Another Death wobble experience...question...

[Paul-JK]

Originally Posted by Wallyd

Who in Sydneyy can I take my car to to look at the front end for me, I got a bloody dw today!!! I was recommended to go to Macquarie 4x4, but their phone was engaged all day today??? I'm guessing they may be still on holidays??

Macquarie 4x4 certainly have a good reputation. I've spoken to Angus before who also runs a JK so he probably as good a person to speak to as any there.

[037981]

[QUOTE=SeaComms;1251743]Incorrect caster wont cause the damper to fail, however, low caster will often cause a 'caster wobble'. Much like the dreaded death wobble in feeling, but not as severe and mine came in around 110 after bumps on the road and stopped again after dropping to around 80. Death wobble wont end til you stop.

[037981]

[quote=SeaComms;1251743]Incorrect caster wont cause the damper to fail, however, low caster will often cause a 'caster wobble'. Much like the dreaded death wobble in feeling, but not as severe and mine came in around 110 after bumps on the road and stopped again after dropping to around 80. Death wobble wont end til you stop.
A few good episodes will really give the steering damper a workout, but again nothing it shouldnt be able to handle. Think how hard your shocks work every day over bumps in the road, and they last for years![/QUOTE

it seems that it only happens when the steering wheel is turned and going over bumps over 60 it doesn't stop into i slowdown to 40.

Originally Posted by Yom

My personal opinions.

No.
A failed steering dampener alone won't cause the problem but it certainly will help contribute to it. I believe the JK's dampener is there to keep the vehicle safe as normal wear and tear occurs in the steering. If it did nothing Chrysler wouldn't have felt the need to announce an emergency safety recall for the vehicles in 2010 to have the dampeners replaced with an upgraded unit.

Caster isn't a precision measurement, readings can be upset significantly by the machine operator. I think if you're near 5 degrees (preferably slightly below) you'll be OK. I know of a JK which has had long travel (+3") shocks fitted pretty much its whole life but with NO caster correction and its Rzeppa boot is just fine (the boot around the slip joint was torn off though). So I think the key is for durability is to keep the vehicle around the specifications it was originally assembled with.

yes I'm aware of this now it must just be caster wobble and having a stuffed dampener that is lost its oil and isn't masking the problem anymore also is steering shimmy a side-effect of incorrect caster

[Yom]

If it is 3.5 degrees as suggested it is unlikely to be the sole cause. I'm driving on less than that right now and its not wobbling off the road.

[037981]

Originally Posted by Yom

If it is 3.5 degrees as suggested it is unlikely to be the sole cause. I'm driving on less than that right now and its not wobbling off the road.

ship what do I do now obviously something is not Right but finding it is the annoying thing I am still going to get the caster changed to 5 but who knows if this will fix it

[double black offroad]

Mitchell, they never aligned the car and all your doing is estimating. An alignment alone with your setup will cost in the vicinity of $110 to $160. There is half days work on this alone. You paid $800 for the entire kit to be installed. There is 3 days work in doing that alone. That is how long it takes us. You do the math and wonder what's wrong.don't blame the kit.

[Wallyd]

Bill, when I took mine to get aligned, the castor read 5.53 and 5.55.... They only needed to do the toe and they put that at 0. They didn't need to touch the control arms at all. I still get wobbles running the Dobinson's on skyjackers, or rancho's set to 9!! The ball joints don't seem to have any movement, nor do the tie rod ends...