slow down to around 40mph. it has already been at the dealership twice now. First time they swapped the stabilizer with another (same part) and did wheel alignments, and checked "all" bolts in the suspension system and tightened them up then sent me on my way. as soon as i got on the highway, hit the first bump around 75mph and it happens. took it back and they ordered a steering gear box. they installed that yesterday and i just picked it up. got on the highway and IT STILL HAPPENS. anyone have any suggestions? i will buy my own aftermarket parts if i have to. i am tired of dealing with the issue and it seems like they arent going to address it like they should. (test drove it 1 mile with no highways around a 1 mile radius)

There's already a thread right below yours discussing this topic...

In short, buy aftermarket components and never look back. I have all Synergy Mfg on mine with an OEM stabilizer and no issues for over 20,000miles w/37's. Steer Smarts and TMR Customs are also good choices.

 

[bleda2002]

Before buying a bunch of components check the following with a torque wrench yourself
Trackbar bolts- 130lbft
Swaybar endinks - 60lbft
Tie rod ends and axle side draglink - 50 lbft
Draglink pitman side - 77 lbft

After that turn on the car and have someone shimmy the steering wheel back and fourth a bit and check the trackbar, tie rod, and draglink for any play.

Most often death wobble is an issue with play in the front end components and the jeep ones aren't actually that bad. If you do decide to upgrade, I'd recommend the rpm steering tie rod and draglink, pure beef and very tight.

 

[steveorama]

Replacing a steering stabilizer is never more than a band-aid fix for DW. If it remedies it, it will still come back as soon as the stabilizer wears out prematurely. A steering stabilizer is there to dampen side to side movement, not eliminate it. DW can be hard to diagnose, usually it's a loose or worn tie rod or track bar, but can be something very simple too. I even once had a bad tire that wouldn't balance and was just enough to cause DW above 45 mph on my TJ. After going through every component on my TJ I discovered it had to be a tire. I had Discount rotate and even road balance them and it was still present. Replacing the tire was the only thing that made it completely disappear. The guy at Discount couldn't believe it was that bad from a tire so I made him go for a ride with me before and after.

The above torque specs should be the first place to have the dealership check. Sadly the JTs are having a lot of issues with bolts not being tightened down to specs at the factory. If you're fully stock and haven't damaged anything this is really the likely reason.

 

[amillerr10]

Replacing a steering stabilizer is never more than a band-aid fix for DW. If it remedies it, it will still come back as soon as the stabilizer wears out prematurely. A steering stabilizer is there to dampen side to side movement, not eliminate it. DW can be hard to diagnose, usually it's a loose or worn tie rod or track bar, but can be something very simple too. I even once had a bad tire that wouldn't balance and was just enough to cause DW above 45 mph on my TJ. After going through every component on my TJ I discovered it had to be a tire. I had Discount rotate and even road balance them and it was still present. Replacing the tire was the only thing that made it completely disappear. The guy at Discount couldn't believe it was that bad from a tire so I made him go for a ride with me before and after.

The above torque specs should be the first place to have the dealership check. Sadly the JTs are having a lot of issues with bolts not being tightened down to specs at the factory. If you're fully stock and haven't damaged anything this is really the likely reason.

I just dont understand how they have not gotten this sorted out yet... i read some other forums.... what i can tell you is that both my JL and JT began the death wobble at the start of winter, exactly the same way... started with a little lingering rumble in the steering wheel after hitting bumps at highway speeds. then one day just full on death wobble. it DOES do it more when it is colder outside... i know thats weird, but there is a noticeable difference in the ride between warm and cold temps.... the dealer already torqued all suspension components, checked tires and filled to cold temp, did alignments, and swapped out the stabilizer and gear box and it still continues. My issue with this whole situation is that it happened with two vehicles, both bought brand new and 5k miles or less and over 3 years from each other. i wish they would just recognize that whatever part is causing the issue is not up to spec for these vehicles. At this point, i dont even want the vehicle anymore, but due to the mark up on all vehicles nationwide, it puts everything in a tough spot.

 

[C6inFL]

Replacing a steering stabilizer is never more than a band-aid fix for DW. If it remedies it, it will still come back as soon as the stabilizer wears out prematurely. A steering stabilizer is there to dampen side to side movement, not eliminate it. DW can be hard to diagnose, usually it's a loose or worn tie rod or track bar, but can be something very simple too. I even once had a bad tire that wouldn't balance and was just enough to cause DW above 45 mph on my TJ. After going through every component on my TJ I discovered it had to be a tire. I had Discount rotate and even road balance them and it was still present. Replacing the tire was the only thing that made it completely disappear. The guy at Discount couldn't believe it was that bad from a tire so I made him go for a ride with me before and after.

The above torque specs should be the first place to have the dealership check. Sadly the JTs are having a lot of issues with bolts not being tightened down to specs at the factory. If you're fully stock and haven't damaged anything this is really the likely reason.

Had the DW with my F250 and it turned out was a dampener + tire that would not balance. I ended up dumping all the balance weights and went with centramatic balancers and no more problems. Been wondering if that or bead balance would be a better option and reduce the potential for DW

 

[amillerr10]

Had the DW with my F250 and it turned out was a dampener + tire that would not balance. I ended up dumping all the balance weights and went with centramatic balancers and no more problems. Been wondering if that or bead balance would be a better option and reduce the potential for DW

I know that a plethora of vehicles can develop the dreaded death wobble. But, i honestly think with this new and current generation of jeeps, there is an issue somewhere with some suspension component(s). There is no way I just develop the same exact issue with a brand new 2018 JL and 2021 JT, both with 5k miles or less on them. just seems all too familiar

 

[Fouts]

I know it has been said on this site, Jl site and even JK site over and over again, Steering dampener is not the solution for true death wobble.

 

[amillerr10]

I know it has been said on this site, Jl site and even JK site over and over again, Steering dampener is not the solution for true death wobble.

Yep, i get that. i can only speak from experience. the ONLY thing i know is that a fox racing stabilizer fixed my wobble in my 2018. I understand that it was probably a temporary fix masking a bigger issue.... My issue with this is that Jeep can't figure out what the actual bigger issue is. they couldn't figure it out 3 years ago or today. crazy to me.

 

[Deleted member 22728]

Yep, i get that. i can only speak from experience. the ONLY thing i know is that a fox racing stabilizer fixed my wobble in my 2018. I understand that it was probably a temporary fix masking a bigger issue.... My issue with this is that Jeep can't figure out what the actual bigger issue is. they couldn't figure it out 3 years ago or today. crazy to me.

You'd noted that the problem is more pronounced when cold, or now that it's cold? This is a good clue. So initially, my thought is that a cold tire, which is harder when cold (yes, yes lol), aggravates the problem, as it is less able to take on "absorb" the input from the road that starts the harmonic. I like to use the analogy of "shopping cart versus bicycle" when it comes to stability of the steering system. Try this: have your Jeep aligned, but before any corrections are made, ask the tech where front axle caster is. Insufficient caster, like a janked shopping cart wheel, lends to the possibility of DW. Again, as mentioned above by several others, it sometimes is the totality of circumstances that build into an induced harmonic, DW. One thing, like a certain ground speed plus - a bump in the road, insufficient caster, loose or misadjusted linkage/arms/etc, slightly out-of balance tire/bent or defective tire or rim, would lead into the symptom you describe. Good luck, and keep us posted.

 

[amillerr10]

You'd noted that the problem is more pronounced when cold, or now that it's cold? This is a good clue. So initially, my thought is that a cold tire, which is harder when cold (yes, yes lol), aggravates the problem, as it is less able to take on "absorb" the input from the road that starts the harmonic. I like to use the analogy of "shopping cart versus bicycle" when it comes to stability of the steering system. Try this: have your Jeep aligned, but before any corrections are made, ask the tech where front axle caster is. Insufficient caster, like a janked shopping cart wheel, lends to the possibility of DW. Again, as mentioned above by several others, it sometimes is the totality of circumstances that build into an induced harmonic, DW. One thing, like a certain ground speed plus - a bump in the road, insufficient caster, loose or misadjusted linkage/arms/etc, slightly out-of balance tire/bent or defective tire or rim, would lead into the symptom you describe. Good luck, and keep us posted.

Ill mention your suggestions when i take it back AFTER XMAS, since this is the soonest the can get it back in despite all the issues. When i sit back and think of it, its sort of comical in a sense that a community will probably figure out the issue at hand before Jeep actually does. now that you mentioned the cold, i do remember reading something about jeep using grease that gets hard or something when it gets cold out. interesting to think about

 

[bleda2002]

This honestly isn't a big issue on jts or jls. You seem to have some bad luck but there isn't really a large amount of DW going on for jls or jts so there is nothing to "figure out" as the components on the jeep are actually fairly high quality.

I'd personally not trust that they checked the torques and just hit it all myself. They also may not have checked for play in any of the joints either. An hour, a buddy, and a torque wrench would eliminate pretty much all the possible causes outside of a tire/rim.

 

[Deleted member 22728]

Ill mention your suggestions when i take it back AFTER XMAS, since this is the soonest the can get it back in despite all the issues. When i sit back and think of it, its sort of comical in a sense that a community will probably figure out the issue at hand before Jeep actually does. now that you mentioned the cold, i do remember reading something about jeep using grease that gets hard or something when it gets cold out. interesting to think about

Consider taking your rig to a private shop that has, as a major business line, alignment services. Explain your situation, some of the feedback you've received heretofore, and see what the current alignment specs are, especially caster and toe. Understand, however, that only toe is adjustable in it's current factory configuration, with caster being changed with either fixed, purpose-built replacement (front upper) control arms, or more appropriately, adjustable ones from a reputable vendor. In some cases, on stock springs, etc., even replacement uppers can only be drawn rearward so far. In any case, consider an alignment check.

 

[bleda2002]

Consider taking your rig to a private shop that has, as a major business line, alignment services. Explain your situation, some of the feedback you've received heretofore, and see what the current alignment specs are, especially caster and toe. Understand, however, that only toe is adjustable in it's current factory configuration, with caster being changed with either fixed, purpose-built replacement (front upper) control arms, or more appropriately, adjustable ones from a reputable vendor. In some cases, on stock springs, etc., even replacement uppers can only be drawn rearward so far. In any case, consider an alignment check.

Good call, a toe angle way out of alignment has been known to exacerbate it.

 

[amillerr10]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Ill follow up when the culprit is found.

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