Death Wobble, DW, Death Wobble, DW, Death Wobble, Shimmy, Wander, Drift, Bump Steer

[Midwestracer]

Im torn as well but next step will be ballpoint down the line but man 6ft pry bar and my 260lb friend prying under tire showed nothing, today I backed the caster back down from around 7 to 5.6-5.9 and seems to have helped overall with drivabilty.
But im still kinda at a loss I have a brand new jeep that I barley drove for a couple weeks cause of this. I didn't buy some cheap lift all clayton stuff.
Im going to get a steering brace prob track bar brace to and upgrade the drag link at some point

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[Vtur]

Im torn as well but next step will be ballpoint down the line but man 6ft pry bar and my 260lb friend prying under tire showed nothing, today I backed the caster back down from around 7 to 5.6-5.9 and seems to have helped overall with drivabilty.
But im still kinda at a loss I have a brand new jeep that I barley drove for a couple weeks cause of this. I didn't buy some cheap lift all clayton stuff.
Im going to get a steering brace prob track bar brace to and upgrade the drag link at some point

Another way to check whether the ball joints is bad or not is by comparing your toe setting with the tires on the ground and compare it with the tire off ground, axle on jack stands. Assuming your tie rod is good and tight, you will get a different reading when remeasure at the rear of the rim. Imagine the axle tube housing is a rear tie rod, and the joints is your TRE.

That's how i found out my ball joints were bad. It was off by just 1/16" total. I used one of those laser measuring device and measured from rim to rim.

Edit: Saw your other comments. I did similar test as well after experienced a death wobble when hitting man hole covers. 1/8" toe-out has slight bump steers, 0 toe-in shimming and had to slowed down, 1/8 toe-in death wobble at 55-60 mph hitting 2 man hole covers that are spaced about 2ft apart.

 

[Midwestracer]

After this trip to hot springs I will try that method also will try toe out see how it drives its sad that the ball joints could be bad and I have a warranty but rather get upgraded parts jeep only has 14k on it

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Just because it should be said now and then -

If wheels are replaced or spacers used - and the tires sit out a bit more, all bets are off as far as "toe" settings.
You have just upset a number of things.
So beware - those spacers or "I gotta have those pretty wheels" type wheels and "I LOVE TIRE POKE!" bits will screw with things. You are now sitting outside of the design parameters and it's up to you to resolve your own lack of engineering putting parts on because of some other reason than driving and stability.
Do not blame Jeep - your desire to make it look more fun has done it.

 

[Midwestracer]

Did it with stock wheels and tires also tested that, and I bought 0 offset wheels for that reason yes tire size has increased and I do take responsibility but its also a glaring weakness on jeeps part but I love this diesel gladiator and will get it fixed have lots of trips I plan on enjoying in it

 

[Free2roam]

Stock steering is a joke. I believe you said you were still on the stock steering parts. I was shown how much flexibility (flexion/deflection) the stock steering has. Simply set yourself up and put a foot on the tie rod (certer ish) grab a hold of the bumper and push. It flexes. Now imagine that going down the road hitting bumps. I'm on -6 Icon Rebound Pros. More out that your 0 offset. When I upgraded my steering it went from driving on edge, to driving comfortably. Yeah I went with a better stabilizer as well. But when I drove it in Death Valley for a couple hundred miles on washboard roads and then back on pavement like it was never off-road. I was sold that I made the right upgrade.

 

[Midwestracer]

100% and I will be upgrading it all as well

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Stock steering is a joke. I believe you said you were still on the stock steering parts. I was shown how much flexibility (flexion/deflection) the stock steering has. Simply set yourself up and put a foot on the tie rod (certer ish) grab a hold of the bumper and push. It flexes. Now imagine that going down the road hitting bumps. I'm on -6 Icon Rebound Pros. More out that your 0 offset. When I upgraded my steering it went from driving on edge, to driving comfortably. Yeah I went with a better stabilizer as well. But when I drove it in Death Valley for a couple hundred miles on washboard roads and then back on pavement like it was never off-road. I was sold that I made the right upgrade.

Fine for stock - but bigger tires, different offsets and so on really change the stresses and the stock parts just no longer do the job.
If I upped tire sizes much and change how the tires sat (no plans, but IF), I'd upgrade certain other parts accordingly - drag link track bar, tie rod would be some of the first.
The stock parts handle stock parts fine............ but.......... when a part like that flexes, it's like a spring. I posted a graphic a while back actually drawing out what you are indicating can happen.

 

[Sandman 4x4]

Having only experiencing the D Wobble in only my one year old 2024 JT Sport S, all stock, after numerous live front axle vehicles over the years, I have recently brought to the dealership and have been told it was a bad steering stabilizer and now ready to pickup! So I’ll return later today to inform.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Having only experiencing the D Wobble in only my one year old 2024 JT Sport S, all stock, after numerous live front axle vehicles over the years, I have recently brought to the dealership and have been told it was a bad steering stabilizer and now ready to pickup! So I’ll return later today to inform.

That's the official FCA word. That's their official stance, not a diagnosis of any sort. Dealers are told what to do and say. They don't really do much else.
Sure, it will be better because that part masks the wobble or shimmy.

 

[jnett]

Wow, that's a lot of caster............. obviously you have the control arms cranked pretty good.

I’ve heard the desirable caster number is 5.5 to 6.5, is that too much? Mine is at 6.4 with 2.5”-3” lift.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I’ve heard the desirable caster number is 5.5 to 6.5, is that too much? Mine is at 6.4 with 2.5”-3” lift.

There's no one size fits all. Some will be fine at 5, some need more.
My last two, the latter one with a small lift, was really nice handling at 5.

If yours is stable, returns to center after a turn, and you don't have shimmy or wobble - call if good for your truck.

 

[Lunentucker]

Having only experiencing the D Wobble in only my one year old 2024 JT Sport S, all stock, after numerous live front axle vehicles over the years, I have recently brought to the dealership and have been told it was a bad steering stabilizer and now ready to pickup! So I’ll return later today to inform.

A new bandaid.
This never fixes the root problem. A properly adjusted system will not wobble, even in the complete absence of a stabilizer.

 

[brsnow2585]

That's the official FCA word. That's their official stance, not a diagnosis of any sort. Dealers are told what to do and say. They don't really do much else.
Sure, it will be better because that part masks the wobble or shimmy.

I'd believe that in a heartbeat. I think my '22 came off the line just shy of passing alignment tests. Added the Mopar lift, a dealer did an assignment. Still had the wobble, broke a front u joint, different dealer rebuilt the front axel and alignment, it's dead nuts on now

 

[Stan H]

A new bandaid.
This never fixes the root problem. A properly adjusted system will not wobble, even in the complete absence of a stabilizer.

Yes I tried it . You can completely leave it off and it will not wobble when it is correct. . I know this from experience.

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