death wabble on stock TJ

[SPR]

Reports of TJs developing a death wobble are popping up on the web. My
little sister is now experiencing the death wobble on her 2004 stock TJ with 50K miles on it.

The story is the same...45 to 50 mph, hit a small bump in the road, and the death wobble appears.

What I could gather from the various forums is that the TJ's suspension and steering components must maintain tight specifications in order operate as designed. While all of her components looked good (special attention to the Tie Rod Ends), they must have enough accumulative slop to induce the death wobble. I read that increasing the caster slightly beyond factory specs. eliminated the occurrence of death wobble. Interestingly, she put a grocery-getter with about 50lbs on the back of the TJ (squatting the back about 1") and we could not get the death wobble to appear.

So my question is...Have any of you TJ owners had to deal with this problem and found a solution? Does increasing the caster a few degrees cause any other problems?

[OldGreen]

The lower mount on the track bar gets egged out or the bolt comes loose most often. Make sure it is torqued to spec.

[Lud]

I've been fighting some form of death wobble for the last few years at 40-45 mph only after lifting it. Never heard about it happening to a stock TJ.

You could try rotating the tires as an unbalanced wheel could cause it. Definitely make sure the track bar is tightened up.

Iv'e actually heard that if everything else if perfect, you could have a real loose trackbar and you wouldn't get death wobble at all.

Never tried increasing the castor though. I might try that if I knew how haha.

[OldGreen]

There is an alignment cam on the lower control arm or if your lift has adjustable LCA's