My Gladiator still rides like buckin' bronco!

[DirtySaylor]

Installed the synergy track bar, and it made a difference at lower speeds- however, I get the death wobble and can't go over 75 MPH on the highway. Road trips are unbearable.

I'd really hate to trade this jeep in, but it's really unusable on the highway. Took a two hour round trip today and got the shit beat out of me.

This is my 3rd jeep, so i'm familiar with "how jeeps ride". However, neither of the other two rode this terribly.

Got a 2.5 rough country lift, 35 in tires/fuel wheels.

I know the steering boxes in the Gladiators are terrible, but has anyone replaced theirs and it fixed the death wobble? I'm not expecting it to ride like a cadillac, but a jeep that I now have over 50k invested in shouldn't ride like a jackass with three broken legs in a stump. Help!

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[Artsifrtsi]

Did it do this before the lift and tires?

 

[blackeye]

Installed the synergy track bar, and it made a difference at lower speeds- however, I get the death wobble and can't go over 75 MPH on the highway. Road trips are unbearable.

I'd really hate to trade this jeep in, but it's really unusable on the highway. Took a two hour round trip today and got the shit beat out of me.

This is my 3rd jeep, so i'm familiar with "how jeeps ride". However, neither of the other two rode this terribly.

Got a 2.5 rough country lift, 35 in tires/fuel wheels.

I know the steering boxes in the Gladiators are terrible, but has anyone replaced theirs and it fixed the death wobble? I'm not expecting it to ride like a cadillac, but a jeep that I now have over 50k invested in shouldn't ride like a jackass with three broken legs in a stump. Help!

If you haven't checked out this thread, you should.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...b-08-074-20-for-improved-steering-feel.33705/

A lot of folks in the thread are reporting a night and day change to steering feel after getting the TSB repair done at the dealer.

 

[Kev Mojito]

Need more info to help.
1. DW- check all steering joints, control arm joints, ball joints. Something is worn. Or bad tire.
2. Ride quality - You have a Rough Country lift? factory springs with spacers or RC springs? What shocks, what tire pressure are you running.

Too many unknown to give solid answer.

 

[TheMuffinOfEvil]

Rough country lifts are also known for issues.

Can you link the exact lift kit you got?

I see you got new tires and rims as well, are you sure they are in balance?

 

[AzRob]

My gut feeling after reading your post is...... Its got to be your lift.

I have also heard of issues with Rough Country and was steered away from the brand from two shops.

In my time on this site I think you are only the second Ive seen experiencing the death wobble problem. So this is not something common or regular that many of us are experiencing. Therefore it has to be something specific to your vehicle.

I don't know who installed your lift but my suggestion is to first, take it to a (different) off road specialty shop that is familiar with installing different lift kits and pay them re-check that everything with yours looks correct and straight with the lift, and that it appears to be all correctly installed. I have seen several posts where people had pieces that were "side specific" and without careful examination it was hard to see that the left and right pieces were slightly different. Also while there, have them remove all four tires and put each on the balancing machine to see if in fact they come up as balanced. Then third have them put it on the alignment rack to see if its all lined up straight.

This should only be maybe 2-3 hours of labor and a few hundred bucks, but that would at least start to rule several things out if the tires balance and the alignment is straight.

If you start with this plan you are not out a ton of money yet and you can come back here with the learned info and hopefully some people would be able to assist you further.

Good luck.

 

[lrtexasman]

I've only come across a handful of death wobble complaints on the JT. I agree with others, your lift is not set up correctly. Personally, I'd pull it off and buy someone's old Rubicon set up or the Mopar 2" lift and roll with that. I'd also do a force balance on the tires. I'd also get the steering gear replaced If you have the wander issue.

 

[WK2JT]

Have the suspension components torqued again. Did it do it before the lift, immediately after the lift or slowly start to happen?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Ride and steering or handling are different things. You say it "rides" like a buckin' bronco, but that indicates more of a rough ride, up and down, can't take bumps on the road, etc.
Steering is death wobble, wander, excess play in steering, pull to one side or the other, etc.

 

[Bonanza]

Death wobble usually hits from 40-50 mph. That’s the resonance that really gets it going. Are you getting a shimmy, or full on violent shaking of the whole vehicle? I suspect the wheels or lift.

did you loosen and retighten every control after the lift install? Need alignment specs too, castor may be too little.

 

[CMac]

Ride and steering or handling are different things. You say it "rides" like a buckin' bronco, but that indicates more of a rough ride, up and down, can't take bumps on the road, etc.
Steering is death wobble, wander, excess play in steering, pull to one side or the other, etc.

I was thinking the same things here....two very separate issues.

 

[hivol13]

I've had the wobble on my JTS at about 8,000 miles. Took it back to the dealer and they re-torqued the trackbar bolts and checked alignment. That fixed the wobble for me. 17,000 miles now, no wobble. TsB parts ordered, hope to be scheduled soon.

 

[Riccochet]

Incorrect suspension geometry can cause all those issues.

I'd get an alignment done and see what needs to be to addressed.

Also, like mentioned, retorque everything. And it needs to be done while the vehicle is on the ground.

 

[Murgatroid]

Installed the synergy track bar, and it made a difference at lower speeds- however, I get the death wobble and can't go over 75 MPH on the highway. Road trips are unbearable.

I'd really hate to trade this jeep in, but it's really unusable on the highway. Took a two hour round trip today and got the shit beat out of me.

This is my 3rd jeep, so i'm familiar with "how jeeps ride". However, neither of the other two rode this terribly.

Got a 2.5 rough country lift, 35 in tires/fuel wheels.

I know the steering boxes in the Gladiators are terrible, but has anyone replaced theirs and it fixed the death wobble? I'm not expecting it to ride like a cadillac, but a jeep that I now have over 50k invested in shouldn't ride like a jackass with three broken legs in a stump. Help!

You've got something that ain't right. I've driven to Utah and back, Texas and back, North Carolina and back twice in the past year. All 70-80 mph, drives like a solid truck. No wobble. But I'm a bone stock Max Tow. I've had Jeep friends tell me it is the best riding Jeep ever, like a Cadillac compared to their two door.

 

[j.o.y.ride]

If you haven't checked out this thread, you should.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...b-08-074-20-for-improved-steering-feel.33705/

A lot of folks in the thread are reporting a night and day change to steering feel after getting the TSB repair done at the dealer.

That tsb won't cause death wobble.

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