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Death Wobble Cherokee  
cherokee1999
New User | Posts: 14 | Joined: 03/07
Posted: 10/09/08
11:08 AM

I have a 1999 cherokee with 3 1/4" of lift and at 52MPH it wobbles like a bastard i have posted before about the problem since then I have done in this order
Replaced Front Track Bar
Put on Drop Pitman Arm
Had Alignment done
Put on Track Bar Relocation Bracket

whats next ????
oh and I am back to running stock rubber cause it is easier to control when it goes nuts  


 
007R6 007R6
New User | Posts: 1 | Joined: 10/08
Posted: 10/09/08
12:27 PM

there is only one problem in your case. Just one questionn first; does it wobble right after hitting a bump going highway speeds????? If it does, then get a bigger, and or new steering stableizer. I prefer you get another one (two all together) or get an after market one. With bigger tires its hard to keep all that steering play in check. That is what a steering stableizer does. I reccomend Rusty's offroad. They have single and double set-ups for XJ's (and cheep too!!). check it out www.rustysoffroad.com  


1998 XJ 4" on 32's
Red climbs better

 
ftgiles
Guru | Posts: 1241 | Joined: 05/08
Posted: 10/09/08
01:28 PM

Are you sure the track bar brackets are not wollowed out?

What caster and toe setting are you running? When you lift the suspension, the caster goes down in order to maintain the pinion angle.

It is the caster that forces your wheels straight down the road. The less caster, the more chance for wobble. The caster will be almost zero with 4" of lift if not compensated for. Around a 1/2" longer lower control arm is needed for a 4" lift to acheive 5 degreess of positive caster. Cam bolts can also help, but they will only give you a couple of degrees.

The toe should be 1/32-1/16 inch toe in, that's it. The more toe, the more that the wheels will wobble.

Tire air pressure can also play a big role. More air pressure will firm up the sidewall of bigger tires and they will tend to not wiggle and vibrate as much when they hit road irregularities, which seems to set off the death wobble. I run 35 psi in my 315/75/16's (34.5"). At 25 psi I get some wobble here and there, but never with 35 psi. And make sure the front tire air pressure is the same on both sides.  


 
ftgiles
Guru | Posts: 1241 | Joined: 05/08
Posted: 10/09/08
01:33 PM

Which track bar reloation bracket are you using, and why did you not install the bracket and the dropped pitman at the same time?  


 
cherokee1999
New User | Posts: 14 | Joined: 03/07
Posted: 10/09/08
03:23 PM

the reason I didn't do both at the same time was they didn't come with the kit I put the cheap kit on and ran it fine with 31" TSLs for 5 months. Then the wobble started so I started doing this stuff one step at a time to see which thing would fix it. Nothing has so far like I said I am running stock rubber now with 30PSI oh and the other question you asked its a BDS suspension bracket it drops the track bar on the axle side down about 2" and to the right an inch or so as far. Then you mentioned caster and toe I am not sure exactly I know they build some spacers to move the lower arms forward on the frame as much as possible so and I would say it is about 3/8" to 1/2" umm, I am also running a rusty's add on stabilizer but have not swaped the stocker although I know it is totally shout, If you made it through this thanks for the help  


 
cherokee1999
New User | Posts: 14 | Joined: 03/07
Posted: 10/09/08
03:33 PM

Oh and the Stabilizer does lessen the wobble but with stock tires I was thinking that there shouldn't be any wobble or is this just something I gotta get used to  


 
ftgiles
Guru | Posts: 1241 | Joined: 05/08
Posted: 10/09/08
03:50 PM

Your track bar must be dropped at the frame side, not the axle side. The track bar has to remain inline with the draglink. If you use a dropped pitman, you have to use the same amount of drop on the track bar at the frame mount.

If you are adjuting the trackbar at the axle end, that's not going to be compatible with a dropped pitman.  


 
jrhxj1 jrhxj1
New User | Posts: 39 | Joined: 10/08
Posted: 10/09/08
04:01 PM

Listen to me very closely:  I have battled death wobble since day one. But I have a very closely gaurded secret to eleviate the frustrating problem. It's called a trac bar brace. Look at the way a steering box brace is made. It keeps out lateral movement by locking both sides of the unibody frame together. With that in mind, try to imagine the same design applied to the trac bar bracket. It is very inexpensive to build, can be done with scrap tubing,(3/4 inch diameter works fine), with one end welded with plating to the passenger side frame, and the other side attached to bolt inside the bracket(the one that mounts to unibody frame). It has worked wonders for me ( I run 37's with full width axles on the highway).  Give it a try, what is there to lose.  


 
ftgiles
Guru | Posts: 1241 | Joined: 05/08
Posted: 10/09/08
04:25 PM

Yes, a track bar brace is a great idea, especially on an XJ. I run an Nth Degree track bar brace on my TJ.

If the track bar is the problem, bad joint or bushing, or the mounts are a problem, wollowed out, the brace isn't going to fix the problem.

If you run a lowered track bar frame mount in order to be compatible with a dropped pitman, a brace is a must!  


 
cherokee1999
New User | Posts: 14 | Joined: 03/07
Posted: 10/09/08
05:10 PM

Now that you say they are not compatible it doesn't seem to make the wobble worse but it doesn't feel quite right, also if the mount on the frame side where to be, wollowed out, would I still have to pry it out with a pickle fork cause it was in there fairly well when I replaced it  


 
ftgiles
Guru | Posts: 1241 | Joined: 05/08
Posted: 10/09/08
05:53 PM

The problem that you'll have is bump steer, not death wobble. Get the track bar dropped on the frame end, or remove the dropped pitman arm.

Do you have longer lower control arms or cam bolts in the lower arms? If not, you don't have enough caster.  


 
cherokee1999
New User | Posts: 14 | Joined: 03/07
Posted: 10/09/08
06:08 PM

I don't have either and I don't know exactly how they did it but the people at the alignment shop said they got it where it should be by making some spacers in where the lowers mount to the frame and I can see from the paint that they are moved forward about 1/2 of an inch but maybe thats my problem to check that I take the front tires off and put an angle finder on top of the upper ball joint or is that just some bull some one told me  


 
ftgiles
Guru | Posts: 1241 | Joined: 05/08
Posted: 10/09/08
06:44 PM

You can check the caster by putting your angle finder/protractor on the botttom of the "C" just inside the lower ball joint without taking off the wheel. Just make sure you're parked on a surface as level as possible. Otherwise you'll have to net the difference from what is indicated and the slope you're parked on.

If the slotting job that the allignment shop did on your lower control arm mounts is not substantial, that could be causing a problem. No movement can be allowed. Loose control arms can also cause death wobble.  


 
cherokee1999
New User | Posts: 14 | Joined: 03/07
Posted: 10/09/08
07:05 PM

I would have to guess they are locked in there pretty tight I have not seen either side in a different position but I will try to check that angle tommarow  


 
mudb8-
Moderator | Posts: 3090 | Joined: 08/07
Posted: 10/09/08
08:26 PM

I'll be in compton saturday around noon... I hope, if I don't make it I'll be stuck in la till monday...

anyhow, I could take a look at it if ya want at prime a/a It'lll only take me a few minutes to find a joint or bushing problem if it has one....  


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