My Jeeps name is Rita and she has a 4 inch lift with 35 inch tires.
SOURCE: MY HP C5580 HAS A
This is not a user repairable item. You will have to refer repair to a service centre.
It
starts out as a slight shimmy from side to side that you can just
barely feel in the steering wheel at about 25 mph. As the side-to-side
action gains momentum it practically rips the wheel out of your hands.
It feels and sounds as though the front axle is going to get tossed out
from under your Jeep at any moment. Looking out the window at the
frontend reveals the tires dancing back and forth like a couple of
cancan girls. Other motorists scatter at the sight of your
out-of-control Jeep. Speeding up to around 50 mph or bringing your Jeep
to a complete stop is usually the only way to stop the shaking. But not
for good.
To permanently eliminate the death wobble and avoid other handling problems, here are a few tips; this work in Jeep models:
- The
most common culprit of wobble and erratic handling is worn-out
components. Tie rod ends and ball joints should have dust boots intact.
Grease the joints periodically if they have fittings.
- You
can check for slop in your steering by jacking up the front of your
Jeep and grasping a tire at the nine and three o'clock positions. Wiggle
it front to back. Slop will be noticeable. It helps to have a buddy
watch the tie rod ends for looseness.
- Loose
or worn wheel bearings can also cause poor handling. They can be
checked by grasping the wheel at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions. If
there is any movement, the bearings should be repacked or replaced in
the case of later-model Jeeps with unit bearings.
- Here's
a common problem on CJs and YJs with spring-overs. The drag link on
this Jeep has been bent to clear the spring and a drop pitman arm has
been installed in an attempt to correct for the lift. This won't cause
the frightening wobble, but bumpsteer will result. The drag link should
be close to parallel to the tie rod and axlehousing.
- TJs
are notorious for bent steering linkages. They come from the factory
with a bend for clearance around the axle (arrow). It's often hard to
tell if it has been bent more after a rough trail. Always inspect your
steering linkages for impacts and bends after a trail ride.
- Loose U-bolts will wreak havoc on your Jeep's handling. Keep 'em tight and check them frequently after installing a lift kit.
- Rubber
bushings may flex better than urethane but rubber will rot and fall
apart. Inspect control arm, leaf spring, and shackle bushings. They
locate the axles, so any slop will affect handling.
- The
'76-'86 CJs have a slop-prone steering shaft. The slop will cause the
Jeep to wander all over the road causing the driver to saw the steering
wheel back and forth to go straight. The shaft can be upgraded with a
U-joint-style unit.
- If
you install longer shackles on your leaf-sprung Jeep you will probably
need shims like these on the front axle to correct the caster.
Shackle-reversal kits often provide increased caster, which improves
high-speed control.
Hope helps.
46 views
Usually answered in minutes!
×