Death Wobble

[Jimmy-]

That is not true. I have ran my JT and my Jku without a stabilizer. Drove with a busted one for 6 months on my JKU. A stabilizer will never cause death wobble

Ok

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[Jeeperjamie]

Ok

Yeah guess what that didn't fix the problem. Remove a steering stabilizer from you jeep and drive it. If it's setup right then you want need it. I'm not got going to argue about something I know to be fact I don't car how many articles you post. I always remove my Steering stabilizer when I do a lift or news with suspension parts and drive my Jeeps for a few days without one to see what else need to be dialed in, learned that from some people who knows a lot more about lifting stuff than I do. All your stabilizer does is act as a damping shock for the steering,like shocks on your vehicle. Without a steering stabilizer you will feel more of the road in the steering but it's not going to cause wobble, if happens it's because there is another issue on going on with your jeep. What they will do is mask a existing problem that is going on with your jeep.

 

[XJADDICTION]

Ok

Consider the source, they don’t know what they are talking about. Solid axle trucks ALL have the propensity to death wobble. This is a harmonic event that occurs when just the right conditions come into play. A steering stabilizer can mask it, never fix it. Common causes after a lift

- loose trac-bar (more than likely is your problem)
- caster is wrong

 

[j.o.y.ride]

I wouldn't think that would be an issue unless they went over 3 inches of lift. I'd say could be if he has more than that and is still running the stock one.

I've never seen the resulting alignment results with the factory lift. Does anyone know where they end up?

 

[j.o.y.ride]

A bad steering stabilizer will cause death wobble.

No!

The Jeep "fix" for death wobble was the stabilizer but that's not the source. A bad stabilizer will not cause it, it may just not fully mask it.

 

[Shootist]

There are lots of things that can allow or exacerbate vibration in your steering. As stated loose components and or misaligned front end attribute to allowing the oscillation to occur. A stabilizer can’t cause it, loose components can’t cause it, and even misalignment can’t cause it. A bump that compresses the spring begins the oscillating between the two front coils and the steering linkage. Very similar to the swinging balls that shift momentum from side to side. Steering dampers only help control and minimize it from happening. Loose components or bad alignment will allow it to happen easier as well. But to say a stabilizer is or is not responsible is not completely accurate. If you have a perfectly aligned front end and everything is torqued exactly as it should be it can still happen though I would say it is far less likely to do so. In short it is the bump that causes it to begin but failed components, misalignment loose or worn parts all can contribute to it becoming the nightmare that it can be. I had an F250 that did it to me once. It was perfectly aligned with good tires and suspension. No lift and everything was tight. I hit a bump at the right speed on the interstate and the wobble started. I slowed down pulled over then went about my business. When I check the steering damper it was completely worn out and helping nothing. I replaced the damper and rechecked everything and it never happened again. Did the damper cause it, no absolutely not but the fact that it was not doing it’s part in controlling the suspension travel did attribute to allowing it get bad. I will say that if a live front axle vehicle did not need the damper it would never be designed with one in the first place. Again, it isn’t a cure all and often can mask many other things that should be addressed but it is a necessary component to help keep things under control and if it goes bad then the chances of experiencing death wobble does increase. Slightly if everything else is correct but drastically if something else is not quite right.

 

[Lynn_F]

There is a known steering box issue that FCA has not addressed. There is also a known issue with bad steering stabilizers thst originated with the JL in 2018. It could easily be either of those or both or any of the other things already mentioned in this thread. I have the bad steering box that was basically dead between 10-2. At ~10000 miles I replaced the steering stabilizer with the Fox ATS unit. It helped a little but shortly after installing it I began having DW. It happened at a rough spot in the road right outside of my neighborhood. I would hit it at around 45mph and would have to come to a complete stop. I checked everything underneath for tightness, had the tires balanced and alignment done with no resolution. I finally installed the Synergy sector shaft brace and have not had DW again. I now have 25000 miles and still no further issues. I believe my scenario was a case of both components being bad leading to DW on a brand new truck.

 

[RidinDirty]

One more piece of death wobble investigation, those look like after-market wheels. Please make sure they are balanced properly. I have had issues with Jeeps with imbalanced wheels triggering this.

 

[RidinDirty]

There is a known steering box issue that FCA has not addressed. There is also a known issue with bad steering stabilizers thst originated with the JL in 2018. It could easily be either of those or both or any of the other things already mentioned in this thread. I have the bad steering box that was basically dead between 10-2. At ~10000 miles I replaced the steering stabilizer with the Fox ATS unit. It helped a little but shortly after installing it I began having DW. It happened at a rough spot in the road right outside of my neighborhood. I would hit it at around 45mph and would have to come to a complete stop. I checked everything underneath for tightness, had the tires balanced and alignment done with no resolution. I finally installed the Synergy sector shaft brace and have not had DW again. I now have 25000 miles and still no further issues. I believe my scenario was a case of both components being bad leading to DW on a brand new truck.

The Synergy Sector shaft and associated steering components appears to be a great upgrade to solidify steering issues with JLs and JTs. Definitely a must have consideration.

 

[ajaj96]

Had death wobble last winter. My steering damper was replaced by the dealership back in March. Since then I've had no issues.....until today. 45° out, 72mph on I-95. I started to feel a little shimmy earlier this morning but tried to ignore it. But then, going over an overpass...BOOM. Death Wobble came back with a vengeance. It has already happened 3 times today. I took it to the dealership immediately and they have ANOTHER steering damper on order as well as a new track bar. This will be the 9th time I've had an issue with this truck in just over a year. At this point, take my car back. I want a Bronco.

 

[Gren71]

Had death wobble last winter. My steering damper was replaced by the dealership back in March. Since then I've had no issues.....until today. 45° out, 72mph on I-95. I started to feel a little shimmy earlier this morning but tried to ignore it. But then, going over an overpass...BOOM. Death Wobble came back with a vengeance. It has already happened 3 times today. I took it to the dealership immediately and they have ANOTHER steering damper on order as well as a new track bar. This will be the 9th time I've had an issue with this truck in just over a year. At this point, take my car back. I want a Bronco.

I want a bronco....i love my truck but that hit home haha


Ive only had a little wobble every now and then but no DW yet...just sorta waiting for it to happen

 

[ajaj96]

I want a bronco....i love my truck but that hit home haha


Ive only had a little wobble every now and then but no DW yet...just sorta waiting for it to happen

Yup. It's not fun man. I've had so many issues with my Gladiator, I'm honestly getting sick of it. I love it don't get me wrong, but I've owned many vehicles over the years and I've had more issues with this one Jeep than I've had on all of my other cars combined. You hear the rumors that FCA quality is trash but I guess I had to see it for myself to believe it. I can't see myself buying another FCA/Stellantis vehicle again. Aka I think the Ford commercials are right. I need a Bronco lmao

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