F'in death wobble on my JT

[Bjeepz]

These two items came to my mind also. What I don't see, @Bjeepz , is an answer to these (if I missed them, please accept my apology ahead of time). The JKS lift should have adjustable links, so dialing in the alignment is possible. Did the shop provide a printout of the alignment, and was the caster in spec, or slightly more than stock (which is a good thing so long as the pinion angle isn't thrown off too much)?

On the track bar mount... I'd like to think FCA got their issues corrected when the JLs were having frame-end track bar mount issues where the welds were failing. But, knowing it's happened once would drive me to look at that to ensure it's not happening to the JT.

Good luck getting the issue addressed.

I used the geometry correction brackets, i forget the caster number now, i can say from feel that it was good because like my last jeeps with these brackets there was no wandering at speed. It drives perfect other than this new issue

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[Jimmy]

It drives perfect other than this new issue

Well, a new tear in a track bar mount weld could cause this.

 

[Bjeepz]

Well, a new tear in a track bar mount weld could cause this.

I bet it would, i will inspect it closely

 

[Jeeperjamie]

I trust the shop, the lift has been there since December. this is nee and many thousand miles later.

Sometimes it isn't a immediate problem but something it happens after a few thousand miles or months of driving. Just because it got installed in December doesn't mean something installed incorrectly could work its way loose. I check my specs after ever oil change, even when my JKU was stock before the lift. Especially when lifted you should check your specs after every oil change or I would recommend it.

I would love to see a short video of what it's doing when it's happening. You say you trust the shop but you also said that they told you it was your tires and you don't believe it is, so you trust a shop that told you something that you know isn't accurate. I would seek out a second opinion on the lift personally.

 

[Bjeepz]

Sometimes it isn't a immediate problem but something it happens after a few thousand miles or months of driving. Just because it got installed in December doesn't mean something installed incorrectly could work its way loose. I check my specs after ever oil change, even when my JKU was stock before the lift. Especially when lifted you should check your specs after every oil change or I would recommend it.

I would love to see a short video of what it's doing when it's happening. You say you trust the shop but you also said that they told you it was your tires and you don't believe it is, so you trust a shop that told you something that you know isn't accurate. I would seek out a second opinion on the lift personally.

I trust the shop when the owner is around, but I believe he is staying home due to the pandemic, which creates an issue of service quality at this time. I just took out my little baby impact, when over trackbar and control arm mounts, my junk impact does 165ft/lbs and was not able to get anything tighter than it already was, no movement at all. I can see little marks from them testing the ball joints. They are not charging me for time and only charge if they can actually find something that needs addressing, they want to make money but are not finding anywhere to make it when looking at the rig.

There are no roads within 25 miles of where I am that have speed limits that allow me to reproduce this without getting a massive ticket here if caught so I won't be making a video today. Nerve racking enough to go out once and reproduce where speed limits max out at 45mph.

 

[Jimmy]

There is an easy technique to help a front end problem show itself. One person behind the wheel, working it back and forth (wiggling it), and an observer on the ground looking at the front end.

I've found multiple things this way (improperly torqued tie rod ends, bad bushings in track rods [multiple, and the bolts were still tight], bad ball joint, and probably some other stuff I've forgotten).

 

[Bjeepz]

There is an easy technique to help a front end problem show itself. One person behind the wheel, working it back and forth (wiggling it), and an observer on the ground looking at the front end.

I've found multiple things this way (improperly torqued tie rod ends, bad bushings in track rods [multiple, and the bolts were still tight], bad ball joint, and probably some other stuff I've forgotten).

Agreed, have a steering wheel turner available right now! I will report back soon.

 

[Bjeepz]

Ok, visually i see mm worth of movement on the trackbar at the axle, i feel a tiny clunk when my hand is at any position on the trackbar.

I see and feel much more of a clunk on the drag link upper mount. Tie rod feels normal to me based on past jeep experiences.

Pitman arm also seems to have a minor clunk. No idea how much is normal.

Gonna call the shop back tmrw and see if i can get the owner on the phone.

Got a dealer working on a trade for. 4runner PRO where i will lose probably 10k if i cannot get this resolved.

At most i will upgrade to the Mopar Fox stabilizer before getting rid of it. Which i would prefer mot to do. I do like this thing!

 

[Bjeepz]

Well, a new tear in a track bar mount weld could cause this.

The mount looks good, no cracks I can see.

 

[Bjeepz]

According to the dealer everything is tight and normal..... I have not had the issues over the past two days when trying to repeat. Was this a giant fluke induced by me not being disconnected running low pressure... maybe?? Probably not. Ordered a Fox TS stabilizer today,

 

[5JeepsAz]

Since I can't blame AI

 

[clayps]

According to the dealer everything is tight and normal..... I have not had the issues over the past two days when trying to repeat. Was this a giant fluke induced by me not being disconnected running low pressure... maybe?? Probably not. Ordered a Fox TS stabilizer today,

So it’s only occurred when you have the sway bar disconnected driving at highway speeds? To me that’s likely the cause. If it doesn’t happen with the sway bar connected then just keep an eye on it. What, if any upgrades were done to the steering system after the lift? Did you put on an aftermarket track bar? The stock track bars are notoriously bad on stock jeeps, so on a lifted Jeep it would be even worse.

 

[Bjeepz]

So it’s only occurred when you have the sway bar disconnected driving at highway speeds? To me that’s likely the cause. If it doesn’t happen with the sway bar connected then just keep an eye on it. What, if any upgrades were done to the steering system after the lift? Did you put on an aftermarket track bar? The stock track bars are notoriously bad on stock jeeps, so on a lifted Jeep it would be even worse.

It did it and i was able to repeatedly get it to do it disconnected with about 28 psi in the tires. Aired up to 38 and connected over the same section of road it felt like it wanted to and was about to shake but i jist did minimally and was reasonable. The track bar is a JKS bar that came with the lift. Fox pass through stabilizer going on next week to see if that provides a general overall improvement in road feedback.

I have driven my other jeeps back from trails and and never experienced this issue. Either way, if it doesn't happen again i will be very happy

 

[foxmul]

alot of people have reported (including myself) that is a weak (from manufacturer) steering stabilizer. It occurs more with cold weather but I still experienced it a couple weeks ago, I have all stock setup with barely 3000 miles.

 

[BreakFixRepeat]

I drove home the other day with sway bar disconnected and tires at about 20 psi and hit 70-75 multiple times. Im never easy on my jeep. Never once did i feel a shimmy or shake at all. Im all stock for now though as well.

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