Wobble diagnostics
06-24-2016, 08:38 AM
#11
JK Junkie
Heims joint can be expensive, and are not weak. They are used in ultra 4 cars regularly with no deflection. They can be noisy when they go bad but you then know. I have heims on literally every joint on my car. If i were to do it again id debate rebuild-able heims. I will say there not ideal in salty areas. They dont absorb bumps and such a such due to them being so stiff and not giving. Every bushing style i have ran failed much quicker than a heim. Even some johnny joints...
Should have specified, that in the axle tb location, I believe a heim is inadequate for the size it's allowed.
When you're able to run a larger joint in a hydro setup on a one ton axle, or maybe control arms, the size difference is obvious. Will definitely be going down that road here and will probably have heims on my steering, but they're going to be big and expensive.
Having experienced death wobble and shimmies unrelated on my Jk for about 6 months, it was the worst. My fix just happened to be simple
06-24-2016, 05:14 PM
#12
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There doesn't seem to be any side to side play, but there is a little bit of vertical play when I compress it with the channel locks. About 1 mm or so. I haven't tried pulling it off yet though.
06-24-2016, 05:21 PM
#13
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Ok so I have a couple of questions.
First - does the wobble come and how with speed changes? There is a difference between bump steer and DW. When my stock steering stabilizer finally gave up the would feel every little bump in the road rand would feel it in the steering wheel.
Second - have you recently been off-road or in the mud? I ask because you could have thrown a wheel weight or have some mud caked on the inside of the wheels.
Third - I had the RK affront track bar and the axle heim joint had the slightest play and it was caused my case of DW. I hit a change in pavement height and had a case of DW as bad that I had to stop Andy regroup and eventually change my shorts. If you are in doubt about the RK heim change it. That is one less thing towery about.
9 times out of 10 DW is caused by the front track bar.
Good luck
R/
Will
First - does the wobble come and how with speed changes? There is a difference between bump steer and DW. When my stock steering stabilizer finally gave up the would feel every little bump in the road rand would feel it in the steering wheel.
Second - have you recently been off-road or in the mud? I ask because you could have thrown a wheel weight or have some mud caked on the inside of the wheels.
Third - I had the RK affront track bar and the axle heim joint had the slightest play and it was caused my case of DW. I hit a change in pavement height and had a case of DW as bad that I had to stop Andy regroup and eventually change my shorts. If you are in doubt about the RK heim change it. That is one less thing towery about.
9 times out of 10 DW is caused by the front track bar.
Good luck
R/
Will
Haven't been offroading yet this spring (sadly). I've been stuck renovating a bathroom (very slowly). I was hesitant to go offroading until I got this front end issue resolved (and a seperate noise that I think is coming from my front driveshaft, lol). At 90,000 miles stuff's starting to go ...
Thanks for the feedback. I"m going to reattach the trackbar and give it another go round.
06-24-2016, 05:33 PM
#14
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Make sure that bolt is a 9/16" as well.
Putting the slightly larger bolt was the difference for me. Had wobbles about 40 mph and was consistent. Removed both bolts and replaced, not an issue since, been awhile too.
Also, maybe just me being full of hate, but heim joints suck. They are noisy, cheap, and usually on the axle end which is taking a good amount of deflection and force. My first track bar had the same problem. You could watch the joint move on the bolt.
Putting the slightly larger bolt was the difference for me. Had wobbles about 40 mph and was consistent. Removed both bolts and replaced, not an issue since, been awhile too.
Also, maybe just me being full of hate, but heim joints suck. They are noisy, cheap, and usually on the axle end which is taking a good amount of deflection and force. My first track bar had the same problem. You could watch the joint move on the bolt.
06-25-2016, 12:02 AM
#15
Super Moderator
Check you steering stabilizer for evidence of oil or leaking. Sounds to me like you have a case of bump steer which can be fixed with a drag link flip or new stabilizer.
