help me with this wobble
#1
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: W-PA
Posts: 3,883
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes
on
4 Posts
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
help me with this wobble
I have this wobble that appears at 43 mph and continues till 50. The steering wheel starts shaking back and forth (lightly). When i look out the window at the front tire, i can see it wobbling left and right (lightly). I just had these trxus tires mounted and balanced (3 times) on soft-8's. According to the 3rd shop to balance them, they were balanced to ZERO, which is perfect. Two of the wheels have over 10 oz of weight but he said they run true on the machine. I drove it on the highway and confirmed the front tire was wobbling so i pulled over, swap front and rear tires and went again. The same wobble at the exact same speed occurred. Again i got out and swapped the front tires left to right and the same wobble happened. it doesn't happen over bumps or anything. It starts up at exactly 43 and fades at 50.
What do you guys think is causing this? I just installed a new tie rod and aligned it to 1/8" toe in. New shocks and springs are on it. Bearings are tight. My rotors are warped though cuz when i stop it shakes. Could rotors cause such a wobble when accelerating at that speed?
I'm stumped...
What do you guys think is causing this? I just installed a new tie rod and aligned it to 1/8" toe in. New shocks and springs are on it. Bearings are tight. My rotors are warped though cuz when i stop it shakes. Could rotors cause such a wobble when accelerating at that speed?
I'm stumped...
#2
Seasoned Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Reed City, Michigan
Posts: 496
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
my 01 did that with my 3 inch rough country lift with stock tires. I never fixed it until i put my 4.5 rustys in. I put the adjustable track bar on the 3 inch and it still did it. But i say go get a good alignment done, not by some idiot that does what the computer tells him either because they dont give you specs on something lifted, just my .02
#3
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: W-PA
Posts: 3,883
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes
on
4 Posts
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
my 01 did that with my 3 inch rough country lift with stock tires. I never fixed it until i put my 4.5 rustys in. I put the adjustable track bar on the 3 inch and it still did it. But i say go get a good alignment done, not by some idiot that does what the computer tells him either because they dont give you specs on something lifted, just my .02
I did the alignment myself and it's dead-on 1/8" toe in (been doing it for years). I do have a 2.5" old man emu lift on it. What would an alignment shop do differently than me?
#7
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: W-PA
Posts: 3,883
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes
on
4 Posts
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Tie rod tube and tie rod ends are brand new. Drag link and pitman arm tie rod still factory but no visual play in them. There's a slight click or clunk when i put my hand on the drag link (or pitman arm) and my gf turns the wheel. It's very faint but there.
I haven't checked the ball joints but i did put my hi jack handle under the tire and push up while i looked at the joints and nothing movied. I couldn't push as hard as i could cuz i had to stay in that position to look. I've been suspecting the ball joints cuz bumps and cracks in the road are a little rough than what i'm used to in my TJ. But it's a uni-body and has more road noise transfer than a body on frame.
I got a pull to the right that i can't figure out either. The roads here have a lean for water to flow off but my pull requires having the steering wheel tilted about 10 degrees to keep it straight. Could be just the roads.....
I haven't checked the ball joints but i did put my hi jack handle under the tire and push up while i looked at the joints and nothing movied. I couldn't push as hard as i could cuz i had to stay in that position to look. I've been suspecting the ball joints cuz bumps and cracks in the road are a little rough than what i'm used to in my TJ. But it's a uni-body and has more road noise transfer than a body on frame.
I got a pull to the right that i can't figure out either. The roads here have a lean for water to flow off but my pull requires having the steering wheel tilted about 10 degrees to keep it straight. Could be just the roads.....
Trending Topics
#8
Registered User
I would go take it in for an alignment. Your steering wheel just needs to be adjusted because it is probably not adjusted properly at the draglink for the wheel to be straight. You would be amazed as to what the alignment shop can do with their machines.
If you do take it to them and you still have the wobble then you can definitely rule that one out. If that fails I would move onto the ball joints.
If you do take it to them and you still have the wobble then you can definitely rule that one out. If that fails I would move onto the ball joints.
#9
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: W-PA
Posts: 3,883
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes
on
4 Posts
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I would go take it in for an alignment. Your steering wheel just needs to be adjusted because it is probably not adjusted properly at the draglink for the wheel to be straight. You would be amazed as to what the alignment shop can do with their machines.
If you do take it to them and you still have the wobble then you can definitely rule that one out. If that fails I would move onto the ball joints.
If you do take it to them and you still have the wobble then you can definitely rule that one out. If that fails I would move onto the ball joints.
#11
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Osceola, In.
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Sounds like you need a good steering shock. Bigger tires and lifts require stronger/stiffer steering shocks. There is even a factory TSB for TJ's with precisely the same malady.
#13
Registered User
Just a FYI but the steering stabilizer only hides steering flaws it doesn't correct them. A perfect steering setup doesn't need one.
#14
Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 153
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1987
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
any time you get on a road with a crown in it it will pull in the down hill direction. I have the truxus tires (33 12.50s) as well with a RC 4.5" and it seems to do the same thing between 40 and 50 mph. I don't think its the tires because I had them on my dodge pickup for 30k before I sold it and never had any problems with them
#15
CF Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Elizabeth WV
Posts: 1,665
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes
on
7 Posts
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Mine's doing the same thing, and about the same speed. Drove perfect with the stock wheels and 31's. I've had the 33's balanced twice and still shimmies between 42 and 48 then it's gone.