2012 JKR — Uncorrectable DW after multiple attempts
#11
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Your shop is incompetent. It was a very well recommended alignment/tire/wheel shop that works in coordination with the local offroad shop (since they don't have an alignment machine), so you'd think they'd have a lot of experience working with rigs like ours. Guess not. Lesson learned.
It makes no sense to install cam bolts with adjustable arms. That's what I asked at the very beginning—I couldn't understand why they'd need another point of adjustability.
They did not properly torque the track bar bolts during the install--which led to the problems in the first place. That's all me since I installed the lift ... even though I torqued the axle-side track bar bolt down to 125 ft-lbs, and retightened regularly, that hole still got wallowed out, which led to the welded-washer solution.
The DW from the loose track bar bolts likely was the cause of the damage of the knuckle side drag link end--which needs to be replaced if it is loose enough that it clunks during a dry steering test and/or moves up and down when tested with channel lock pliers. Definitely in agreement with this. It moves up and down about as much as yours did in your YouTube video, and I specifically asked for him to check this: he said it was moving a "normal" amount.
Remove the cam bolts (requires welding washers or plates over the holes they knocked out) and adjust the arms to somewhere between 4 and 4.5 degrees caster. I asked specifically if I would be able to just remove the cam bolts and replace the stock bolts to reinstall the LCA if I wanted to later on, and they said yes. So I'm hoping I don't have to do any mods to the mouting tabs to bring it back to stock.
Replace the worn drag link end. Stock replacement on the way.
Thoroughly inspect everything else in my written checklist. Yerp.
Retorque your suspension bolts at every oil change interval. Yerp.
It is fixable. Just don't drive it until you at least replace the drag link end. Wish that was possible as the JK's my one and only DD. Best I can do is keep it out of the 45-55 mph range.
It makes no sense to install cam bolts with adjustable arms. That's what I asked at the very beginning—I couldn't understand why they'd need another point of adjustability.
They did not properly torque the track bar bolts during the install--which led to the problems in the first place. That's all me since I installed the lift ... even though I torqued the axle-side track bar bolt down to 125 ft-lbs, and retightened regularly, that hole still got wallowed out, which led to the welded-washer solution.
The DW from the loose track bar bolts likely was the cause of the damage of the knuckle side drag link end--which needs to be replaced if it is loose enough that it clunks during a dry steering test and/or moves up and down when tested with channel lock pliers. Definitely in agreement with this. It moves up and down about as much as yours did in your YouTube video, and I specifically asked for him to check this: he said it was moving a "normal" amount.
Remove the cam bolts (requires welding washers or plates over the holes they knocked out) and adjust the arms to somewhere between 4 and 4.5 degrees caster. I asked specifically if I would be able to just remove the cam bolts and replace the stock bolts to reinstall the LCA if I wanted to later on, and they said yes. So I'm hoping I don't have to do any mods to the mouting tabs to bring it back to stock.
Replace the worn drag link end. Stock replacement on the way.
Thoroughly inspect everything else in my written checklist. Yerp.
Retorque your suspension bolts at every oil change interval. Yerp.
It is fixable. Just don't drive it until you at least replace the drag link end. Wish that was possible as the JK's my one and only DD. Best I can do is keep it out of the 45-55 mph range.
Having the tires balanced is pretty cheap and if your getting vibes only at one speed it seems to point to that. The dual SS is money down the drain, if you get your suspension right you won't need an SS at all. Use that money to pay for your balancing and actually fix something instead of covering it up. And I'd stop taking my jeep to that shop if I were you, adding cam bolts to a setup that already has adjustable control arms makes no sense. Was the dual SS their idea too?
Also I've got a taller lift but a drag link flip did wonders for my death wobble issues. I just got new axles and am selling my old flip kit if you're interested.
Also I've got a taller lift but a drag link flip did wonders for my death wobble issues. I just got new axles and am selling my old flip kit if you're interested.
Last edited by C2U5H; 11-08-2013 at 10:28 AM.
#12
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You can return to not using the cam bolts, but they had to notch the lower control arm brackets to install the cam bolts.
They essentially did this:
![](http://www.jeepfan.com/projects/BDSCastorBolts/Grinding.jpg)
![](http://www.jeepfan.com/projects/BDSCastorBolts/Hole-Slotted.jpg)
You will need either washers or something like the Teraflex pieces to weld over the holes to return to stock bolts:
![](http://www.teraflex.biz/media/catalog/product/cache/2/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/4/9/4951700_v1_01132011.jpg)
They essentially did this:
![](http://www.jeepfan.com/projects/BDSCastorBolts/Grinding.jpg)
![](http://www.jeepfan.com/projects/BDSCastorBolts/Hole-Slotted.jpg)
You will need either washers or something like the Teraflex pieces to weld over the holes to return to stock bolts:
![](http://www.teraflex.biz/media/catalog/product/cache/2/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/4/9/4951700_v1_01132011.jpg)
![](http://www.synergymfg.com/images/D/PPM-8014-D4-400.jpg)
#13
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While you are at it, I would also replace the ball joints because the stock ones will go bad real quick, especially with 38,000 miles and the 37's you want to install.
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Hmm, that's strange because I specifically asked the guy if they needed to modify the mounts at all and he said they were slotted from the factory. Now, I honestly just took his word for it but I guess, looking back on it, that it doesn't make sense. Crap.
With the ball joints, should I get them at any offset for better handling after adjusting for optimum pinion angle when the 37's go on? Or just get one of the upgraded ball joint kits that don't mess with that.
With the ball joints, should I get them at any offset for better handling after adjusting for optimum pinion angle when the 37's go on? Or just get one of the upgraded ball joint kits that don't mess with that.
#15
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Hmm, that's strange because I specifically asked the guy if they needed to modify the mounts at all and he said they were slotted from the factory. Now, I honestly just took his word for it but I guess, looking back on it, that it doesn't make sense. Crap. With the ball joints, should I get them at any offset for better handling after adjusting for optimum pinion angle when the 37's go on? Or just get one of the upgraded ball joint kits that don't mess with that.
He had to knock out the slots in holes like I show in the pics. I'd call that a modification. Maybe he didn't and doesn't know what he was doing.
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I fought DW to the point that I switched lifts from teraflex to OME and after running through everything in Planman's thread found that my cure to be a drag link flip. I later added the aev drop brackets as well mainly to make the ride a little better. At this point I have 75k on it running 35mtrk's on aev bead locks (very hard to balance) and stock ball joints with zero issues. Not saying this works for all but it did for me.
#17
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I fought DW to the point that I switched lifts from teraflex to OME and after running through everything in Planman's thread found that my cure to be a drag link flip. I later added the aev drop brackets as well mainly to make the ride a little better. At this point I have 75k on it running 35mtrk's on aev bead locks (very hard to balance) and stock ball joints with zero issues. Not saying this works for all but it did for me.
Btw, I have the OME springs and shocks...can't say enough about them...they are great!
Last edited by GoBig; 11-12-2013 at 06:06 PM.
#18
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I did run it w/o the stabilizer, mainly because the bilstein that was shipped with the DL flip liked to push the jeep over the yellow line. The road I live on is terrible so it's a good test. I will tell you that I gave no intentions of changing my set up for fear that I will anger the death wobble gods.