F1Addict

I've been here a while and I've probably read every thread on Death Wobble on the forum. All of them talk about track bars and bushings and alignment and tire/wheel balancing while being fairly dismissive of anyone asking about their steering stabilizer. So my question is this, can Death Wobble be caused by a bad stabilizer?

For the last couple months I've avoided driving on the freeway because any time I reached speeds over 50 MPH my '89 XJ would get the shakes if I hit an expansion joint or pothole in the freeway. If it was a smooth road I could cruise along at 80 with no problem but if I hit a bump it would start the wobbles. I noticed hydraulic fluid leaking out of the stabilizer (which appeared to be original) and when I unloaded the suspension it was pretty loose. I replaced it today and discovered that the bushings were pretty much shot on the old one. After replacing the stabilizer I drove the same freeway I'd had problems on before. Just getting to the freeway I could feel a difference. Slightly firmer steering and no odd feelings through the steering column. I had no wobbles on the freeway. Nothing. I intentionally aimed for bad spots, drove over reflectors at 70 and it didn't even try to wobble.

Could the problem have been my stabilizer?

RescueGreenXJ

Mine was bad. Replaced it, and much nicer.

tjwalker

From my experience, death wobble is generally not "caused" by a faulty steering stabilizer. Some guys don't even run with them. I have actually temporarily removed the stabilizer to try to help isolate the true cause of death wobble on an XJ.

But a new stabilizer can certainly help "mask" and control vibrations so that the death wobble event doesn't get a chance to start.

So it can APPEAR that a new stabilizer cured the death wobble. But there is almost assuredly still a worn component on the front end that has excessive play in it somewhere.

On my 99, a new stabilizer stopped death wobble from happening for a while, but the wobble resurfaced and I dug in and found the true root cause of mine was a track bar with only a hint of play in it.

Stabilizers are great for compensating for somewhat worn components, which probably 99.4% of us have! I use the oversize piston Rancho unit. The OEM stabilizer is kind of a wimp.

caged

true, but if you feel better with a new stabilizer, then that should keep you going for a while.
when we bought our first tj, it had some slight wobbles, they put new tires and a new steering stabilizer on and it's been fine since.

i just removed my stabilizer a couple months ago and mine runs great down the highway with my smaller 33's, but once i put my 36 inch bias ply iroks on beadlocks, i get the death wobbles. so i will keep my 33's on till i replace my 36's.

there are many contributions to the death wobble, it could be a mystery just to find out what the culprit actually is.
so if your stabilizer calms your wobble, go with it.

tjwalker

I agree that a stabilizer should be used. And a big one at that!

Only saying that in my humble opinion, using the "cure" word can be misleading with a stabilizer and death wobble. "Control" may be a more appropriate term here.....