Death Wobble

[Dunerking]

Agreed..I’ve got my stock SS on my 05 Dodge 3500 and have a Carli SS ready to install for the last 7-8 years lol. I guess I’m just getting lucky with that (I’m sure worn out) OEM SS that 18 year old SS.

 

[575cat]

If this is a common problem on new units as well as lower mile used, I'd say it's more of a faulty geometry issue. If the track bar and the drag link are even slightly out of phase within their arcs of travel, there will be issues. Also seen some issues where the stock rubber bushings allow the front axle to lose caster while braking, causing the vehicle to get kind of "loose".

Yes linkage geometry , got to get the linkage as parallel as possible , as well as track bar flex and bushings , damper just trying to mask no help . Yup any solid axle vehicle can do this.

 

[Danger Dave]

I'd get it fixed and get rid of it. No way I'd want my wife rolling around in something I don't trust.

 

[shintoooo]

I'd get it fixed and get rid of it. No way I'd want my wife rolling around in something I don't trust.

I talked to her last night and she said she agrees with me to get rid of it. Our daughter is starting to drive and we would never want her to go through that on the freeway. Very dangerous.

We’re gonna fix it and sell it. Want a 4x4 because we go camping and use it to go off-road so now comes the fun part of deciding what to get. Maybe the new bronco.

 

[redone76]

I talked to her last night and she said she agrees with me to get rid of it. Our daughter is starting to drive and we would never want her to go through that on the freeway. Very dangerous.

We’re gonna fix it and sell it. Want a 4x4 because we go camping and use it to go off-road so now comes the fun part of deciding what to get. Maybe the new bronco.

No death wobble on this bad boy! And it's for sale...

 

[lbhsbz]

I talked to her last night and she said she agrees with me to get rid of it. Our daughter is starting to drive and we would never want her to go through that on the freeway. Very dangerous.

We’re gonna fix it and sell it. Want a 4x4 because we go camping and use it to go off-road so now comes the fun part of deciding what to get. Maybe the new bronco.

4runner

 

[hallett21]

I talked to her last night and she said she agrees with me to get rid of it. Our daughter is starting to drive and we would never want her to go through that on the freeway. Very dangerous.

We’re gonna fix it and sell it. Want a 4x4 because we go camping and use it to go off-road so now comes the fun part of deciding what to get. Maybe the new bronco.

My wife’s TrailHawk is very capable off-road and has a 7k tow rating.

Drives super smooth on long road trips.

 

[RogerThat99]

I had the death wobble on a lifted F-350. It is terrible when it happens. The only way I could get mine to stop, was to slow down to around 35 mph (not easy on the freeway).

On mine, it was a part in the steering linkage. Got it replaced, and it went away. It would come back eventually, and have to replace the part again.

 

[hman442]

Be

I had the death wobble on a lifted F-350. It is terrible when it happens. The only way I could get mine to stop, was to slow down to around 35 mph (not easy on the freeway).

On mine, it was a part in the steering linkage. Got it replaced, and it went away. It would come back eventually, and have to replace the part again.

Believe it or not, it'll go away if you speed up, as well. That takes big balls, or, in my case, 17 year old dumb assness, going, huh, that'd weird and plant the throttle. Sure enough, it goes away. I've tried it on other vehicles through the years, it works.

 

[Bpracing1127]

My truck is starting to loosen up and needs to get looked at 2018 f250 on 37”s. So yea it usually loose or worn suspension. I have a stabilizer on it and that helps a ton but isn’t a cure all

 

[weasle]

This happened on our 2017 Jeep Wrangler. It is lifted with larger tires, but ultimately it was the steering stabilizer. Went to Four Wheel Parts and picked up a nice Fox heavy duty steering stabilizer and never happened again. The stock one is about the size of a pencil. Easy fix. We drive on the freeway all the time no issues.

 

[pronstar]

4Runner and Bronco have IFS so zero chance of death wobble

 

[Warlock1]

WAIT, before you get it fixed take momma on a late night cruise. Have her climb on and hit the magic speed and see how long you last. You know just an experiment...lol

 

[NicPaus]

4Runner and Bronco have IFS so zero chance of death wobble

My 2500 is IFS but has done it once. I thought it was only solid front axles. Low miles on it but the shitty transforce tires it came from factory with.

 

[Your ad here]

Be

Believe it or not, it'll go away if you speed up, as well. That takes big balls, or, in my case, 17 year old dumb assness, going, huh, that'd weird and plant the throttle. Sure enough, it goes away. I've tried it on other vehicles through the years, it works.

Jerking the wheel to one side will make it go away on coil sprung 4wd Superdutys.

 

[Your ad here]

Stabilizers are a bandaid for a more serious problem that needs addressing. Other than caster I've found tires to be the main cause. New mounted Nittos make you look like a DUI driver the first 1000 miles, cause weird shit, and really just suck. Out of 20 nitto tires I've had 14 fail before 30% life. Michelins have treated me very well.

 

[weasle]

Ours did have some shitty Fuel tires on it as well when this happened. Replaced the tires with some General Grabbers and new stabilizer and has not happened again.

 

[92562]

I've never had it happen on a TJ or LJ but the last JK did it soon after we bought it (used, 25K miles). I put new tires on it and had it aligned and then I put on a Bilstein stabilizer. Rotated the tires very 5K, tires again after 50K and a fresh alignment (same stabilizer). 125K miles later and it hasn't had the wobble since the first time.

 

[Big B Hova]

Sounds like you need a 12" lift, fox rezzis, Rockstar wheels, and air lockers to me

 

[OCMerrill]

I had a 2018 2 Door Rubicon....sold it with about 12K miles on it to a friend who put another 8K miles on it and started getting the death wobble ..... The stock BFG's were starting give and wear wrong... we literally swapped out the most poorly worn tire with the spare and it went away... I would check tires and alignment ...from a reputable alignment place...

If people would just ride a motorcross bike in a desert race they would understand head shake.

Tires 31" and up can become problematic and cause this. With JK's or JL's its 37's that seem to be the norm these days. Make the potential worse.
Two little caster is a big factor along with to much toe in or out, mostly out.
Steering Stabilizer - Don't rely on this being the only fix. Factory stuff is junk however its a 50/50 its part of the issue. If you install a new one and it solves it then something else is on the edge.
Track bar is rare but I've seen it as part of the cause.

Its not limited to Jeeps or Fiat products.
Ford Super Duty's have a big issue with this.

 

[spectra3279]

Dodge diesels will do it. Have not had it happen on mine, but everybody says it's the trackbar and lift kits throwing off the geometry

 

[JD D05]

I had this happen on my 06 dodge and my 2012 Dodge. I almost got hit from behind by a dump truck in my 2012 and yes it is a terrible experience. On the 2012 it actually had a blown steering stabilizer shock and after it was replaced it was fine.

 

[JD D05]

Dodge diesels will do it. Have not had it happen on mine, but everybody says it's the trackbar and lift kits throwing off the geometry

They can all do it. Big picture when it comes to lifts etc it is usually the cheaper kits that rush to availability on new models etc. But this is really wear the higher end kits really make sense. I don't know if this is always the case but every truck I have lifted which has always just been a leveling kit an adjustable track bar is vital. Lifting will cause the axle to shift to one side and un center it, an adjustable trac bar re centers the axle. On my 17 Ford I also need some very aggressive linkage arms.

 

[28Eliminator]

Junk cars… get her a 4-runner or something if you want a decent daily driver and do some off road stuff.

I’d think twice about the new Bronco with the engine problems I keep hearing about.

I haven’t experienced any Death Wobble since the early 80’s in my 64 dodge

 

[spectra3279]

They can all do it. Big picture when it comes to lifts etc it is usually the cheaper kits that rush to availability on new models etc. But this is really wear the higher end kits really make sense. I don't know if this is always the case but every truck I have lifted which has always just been a leveling kit an adjustable track bar is vital. Lifting will cause the axle to shift to one side and un center it, an adjustable trac bar re centers the axle. On my 17 Ford I also need some very aggressive linkage arms.

That's what I have heard about all the dodge diesels. People don't upgrade the trackbar and the pitman arm. So it throws the axle all outa whack. Mine is stock other than I switched it from the y type steering to the t type. Best thing I ever did to it

 

[SPYLIFE]

I had the issue with my JK from a bad set of Mickey tires. (37's). We did everything we could to balance them. It would happen if I hit a bump going around 45mph. I put a new set on about 18 months ago, and have never had the problem since.

 

[Runs2rch]

I talked to her last night and she said she agrees with me to get rid of it. Our daughter is starting to drive and we would never want her to go through that on the freeway. Very dangerous.

We’re gonna fix it and sell it. Want a 4x4 because we go camping and use it to go off-road so now comes the fun part of deciding what to get. Maybe the new bronco.

Is it a Rubicon? What color?

 

[shintoooo]

Is it a Rubicon? What color?

Sahara. Gray.

 

[Singleton]

Sahara. Gray.

Knowing it has issues, how about 10k for it

 

[shintoooo]

Junk cars… get her a 4-runner or something if you want a decent daily driver and do some off road stuff.

I’d think twice about the new Bronco with the engine problems I keep hearing about.

I haven’t experienced any Death Wobble since the early 80’s in my 64 dodge

I sent her some 4runners today and she likes them. Dropping the jeep off at the dealer tomorrow for warranty repair and then we're going to decide which way to go.

 

[Danger Dave]

Wife has a 4Runner TRD Pro which she loves. The Lexus GX460 is nice too.

 

[Happy Smitty]

Had it happen on my wife's Ram 2500 at 185k miles. Let me tell you Carlie kit, king shocks and 37's fixed it. But she still wont drive it. After spending more on the truck than it's worth I found out the problem was the steering stabilizer was installed upside down. Oh well my other Ford is a Dodge now.

 

[pronstar]

I sent her some 4runners today and she likes them. Dropping the jeep off at the dealer tomorrow for warranty repair and then we're going to decide which way to go.

Since you’re an accountant you can relate to this:
Lease a 4Runner TRD Pro.
New one comes out in a few years.

When the lease is up, sell it for more than the residual (they don’t seem to depreciate at all) and then lease a new one.

 

[SKIDMARC]

Why not just get a Silverado?

 

[shintoooo]

Dropped off the car this morning at the dealer. Service guy said that out of 100 cars that have been dropped off for this issue, they've only replaced parts on two of them. He said that the company will be coming out with a fix sometime in February or March of next year. He agreed with me though that if they didn't replace the parts to get rid of the car. He was an honest service associate lol. Let's see what they say next week.

 

[hallett21]

5 gallons of gas solves most issues

Dropped off the car this morning at the dealer. Service guy said that out of 100 cars that have been dropped off for this issue, they've only replaced parts on two of them. He said that the company will be coming out with a fix sometime in February or March of next year. He agreed with me though that if they didn't replace the parts to get rid of the car. He was an honest service associate lol. Let's see what they say next week.

 

[Bigbore500r]

We bought my wife a used 2019 Jeep Wrangler last year with 20K miles. We're on the freeway this past Friday and I'm driving at around 65 and the steering wheel starts to shake violently and feels like I'm going over crazy bumps but the freeway surface is smooth. I slow down and it stops. 10 minutes later at 60 mph and holy shit it starts again. I'm freaking out like wtf is this. Then I remember hearing the term "Death Wobble" a few years back. My wife looks it up and it's exactly what was happening. I told her I'm getting rid of this piece of shit next week. She called the dealer and we're taking it in as it's still under warranty and they have a "fix" and will repair it.

I did some research and it looks like it still happens, even after the fix. Anyone else go through this? I don't want my wife or kids driving this car. It's scary when you're driving fast and this shit happens. By the way, it happened again yesterday when my wife was driving.

All solid front axle vehicles can have the issue, but Jeeps are particularly sensitive. My wifes jeep developed it after a few years of ownership. I installed new ball joints, new steering stabilizer, checked the suspension, alignment, etc etc....

Turned out it didn't like the tires. Despite rotating them regularly, the tires (worn about 50%) were causing it. I replaced the tires and problem went away, and has stayed away. They are really sensitive to tires, inflation pressures, and tread patterns. We have 35" offroad tires on 20x10 wheels so that makes it much more sensitive....
I've come to terms with the fact that it just won't be a vehicle that we keep tires on till they are "done" - It will need tires whenever it tells me it's getting angry.
So far, the new set is worn about 50% and it's still driving good.

FYI - if you lift it or run oversized offroad tires, you're gonna want to play with air pressure to make it handle and ride properly.
We run 26PSI on Carin's jeep, that makes the tires wear nice and it rides / handles nice. If you inflate them to the PSI shown on the door......the Jeep is undrivable - literally bounces out of its own lane over bumps, scary as shit. They are super sensitive.

#Sensitive

 

[spotondl]

Warped front brake rotors can induce the wobble too...

 

[HotRod82]

Fwiw - my 05 Dodge started the death wobble after all these years and it turned out to be the steering box.

 

[shintoooo]

Just got a text from the dealer. They are installing a new steering damper on the jeep.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Just got a text from the dealer. They are installing a new steering damper on the jeep.

Good news

 

[Your ad here]

Just got a text from the dealer. They are installing a new steering damper on the jeep.

Are they going to check the tires? They should.

 

[shintoooo]

Are they going to check the tires? They should.

Yes, I asked them to check the tires and brakes.

 

[Bigbore500r]

Yes, I asked them to check the tires and brakes.

Is it all stock stuff? Stock size tires, no lift, etc ?

 

[pronstar]

He agreed with me though that if they didn't replace the parts to get rid of the car. He was an honest service associate lol.

That’s always the preferred outcome when you go to a dealer LOL

 

[shintoooo]

Is it all stock stuff? Stock size tires, no lift, etc ?

Yes.

 

[GOTTBoat]

Since you’re an accountant you can relate to this:
Lease a 4Runner TRD Pro.
New one comes out in a few years.

When the lease is up, sell it for more than the residual (they don’t seem to depreciate at all) and then lease a new one.

When is the Tacoma refresh?

 

[mudpuppy]

I have a 2017 rubicon that had a 4 inch lift and 35 BFGs installed before delivery that got the wobble at 15000 mi. I took it to Summit here in Prescott. Turns out that the dealer installed the cheapest shit they could for the lift. Summit fixed me up with good components and got it aligned right. No wobble since. 69000 mi and 2 sets of bfg s later and it has been trouble free.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

Just got a text from the dealer. They are installing a new steering damper on the jeep.

So they are putting a new bandaid on ehh? A damper is a reactive device, not a preventive one.

 

[HNL2LHC]

@shintoooo we have had our son’s Jeep for about 6 years with about 30k in miles. Went from snow tires in CO for about 4 of those years then off to amazing weather in CA and switched out the tires to non studded. All was good for a while. Our son did not rotate and when we got the Jeep back in our hands I noticed the front tires were wearing a bit weird. Fast forward a few drives and it started to wobble on a bump or expansion joint on the highway. Took it in and just the rotation of the tires was enough to get things back into good working order. I hope that you are moving forward without issue and enjoying the Jeep.