Yeah, I've heard of Death Wobble, but OMG!

[Fozzy_Bear]

Well, I finally finished my axle swap and did a 3" lift while I was at it.

Test drive around the block in the neighborhood was all thumbs up, so I headed for the highway.

About 1 mile out I came across a set of RR tracks and BLAMMO. Death wobble to the point that I would have swore that 4 of my 5 lug bolts had broken and the wheel was flopping like a fish on the beach.

As I mentioned, I have heard of Death Wobble, and I know how to fix it (Adj TB and LCA'a go on order tonight; pro alignment when they're on) but I just had to say that even with knowing about the possibility in the back of my head I was still quite supprised how violent that was. I can't imagine what I would have thought if I hadn't been lurking around the net before I did the lift.

 

[jcnoble]

try that in LA with 5 lanes of traffic each way and a semi on your but. Fun stuff.

 

[RyanM]

try that in LA with 5 lanes of traffic each way and a semi on your but. Fun stuff.

man that sounds scary.

Props for test driving though- did you do the ball joints? or were they still in good condition?

 

[KSXJ]

My wifes did that to me the other day, not lifted and pulling a trailer in a construction zone. Not fun. Ended up being the tires went bad. Scared the piss out of my wife.

 

[hippymill]

start checking your ball joints. also, are your track bar and drag link close to parrallel? if not, you might want to look into a track bar relocation.

 

[old_man]

There is a reason they call it DEATH wobble

 

[Fozzy_Bear]

man that sounds scary.

Props for test driving though- did you do the ball joints? or were they still in good condition?

No, the ball joints are still the old ones... probably OEM with 250,000 miles on them...

Like I said, I am not supprised that I need to replace some parts, I was just stunned by the severity of it when the truck was fine with the same joints/tires/TRE's a week ago and "only" a 3" lift.

 

[Fozzy_Bear]

start checking your ball joints. also, are your track bar and drag link close to parrallel? if not, you might want to look into a track bar relocation.

I'll check, but the lift kit I bought had a relocator bracket in it (and yes, I DID install it).

 

[RyanM]

what tires did you put on? old ones? are they on the same side of the vehicle. get an alignment, toe-in is probably way off..

 

[JEEPZZ]

Most people that haven't experience DW first hand will never realize how truly violent the shaking is. ...and that's a good thing.

 

[Steev]

I thought my jeep was falling apart...I didn't think it as bad as people said either..

Now mine showed up after I lifted the jeep 2 inchs, went away slightly with bigger tires and went away completely with a 2inch swaybar drop bracket..

 

[Dragline]

One of my neighbors wanted to borrow my Jeep the other day. (I've let him in the past) I had to say sorry. I couldn't imagine someone who is not expecting it, get the DW in a borrowed vehicle. 2" swaybar drop huh? I haven't heard of that fixing DW. I adjusted my toe until it was drivable. Ended up with toe slightly OUT. Since changing the toe actually made it better, I'm hoping a pro alignment will cure it. I actually have a lifetime alignment deal at Firestone, but I doubt they will honor it now that the suspension has been "modified".

 

[Dirt]

That's why we say if you think you have Death Wobble ..... YOU DON'T!

There will be no inkling of doubt.

You will know.

Glad you survived.

 

[xjaddiction]

At 70mph on the interstate, I thought I was a......






.... DEAD man.

This was in 2000, before the word was out.

 

[GSequoia]

Welcome to the club.

Pick up your rubber urine and feces proof seat covers at the door.

Sequoia
Who hasn't driven his lifted Jeep over 55 since May!

 

[keel5]

About 10 or 12 years ago I saw a guy driving a Grand hit a pothole coming out of the Holland tunnel in New York City, I thought the guys front end was falling out right there. It scared the s*it right out of me and I was only driving next to him.

I have never experienced it first hand and hope I never do.

 

[Fozzy_Bear]

...
coming out of the Holland tunnel in New York City,
...

Wow.

THAT would suck. I was on a main road, but it was Sunday afternoon and I had a "chase car" behind me that was watching out for me. That was bad enough.

 

[GSequoia]

While we're on the subject....

http://xj.sequoiasite.com/pictures/deathwobble.avi

 

[BlueCuda]

While we're on the subject....

http://xj.sequoiasite.com/pictures/deathwobble.avi

Thats nothing! A few weeks ago a friend flopped his XJ causing us to have to drive another XJ thats mostly a trail rig. I followed the trail rig home and withnessed some of the worst death wobble I could imagine. You could see the seats shaking from 3 lengths back lol. Happened at 70 And would not stop until it was below 20. It was almost bad enough that we were going to bring the trailer back for it .

 

[lighthouse jim]

I'll check, but the lift kit I bought had a relocator bracket in it (and yes, I DID install it).

There's a bridge I drive over on my way home every day that has a lumpy asphalt/concrete transition, and if I would hit that at speeds over 35 the DW demon would set upon me. 3" Skyjacker lift and relocator bracket was installed. Turned out that the mount holes in the bracket were slightly oversized for the bolts and had wallowed out! There was a polished halo around the washers that gave it away. I re-tapped for oversize grade 8 bolts to eliminate any play, and haven't had a shudder since.