I see that Stellantis is finally settling over the Jeep death wobble..

[5030]

About time actually and it's not only them but everyone who sells a live front axle truck or SUV. I had a CJ years ago and it was just downright dangerous on the highway. Never again. My F350 Ford Super Duty required 2 steering dampers to tame it. 2 Skyjackers on the tie rod.

I've read the issue is in how the steering box is mounted to the frame and how it gets loose over time.

Know a guy who broke his wrist when the steering wheel was wrenched from his hands when he hit a pot hole with his Rubicon. Now they get to pay damages.

 

[tacticalturnip]

I only recently learned of Death Wobble, having joined a Ford forum prior to purchasing my F350 in November. Fortunately I've not noticed any issues with my truck, but I figure down the line I'll probably replace my steering dampener with a Bilstein 5100.

It must be the nature of the SFA? From what I can tell, this has been an issue going back 50+ years.

 

[bcp]

I never had it on early Jeeps with narrow tires, but wider wheels and tires made it happen occasionally. Those Jeeps didn't have a track bar with parallel drag link as mentioned here.

https://www.spcalignment.com/TechArticles/Death%20Wobble%20Basics.pdf

"Vehicles particularly vulnerable typically have a solid front axle held in place with a track
bar, and a steering drag link roughly parallel to the track bar."

Bruce

 

[Oaktree]

I've seen the term mentioned on Jeep forums, but have never experienced it on any of the Jeeps I've owned.

 

[Username Taken]

I never had it on early Jeeps with narrow tires, but wider wheels and tires made it happen occasionally. Those Jeeps didn't have a track bar with parallel drag link as mentioned here.

https://www.spcalignment.com/TechArticles/Death%20Wobble%20Basics.pdf

"Vehicles particularly vulnerable typically have a solid front axle held in place with a track
bar, and a steering drag link roughly parallel to the track bar."

Bruce

Dodge Ram Death Wobble Explained

Death Wobble - an intense experience. Learn to identify and fix it to drive stress-free. #DeathWobble #SuspensionIssues #ThurenFabrication

www.thurenfabrication.com

Careful what tires you choose. BFG (I think) is one of the worst offenders. Good (GOOD) Bridgestone, Nitto, Toyo is known to be an excellent tire for straight-axle 4WD Trucks. Good, strong, stout sidewalls is what you want.

Think that's fun? I had an older Harley that would go into sooper-scary Death Wobble over a certain speed. Around 100MPH, I think. Tube tires...... Junk.

I have a Ram 2500 CTD so I keep an eye on things. No lift kits, no level kits, no changing to suspension geometry in any way and I try to buy good A/T Tires when it's time. No Mud tires for me. Been there, done that. Most of them are 'flotation' tires and they SUCK for death wobble

So far, so good, cruising at 85MPH all day, no problem. Even then, I get my front windows sucked out by a Honda doing 120. All the time.

 

[Dftodd]

Dodge Ram Death Wobble Explained

Death Wobble - an intense experience. Learn to identify and fix it to drive stress-free. #DeathWobble #SuspensionIssues #ThurenFabrication

www.thurenfabrication.com

Careful what tires you choose. BFG (I think) is one of the worst offenders. Good (GOOD) Bridgestone, Nitto, Toyo is known to be an excellent tire for straight-axle 4WD Trucks. Good, strong, stout sidewalls is what you want.

Think that's fun? I had an older Harley that would go into sooper-scary Death Wobble over a certain speed. Around 100MPH, I think. Tube tires...... Junk.

I have a Ram 2500 CTD so I keep an eye on things. No lift kits, no level kits, no changing to suspension geometry in any way and I try to buy good A/T Tires when it's time. No Mud tires for me. Been there, done that. Most of them are 'flotation' tires and they SUCK for death wobble

So far, so good, cruising at 85MPH all day, no problem. Even then, I get my front windows sucked out by a Honda doing 120. All the time.

My F550 diesel developed a death wobble. Replaced the steer tires and had the tire shop make sure and balance them really well.

Trucks nice and smooth down the road now.

 

[riptides]

Had a Dodge 2500 that ended up with a lawyer attached for Death Wobble. Spent a fair amount of money trying to fix it to no avail. Pretty odd phenomenon.

Good to see it being addressed.

 

[5030]

I have good results with the dual Skyjacker dampeners so far.

 

[ovrszd]

Death wobble is an indicator of some component not doing it's job. It's never always tires. It's never always steering stabilizer. It's never always alignment.

I've chased it several times. I've always found solution in a different place.

It should never be tolerated.

Keep trying until you find the cause.

Warning: what you think is the cause may be a bandaid.

 

[Rustyiron]

Let's hope these lawsuits don't lead to a pussified car front axle (ifs) like on gm "trucks".

 

[Boss 302]

Yup it's something that has been going on for years. Kind of scary when it happens.

 

[jyoutz]

I've seen the term mentioned on Jeep forums, but have never experienced it on any of the Jeeps I've owned.

Me too. And I have owned and driven four Jeeps for a total of almost 900k miles.

 

[square1]

3 solid front axle jeeps & never felt it
F-250 had me trying to squeeze the gas tank between my knees (old motorcycle technique ) every so often!

 

[Tomtint]

Funny that i see this about Jeep...I have had a number of them in my life..Probably 15 of them or so. I have a near mint 85 CJ renegade, And also a 2022 - 392 that my wife drives. I liked the 392 so much, that i ordered another one for myself and it came in yesterday...And it was clearly painted in 2 different locations before assembly as the top is 5 shades darker than the rest of the truck.. I ordered this from a dealer 1K miles away and signed all the paperwork and paid for it prior to even ever seeing it.. So I'm basically screwed..I ended up just selling it yesterday afternoon to a local dealer, ..I just knew the mis match was going to drive me nuts and i didn't want to deal with a re spray... But back to the OP..fortunately none of our jeeps have ever had the death wobble issue ..maybe just lucky.

 

[5030]

Let's hope these lawsuits don't lead to a pussified car front axle (ifs) like on gm "trucks".

They do ride better.

 

[Rustyiron]

They do ride better.

Because their built like a car.

 

[5030]

Not exactly. Unlike a car they do have a ladder frame and a transfer case (least my wife's Burb does) and a big V8 gas guzzler too. My 350 rides like a lumber wagon compared to the Burb and if you ever get death wobble, you'll know it instantly. Don't much care for the cylinder cutout on the GM's so I eliminated that. Bad design.

Wonder how much Stellantis will be on the hook for? Probably a wad.

 

[blee03]

I've had 5 dodge ram trucks, (1) 1995 1500, (3) 2500's and (1) 3500
I've definitely experienced death wobble way more than I would like, lol.

My current 2012 2500 had death wobble the day I bought it while I was test driving it with the guy, lol. I felt the steering wheel/truck start going nuts after hitting a bump on the on-ramp to the freeway. I hit the brakes and it settled down, looked over at the guy like WTH? and he was like "what?" Like he didn't notice the truck going nuts and bouncing all over. lol

The fix for this one was remove the cheap spacer lift kit, remove the 37" BFG's (on 17" stock wheels, too much soft sidewall) and get a proper alignment. The alignment specs are critical, my truck is solid now at any speed.

The specs I used from Thuren:

Anyone with a 1994-Current Ram, all alignment specs here: www.thurenfabrication.com

 

[oosik]

I've had my 2018 Ram 2500 Power Wagon for five years now - 30K miles. Experienced no death wobble. Man 'O man - my 2005 Jeep TJ could sure get a death wobble. Quickest cure - jam on the brakes. I traded it in before I got involved in any type of permanent cure.

 

[JethroB]

My Jeep has a terrible case of Death Wobble. It kicks in at about 35 mph or when I hit a pothole just right. But given its a 1954 (69 years old) I cut it some slack. See if you can count the wear points that can contribute to the shakes. I get nine.

The ’75 MF 135 does it too.