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tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
What I stll do not understand is why does it shake sometimes and not others? Why is it difficult for mechanics to locate this issue? He looked at the trac bar today and did not see any sign of damage.
Cheers
most of the prob can be traced back to battery volts not stable jeeps like stable voltage
Find yourself an experienced mechanic they are well worth the money....
cheers
lemonce in the matter would be greatly appreciated Marce
:lemon:
Thanks
1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
5.2L V8
4 Wheel all wheel drive, i can't take it out of 4 wheel it is the one that just has 4 HI and 4 Lo
if it didn't shake before changeing shalfs aut not do it now
The axle housing is drilled too large from the factory but the bolt is too small to fit properly. The stock bolt fits into the factory track bar busining sleeve perfectly but not into the axle housing. They tighten the bolt so tight that it doesn't show up right away. Once the bolt starts to loosen there is a little play in the axle end and you start to notice the shimmy, which wears out the other end of the track bar and once that happens the death wobble starts. The problem with replacing the track bar is that the bolt housing is wrong and the replacement rack bar doesn't fit to the original bolt like the original track bar does so you cant replicate oem tightness by overtightening the bolt. Once I figured this out the fix took me 15 minutes to fix. I know this message is long and complicated, if you don't understand it don't try to explain it to your mechaninc, print out this message and let him read it. Chrystler really messed this one up and they can't even tell people how to fix it. I have done a lot of research on this and found nothing except that a lot of people are spending a lot of money to fix this problem when it is so simple. I am a backyard mechanic and have never been employed as a mechanic, kinda scary to think that I solved the problem that mechanics and engineers cant seem to figure out. I hope that I have made your headache less than mine. Feel free to contact me with any questions.
It's caused by the large amount of caster specified for this vehicle. This makes the vehicle sensitive to any worn parts. It isn't always the steering damper, but those certainly help.
So look for worn front end parts.
First of all, thanks for solving my problem. I had replaced the stabilizer, the track bar and the inner tie rod end without success. My problem was the enlarged axle mounting hole at the fixed end of the track bar as described here by dsmith2370. However, the bolt used here was a grade 10.9. If you replaced it with a home depot ungraded 7/16 fastener, you may be dead by now. RIP -Gary
My mechanic recommends: steering dampener (leaking), and Frontend Lateral Bar replacment. Is the Track Bar, that many here have described, the same as the Frontend Lateral Bar? I've got Chilton's out and it differentiates between Track Bar and Stabilizer Bar and Tie Rod (no Frontend Lateral Bar). I suppose I could ask my mechanic, but I'm on this site right now and would like your opinions.
And thanks to all of you for helping me understand what this problem most likely is before I spent a fortune trying to figure it out. I was simply searching the web to find out what the ramifications of a malfunctioning steering dampener were and that led me to you.
I own a '03 JGC and when I turn the steering wheel you can feel some tension on the wheel, but only on the left driver side and I can hear it. Is this what you heard?
Thanks,
Tom.
I wish I was lucky enough to have the problem solved, but I'm going to have to keep serching
Yes, this is consistent with the problem and resolution described here. Read message 60 and try the test described in message 70. -Gary
The so-called death wobble usually only occurs above a certain speed (or within a speed range) but otherwise the symptoms you describe fit. It's a well-known problem and I would have it looked into right away by a good mechanic.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
I am getting really bad spring wrap when I come to a stop. and them release my brakes.
Is this a common problem?
How do I stop it?
It is really annoying!!!!!!!!!
My 'death shake' was cured by replacing the steering stablizer (thing that looks like a shock absorber attatched to the steering). The rubber mount at the one end was worn, and I could easily shake it back & forth by hand. Even when I replaced it, I noticed the one mounting bolt was a bit worn.
So, my recomendation, for what it's worth, is to get some replacement bolts (of proper grade steel) and change the mounting bolts for the stablizer bar & steering stablizer. At the same time, check for worn rubber mounts.
This may or may not cure it, but it sure is the least expensive thing to try, and, again, after reading the other postings here, it seems to be the cure for many of the problems.
Also, make sure you check the recommendations in here ( I believe it's posting #60 ) about how to check for a loose stablizer bar.
Good luck!
Mine was solved for a few years by swapping out the trac bar. Then it came back, and it has been there for four years now, with absolutely no other issues other than an annoying vibration between 50-57 miles per hour, so I just ignore it now.
Its a Jeep thing, and I have 2inches of lift on that model, and removed my limiters front and rear too fix it, no avail, just scary if I hit the brakes in a corner while trailering.....
Randy
rc
Keep the rubber side pointed down, or at least sideways.
Secondly, why are you driving a Jeep, of all the vehicles out there, find one that is built for the road man. You don't seem like the off road type, so sell it already. It will give you many headaches, as it already has. I love Jeeps, especially XJ's and its hard to watch someone bashing them when mine has treated me extremely well considering how many trail miles I throw it quite regularly on almost no maintenance.
Another thing, axle u joints, axle shaft defectiveness, steering arms slightly warped, front bearing having a slight warp will go unnoticed until highways speeds. If its that, it will continue to have those vibrations at several speeds you just aren't noticing them because they are not as noticeable.
Mine was solved for a few years by swapping out the trac bar. Then it came back, and it has been there for four years now, with absolutely no other issues other than an annoying vibration between 50-57 miles per hour, so I just ignore it now. My register is now over 330,000, so .... The major portion of that is not highway either...
Its a Jeep thing, and I have 2inches of lift on that model, and removed my limiters front and rear too fix it, no avail, just scary if I hit the brakes in a corner while trailering.....
Randy
rc
Keep the rubber side pointed down, or at least sideways.