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My 97 ZJ

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Discussion starter · #21 ·
Went to the mountains and parked it here while I rode out to scope our next desert trip...

Found some pretty awesome looking trails and looked at a chunk of property my fiance's parents are looking at buying...


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Discussion starter · #22 ·
Death Wobble

Well, I have been driving with my lift for about a week now, and all the sudden driving on the freeway I got the DW, scared the crud outta me!!!

Gonna go under and make sure everything is tight!!!
 
#23 ·
The dreaded DW. Check for movement in your track bar mounts, control arms, tie rods...There are so many different causes for this...
 
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#24 ·
Double Post
 
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Discussion starter · #25 ·
My Tie Rod & Drag Link, I can grap them with channel Locks and they move fairly easily. Is that supposed to happen, or is something wrong?

I went out and tightened everything, its only happened once, but I would prefer it to never happen again.

I will see if it happens at the same spot on my way to work today...
 
#26 ·
I just got DW for the first time this past week too. Everything is new, new track bar, new tie rods, new tie rod ends, drag link, new Steering stabilizer. Cant figure it out. Smooth roads are no problem,but if it its the right bump, it puts that extra energy into the tires and gets them to wobble.
I decided to roll down the window and look at what the tires were doing one time.... WHOA, if you think it feels scarry... I dont recommend looking at the tires with DW, You might soil yourself. :oops:
 
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#27 ·
cuserunnah said:
I just got DW for the first time this past week too. Everything is new, new track bar, new tie rods, new tie rod ends, drag link, new Steering stabilizer. Cant figure it out. Smooth roads are no problem,but if it its the right bump, it puts that extra energy into the tires and gets them to wobble.
I decided to roll down the window and look at what the tires were doing one time.... WHOA, if you think it feels scarry... I dont recommend looking at the tires with DW, You might soil yourself. :oops:
Click to expand...
Yeah i know aht you mean, i looked at mine one time when i had the doors off i thought i was going to #2 myself
 
#28 ·
tharlanjr said:
My Tie Rod & Drag Link, I can grap them with channel Locks and they move fairly easily. Is that supposed to happen, or is something wrong?

I went out and tightened everything, its only happened once, but I would prefer it to never happen again.

I will see if it happens at the same spot on my way to work today...
Click to expand...
It doesn't sound like that is a problem. They are made to and should rotate. There shouldn't be an slop in them. The easiest way to check steering parts is to park next to a curb with the engine running, and have someone move the tire into the curb by turning the wheel. This puts a lot of pressure on the tie rods and track bar, and will show slop. As the tire is moved against the curb and back off, look for movement at every joint. Then turn the Jeep around and do it with the other front tire.

I check control arm bushings by having the person in the drivers seat shift from Drive to Reverse with their foot on the brake. The arms should move, and reveal loose or worn bushings. Do all of this with someone you trust, and keep away from moving parts like the cooling fan and engine belts...
 
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#30 ·
With two of you there, move the steering wheel and look for worn parts that have movement in them. Best of luck, having DW sucks.
 
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#32 ·
You can find energy suspension bushings kits on ebay for front and rear.
 
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#33 ·
The only time I purchased energy suspensions, I kept getting the wrong bushings (three times.) That was for my the XJ my mom was driving. The third time, I may have had all of the correct parts. I just installed the lowers and left the uppers alone. I was too frustrated to deal with it anymore. It may have been the distributer I was using...MEPCO

The reason that I say I may have had all the correct parts is that with Energy Suspensions, I believe you have to burn the rubber out of the factory metal sleeve and insert the new busing into that...Someone correct me if I am wrong.

When I replaced mine on the ZJ, I just bought replacements from the local auto store. I think the uppers were just over $6 a piece. When I eventually had to change out my lower busings, those were expensive because I had to order them from Pro-Comp to fit my LCA's.
 
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#35 ·
I thought you were talking about your CA bushings because tie rods and drag links don't have busings. Did you check your upper CA bushings...or did you replace the upper arms with the RE install as well?

Tie Rods don't have bushings, but they do have dust shields. You can replace the dust shields if yours are torn. But if the tie rods have slack in them, and are causing your DW, you must buy new tie rods. The new ones will come with new dust boots.
 
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Discussion starter · #36 ·
I have play in my steering, so I think its shot. I know the bushings on my steering stabalizer are done. I just gotta tinker with it.

On a good note, I was driving my mom around doing some shopping and drove by a little construction site. They are building a freeway so its just all dirt, and an onramp of just dirt. Well since we have had a lot of rain naturally it turned to mud.

I was driving by and saw a wrangler that was lifted and had like 35's looking at it, then turned away to head towards the main road, so I told my mom to hold on and jumped the curb. The mud was almost to my doors. A few times I almost got stuck, but I am fairly good at not getting stuck so I didnt, lol.

We did rounds for like 5 min, then left. I went down the block then turned down a back street to get some pics, right as I got outta view a cop drove by and went to where we were, lol.

Here are some pics...

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#37 ·
mmmmmmmm mud :mrgreen:
 
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#38 ·
how'd you get lights onto your roof rails?
 
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#40 ·
tharlanjr said:
I have play in my steering, so I think its shot. I know the bushings on my steering stabalizer are done. I just gotta tinker with it.
Click to expand...
When you say you have play in your steering, does it just feel that way or have you had someone move your steering while you were under it to verify that there is a problem? What did you spot visually? I just buy parts like this from the local parts store or stealership. The stealership actually had tie rods for the WJ for cheaper that the other stores. I just replaced them last week. If you are looking for some Heavy Duty ones, there are links on here somewhere...
 
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GreenZJ
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