Interesting insight on death wobble

[ShadowsPapa]

Experienced DW on a test drive 2020 Sport S. Salesman in the back seat turned white. Told him not to worry...
Still ordered my 21 Sport S and am seeing no problems, yet. It does have the updated steering box....

There is that "HMMMMMMM" "like" icon.........

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[DirtGadgets]

I have a 2020 Sport S. I bought in May and swapped out some 33's from a JL Rubicon when it had only 400 miles on it. A month ago I decided to put the stock tires back on it to see how much difference it would make with fuel mileage. (it went from 18 to 22 mpg with the stock tires back on)

It was about 30 degrees out and I hit an expansion joint at about 75 mph on the interstate and discovered what death wobble was. It happened three more times that day. I took it to the dealership and after 3 days, they force balanced the tires. The service manager stated he has only seen this happen with the stock tires (Bridgestone desert duelers) that come on the sport and sport s. In addition, it only happens when the temperature is cold. I suspect it is a combo of stiff walled tires and the viscosity of the oil in the steering stabilizer create the ideal situation for death wobble to occur.

This apparently happens so often that the Fiat Chrysler forbids their employee from using the term death wobble.

Of course the dealership's answer is to replace the steering stabilizer. It is on back order for at least a month. Jeep wave is absolutely useless in helping resolve the situation. I was warned about the lack of customer service if I bought a jeep/Chrysler product. They could learn a thing or two from Lexus. I think I'll just put the bigger tires back on and be done with this BS.

I think your dealer is misleading you on this one. Generally death wobble results from bad ball joints or play in the drag link or tie rod ends. It sucks and can be quite scary. It's also really hard on your drivetrain. However, it being cold out or you running 2" larger tires over stock should not, under normal circumstances, result in you experiencing it.

Check that your wheels are balanced and inflated to the same PSI. Have the dealer check all the drive train connections to ensure every nut is torqued to spec. Finally, check the steering gear bolts. The stock steering gear is not always torqued to spec, which can result in several thousands of an inch of deflection. If you've got the aluminum steering gear, talk to your dealer about the TSB to have it upgraded to the cast iron version. If you experience steering gear deflection (either because of an improperly torqued steering gear or the aluminum version) it usually manifests as sloppy steering, drift, or play. Combine this deflection with out-of-balance wheels or hit a large expansion crack hard enough, at just the right angle, then you may experience death wobble.

FWIW, replacing the steering stabilizer is unlikely going to fix death wobble. It is as other's have noted only a bandaid. If you're really convinced you need a new one... well, I've got two OEM steering stabilizers that are like new. Would be happy to sell/ship you one. They came off a 2020 Gladiator Mojave and a 2019 Wrangler Unlimited Sport S. However, I think you'll be disappointed.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

They came off a 2020 Gladiator Mojave and a 2019 Wrangler Unlimited Sport S.

This is strictly curiosity and has nothing to do with death wobble and stabilizers masking or fixing or for that matter, being involved in the plastic bags in the highway medians around here -
Does the Mojave use the same part number stabilizer or is it different enough in height or some other configuration that they use a different part number compared to any other level of JT?
Just wondering and no other reason.

 

[DirtGadgets]

This is strictly curiosity and has nothing to do with death wobble and stabilizers masking or fixing or for that matter, being involved in the plastic bags in the highway medians around here -
Does the Mojave use the same part number stabilizer or is it different enough in height or some other configuration that they use a different part number compared to any other level of JT?
Just wondering and no other reason.

They're the same part. The JTM and JLU Sport S have the same steering stabilizer.

 

[FLGladiator]

Had a wobble on my 67 Harley Electric Glide... I-5 in San Diego at 70 mph... Fun times...

All kinds of wobbles in a hard tail vintage I rode a couple years. And my woman at the time used to ride on the fender.

 

[dcritzer]

I did notice that The ball joint on the steering knuckle seemed to have a mm or so of play in it as well as the joint on the steering box. Does anyone know how much play in these joints is acceptable?

 

[Rocksalt]

not from my own experience read read on this, but have read on this forum that BJ minimal
play can be a culprit

 

[OHJeeper]

I did notice that The ball joint on the steering knuckle seemed to have a mm or so of play in it as well as the joint on the steering box. Does anyone know how much play in these joints is acceptable?

You mean up/down play? Like, if you take a prybar against the u joint you can move the wheel up and down and the knuckle doesn't move? If so, that's not in spec in my experience

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I did notice that The ball joint on the steering knuckle seemed to have a mm or so of play in it as well as the joint on the steering box. Does anyone know how much play in these joints is acceptable?

Joint on steering box - you mean at the end of the pitman arm, that thick arm on the steering gear? There should be no play if you are under watching and someone is inside shaking or moving the steering wheel back and forth (engine off).
As far as the ball joints on the steering knuckle - there's a ball joint on the top and another on the bottom where the knuckle pivots on the axle tube - are those what you mean? Or tie rod or drag link joints?

 

[Jeeperjamie]

How and why do we keep discussing this topic. People keep amazing me with their interpretation and knowledge of what they think is death wobble. Op take some advice and listen to what's being said in this thread

 

[Jteakus]

Do not overlook the steering box. I had a customer's JK that wore us out looking for the DW culprit. Finally put a dial indicator on the pitman arm at output shaft and there it was, a small amount of deflection. Replaced box with a PSC big bore and problem solved.
The Super Duty trucks are usually the lower control arm "tie rod end". Those trucks feel like the windshield is about to come out when they start shaking.

 

[dcritzer]

update-re installed the 33's and no death wobble/radical shimmy or shakng the F@#$ing jeep apart at speed after hitting an expansion joint-oscillation. Problem solved. The factory tires -Bridgestone desert duelers APPEAR to be the culprit in this particular instance.

 

[Mjolnir]

Tires can always be bad. Glad it worked out.

 

[Rusty PW]

update-re installed the 33's and no death wobble/radical shimmy or shakng the F@#$ing jeep apart at speed after hitting an expansion joint-oscillation. Problem solved. The factory tires -Bridgestone desert duelers APPEAR to be the culprit in this particular instance.

On the 3 gen Rams. It's one of the first TSB's that came out. Was to replace the tires.

 

[Rusty PW]

Do not overlook the steering box. I had a customer's JK that wore us out looking for the DW culprit. Finally put a dial indicator on the pitman arm at output shaft and there it was, a small amount of deflection. Replaced box with a PSC big bore and problem solved.
The Super Duty trucks are usually the lower control arm "tie rod end". Those trucks feel like the windshield is about to come out when they start shaking.

On the 3 gen Rams. First it was to replace the tires. Then to replace the steering linkage. Changing it from a Y style to a T style. Then it was changing the ball joint's.

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