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Another death wobble thread

Got the new re1660 track at installed and I still have deathwobble. It is much less severe now and I can drive a little faster. The track bar also made when front end feel much tighter.

Don’t know where to go from here other than to just start replacing everything. When I bump the drag link there is a slight bit of noise but I can’t exactly tell where it’s coming from. Maybe I drilled out the pitman arm too much or maybe the gear box needs to be replaced? I guess I’ll slowly buy all new steering components
 
I would start at the alignment shop and get a printout of what you have.
jeep%20align_zpsyvtrqk8t.jpg
 
Got the new re1660 track at installed and I still have deathwobble. It is much less severe now and I can drive a little faster. The track bar also made when front end feel much tighter.

Don’t know where to go from here other than to just start replacing everything. When I bump the drag link there is a slight bit of noise but I can’t exactly tell where it’s coming from. Maybe I drilled out the pitman arm too much or maybe the gear box needs to be replaced? I guess I’ll slowly buy all new steering components

Have someone spin the wheel while you visually inspect all components as they move.
 
Well, a few weeks have gone by and still have death wobble.
Since the track bar replacement I have replaced the steering gear box and pitman arm. Tightened everything, checked alignment which is 1/8” toe in.

Everything seems fine. There is a quiet click/clunk somewhere in the steering that can be heard and felt when you turn the wheel side to side. Had a friend help but we couldn’t pin point its exact location.

Steering feels better and tighter overall. Death wobble only happens between 30-40mph.
 
Is this a common theme with the cavfab type steering? By moving the drag link to the top of the knuckle and pitman the angle is correct but it's 1.5 inches above the track bar plane. This is probably the issue that's causing problems. I contacted cavfab about these issues months ago and asked if the DL could fit utk and the tie rod fit otk. They said it should work with the high clearance kit but from pictures I'm doubting it. A good picture explanation of this orientation is iron rock off-road steering. Or better yet the old rock crawler steering that's no longer in production. Maybe someone smarter than me can shed some light on the subject? Sorry to be long winded!

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Please excuse the double post, stolen modified image, and curvy purple line...
But this is the Rock krawler setup I had mentioned. Notice how close the 2 green lines are in relation to each other opposed to the purple line and the lower green line. The purple to lower green line would mimic cavfab. I'm thinking that added distance is causing the wobble in this design.
092c4008006edbf7e23c4c9194bc9e64.jpg


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I have the high clearance cavfab kit and I feel that the curve in the DL would contact the TR if ran in that configuration. Worth a try though. I’d try anything at this point.

Anyone think a track bar brace would help? I noticed the unibody flex slightly when turning the wheels.
 
From photos I think you're right about the interference. Kinda crappy they told me it would work that way...
I do not think a brace would help your situation being that if there was enough unibody flex to cause it I would expect cracking unirails.

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True. I might just buy the brace anyways.

Well, I added a washer to the axle side trackbar bolt and my death wobble is gone. I hit the same roads and bumps that have been causing dw over the past few weeks.

I do still get a wobble, like it wants to go, but never turns into dw. I wonder if this is a normal characteristic of heim steering?
 
True. I might just buy the brace anyways.

Well, I added a washer to the axle side trackbar bolt and my death wobble is gone. I hit the same roads and bumps that have been causing dw over the past few weeks.

I do still get a wobble, like it wants to go, but never turns into dw. I wonder if this is a normal characteristic of heim steering?

Characteristic of live axle suspensions: lots of unsprung weight (the entire front axle) will cause it to chatter across bumps, especially while turning. It's why Jeep went so light on the JK and JL axle tubes: improve ride compliance.

DW is kind of like taking a leak: shake it more than twice and you're playing with it/have DW. :D
 
Welllp the death wobble is still there. I thought it went away, but I was wrong.
I wonder if it could just be the heim joints?
Should i just start replacing other stuff? I feel like if i take it into a 4x4 specialist it will cost me the same amount as buying new ball joints, unjoints, hub bearings etc. really getting frustrated on this especially with the camping season around the corner in the Sierra.
 
Cavfab supposedly uses ruffstuff joints so I wouldn't think that would be your problem... Refreshed ball joints and hub bearings couldn't hurt an old rig but I still think it's a geometry problem... If you'll do a search there's tons of these sale issues with that steering set up...

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Not sure if anyone’s still checking this thread and thanks to those who have shared some advice. All has been extremely helpful.

I took my Jeep into outlaw off road today to get a professional diagnosis and they said the axle was off center by 1” causing the wobble. I didn’t have them fix it because that would have cost over 500. Got the heep home and center the axle myself. Haven’t been on a ride yet.

I hope this does it. But, I always thought a off center axle didn’t cause dw. Or couldn’t cause it. ?
 
Not likely but everything you fix is one less thing to check off your list.

You still have never posted any alignment sheets?
 
I don't remember if I updated you on my deathwobble issues but mine went away after solving the issues. For me the jam nut on the track bar was loose causing it to move around, the track bar brace was loose on the passenger side, axle was off center, and my alignment was toed out. I also had one bad tire which i hadn't previously noticed since it was in the rear. But coincidentally i rotated it to the front while trying to work out the kinks and it caused my steering to shake bad. It's amazing how none of this was an issue with the stock steering.
 
I don't remember if I updated you on my deathwobble issues but mine went away after solving the issues. For me the jam nut on the track bar was loose causing it to move around, the track bar brace was loose on the passenger side, axle was off center, and my alignment was toed out. I also had one bad tire which i hadn't previously noticed since it was in the rear. But coincidentally i rotated it to the front while trying to work out the kinks and it caused my steering to shake bad. It's amazing how none of this was an issue with the stock steering.

thanks for the update!

Stock steering is pretty amazing I suppose haha. Did you have a shop do your alignment? Mine was, they didn't like working on the steering because you have to drop one side. But knuckle to knuckle I'm at the same measurement as before I installed the steering (52") which makes me 1/8" toed in.

Maybe the shop did a crappy balance on my tires too. It's driving me crazy how many small things this can be. My pockets are about empty now too.

Happy you have figured yours out. Gives me hope.

Did you ever install the steering stabilizer? And how does your truck handle now?
 
thanks for the update!

Stock steering is pretty amazing I suppose haha. Did you have a shop do your alignment? Mine was, they didn't like working on the steering because you have to drop one side. But knuckle to knuckle I'm at the same measurement as before I installed the steering (52") which makes me 1/8" toed in.

Maybe the shop did a crappy balance on my tires too. It's driving me crazy how many small things this can be. My pockets are about empty now too.

Happy you have figured yours out. Gives me hope.

Did you ever install the steering stabilizer? And how does your truck handle now?

No a buddy and I grabbed a tape measure and adjusted the alignment ourselves. I initially got it perfectly straight but didn't like how it drove so i toed it in a bit and it drives much better now. I installed the steering stabilizer and rotated my tires at the same time and it drove worst. But that's because one of my tires was garbage. After my tire guy said that he couldn't balance that tire i remembered the last time that i went wheeling i aired down too low and had a slow leak from the bead on one tire. I assume that i screwed it up then because it took me a while to figure it out.

It now drives great and i can do 75 on the freeway without an issue.
 
No a buddy and I grabbed a tape measure and adjusted the alignment ourselves. I initially got it perfectly straight but didn't like how it drove so i toed it in a bit and it drives much better now. I installed the steering stabilizer and rotated my tires at the same time and it drove worst. But that's because one of my tires was garbage. After my tire guy said that he couldn't balance that tire i remembered the last time that i went wheeling i aired down too low and had a slow leak from the bead on one tire. I assume that i screwed it up then because it took me a while to figure it out.

It now drives great and i can do 75 on the freeway without an issue.



What are you toe'd in at?

I did my alignment last night. Was toed in almost a full inch. i have it at 1/16" now. No death wobble so far, but still a little wobble into the wheel when I hit a bump.
 
somewhere between 1/16 and 1/8. I went ahead and replaced my balljoints this weekend and i finally got around to driving it yesterday. it drives so smooth now.
 
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