Death wobble on a JL

[Oakton Bubba]

I have a friend that has the classic death wobble on a 21 JL Wrangler. I know I fixed my JK with a much stronger aftermarket Tie Rod, is it the same issue usually with a newer JL version? I was going to help replace the Tie Rod and a steering stabilizer.

 

[sdhogrider]

So many causes...but you are in luck. Search this forum and you will find a very detailed set of observations from some experienced jeepers.

'Some Thoughts on Modifications Part 2'​

 

[JustOnlyME]

Did the 2021s still have the weaker steering box?

 

[BullRun4x4]

99% of the time it’s the crappy Dana Spicer ball joints or that that factory didn’t torque the track bar tight enough at the axle side and the hole for the track bar bolt on the bracket side becomes egg shaped from too much lateral movement. We’ve seen it countless times at our shop. Run through all of the usual suspect issues like worn rod ends, loose track bar bolts, worn out track bar bolt holes, worn out ball joints, too much or too little toe in the alignment and check tire balance as well. The JLs are way more sensitive to out of balance tires with their less than stellar ball joint design in the newer Jeeps.

If you can’t pinpoint it, we offer a death wobble diag service at the shop. Happy to look at it.

 

[R3]

I have a friend that has the classic death wobble on a 21 JL Wrangler. I know I fixed my JK with a much stronger aftermarket Tie Rod, is it the same issue usually with a newer JL version? I was going to help replace the Tie Rod and a steering stabilizer.

DW is caused by loose stuff much the same way on the JK. Components are thin (Tie rod, drag link, track bar) Joints are crap (Ball Joints, Rod ends) and uni bearings tend to have slop in them. Alignment could be an issue. Some, none or all of the above could be a problem.

Good way to start is jack the rig. Check for play in the uni-bearings.
-Check for uneven tire wear. Yes that will cause all sort of DW issues.
-Next up Check for play in the steering. With the Brakes on move the steering wheel back and forth ( No Power), observe what is moving. You will see movement in joints,, you can see movement in tie rod, and drag link ( Bending), Check for play in the track bar as well as bending.
-Steering box.... Factory box is crap. there is a dead zone at center. Mine had 3 inches of play that could not be adjusted out. Some brain at Jeep red lock-tighted the adjustment nut from the factory some most do not adjust. this combined with play elsewhere in the steering system can cause DW.
-Control arms and control arm bushings. Are they aftermarket? Are they adjustable? Check Jam nuts for tight, check bushings for play.
- A bad alignment is also a culprit. Caster is a main issue. Factory it is set at 5- 5.5. This makes the rig very easy to maneuver. Consider adding 1-1.5 degrees to help with tracking and ultimately mitigate Death Wobble issues. The sweet spot for lifted rig seems to be around 6.5 to 8 degrees. On my Built Red Jeep I ran 9.9 degrees on 40s and a 5 inch lift.