Changing tire size cause death wobble?
10-25-2012, 01:41 PM
#1
JK Newbie
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Changing tire size cause death wobble?
I have a 2009 auto jku with a 2.5" teraflex spring lift with shock adapters. Within the past week, I changed out my 33" tires back to stock for the winter. When I installed the lift originally, everything was tightened to spec after the jeep was dropped back down on the 33's.
Yesterday, driving 65mph, I hit a bump and got the dreaded death wobble. Drove again today at 45mph, hit a bump, and got the death wobble again. Not just a shake, but nearly knocked my teeth out.
Jeep is three hours away in Madison, WI. Going tomorrow to change tires back to the 33's.
Any ideas? Would putting the stock tires cause dw due to geometry when lift was first installed? Any help would be great. Thanks.
Yesterday, driving 65mph, I hit a bump and got the dreaded death wobble. Drove again today at 45mph, hit a bump, and got the death wobble again. Not just a shake, but nearly knocked my teeth out.
Jeep is three hours away in Madison, WI. Going tomorrow to change tires back to the 33's.
Any ideas? Would putting the stock tires cause dw due to geometry when lift was first installed? Any help would be great. Thanks.
10-25-2012, 02:40 PM
#3
DW at 65 must have been pretty damn scary. Tires wouldn't cause it. Sometimes an off balance tire would initiate it but you said the starting factor was a bump both times.
Once the movement starts it should be stopped by the solid components in your suspension. The wobble is a harmonic vibration of the front axle allowed to continue by a loose or worn part or parts. Most I've seen or heard of were from a loose bolt or ovaled hole on the track bar. Control arms can be another good place to look but anything that should stop your wheels from continuing to shake could do it. Weakened/bent tie rod, ball joints, steering box, etc. I would start with a torque wrench though paying particular attention to the track bar.
Part of the nightmare of DW is once it starts it will damage and loosen more parts so chasing it can be difficult.
Once the movement starts it should be stopped by the solid components in your suspension. The wobble is a harmonic vibration of the front axle allowed to continue by a loose or worn part or parts. Most I've seen or heard of were from a loose bolt or ovaled hole on the track bar. Control arms can be another good place to look but anything that should stop your wheels from continuing to shake could do it. Weakened/bent tie rod, ball joints, steering box, etc. I would start with a torque wrench though paying particular attention to the track bar.
Part of the nightmare of DW is once it starts it will damage and loosen more parts so chasing it can be difficult.
Last edited by keithvegas; 10-25-2012 at 02:42 PM.
10-25-2012, 02:42 PM
#4
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DW at 65 must have been pretty damn scary. Tires wouldn't cause it. Sometimes an off balance tire would initiate it but you said the starting factor was a bump both times.
Once the movement starts it should be stopped by the solid components in your suspension. The wobble is a harmonic vibration of the front axle allowed to continue by a loose or worn part or parts. Most I've seen or heard of were from a loose bolt or ovaled hole on the track bar. Control arms can be another good place to look but anything that should stop your wheels from continuing to shake could do it. Weakened/bent tie rod, ball joints, steering box, etc. I would start with a torque wrench though paying particular attention to the track bar.
Part of the nightmare of DW is once it starts it will damage and loosen more parts so chasing it can be difficult.
Once the movement starts it should be stopped by the solid components in your suspension. The wobble is a harmonic vibration of the front axle allowed to continue by a loose or worn part or parts. Most I've seen or heard of were from a loose bolt or ovaled hole on the track bar. Control arms can be another good place to look but anything that should stop your wheels from continuing to shake could do it. Weakened/bent tie rod, ball joints, steering box, etc. I would start with a torque wrench though paying particular attention to the track bar.
Part of the nightmare of DW is once it starts it will damage and loosen more parts so chasing it can be difficult.
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11-07-2019, 09:13 PM
#8
Cupping? Or bar wear? Bar wear is a sign of a bad shock absorber and a severely out of balance tire. You've all see it on a car or truck driving down the freeway, with a tire rapidly hopping up and down. This, combined with speed, a lift with soft springs, and a wee bit of body roll will cause the Electronic Stability Control to kick in, which I've found to be what 99.9 percent of mis-diagnosed "Death Wobble" actually is. Do a five way rotation and a balance every oil change and keep up on shock and steering stabilizer replacement.
11-08-2019, 04:47 AM
#9
JK Newbie
Yesterday, driving 65mph, I hit a bump and got the dreaded death wobble. Drove again today at 45mph, hit a bump, and got the death wobble again. Not just a shake, but nearly knocked my teeth out.
Jeep is three hours away in Madison, WI. Going tomorrow to change tires back to the 33's..
Jeep is three hours away in Madison, WI. Going tomorrow to change tires back to the 33's..
But no - tires shouldn't cause that symptom.
11-08-2019, 08:31 PM
#10
JK Junkie
2 replies to a seven year old problem where the OP hasn't posted anything since! No offense intended, but dang that's funny. 