Did you ever swap the front and back tires?
Installed wheel spacers => Death wobble??
- Thread starter Jason4x4
- Start date
Quick question that doesn't deserve it's own thread: I bought a Skyjacker steering stabilizer (p/n 7009) that arrived today, but it didn't come with any instructions. Am I supposed to reuse the stock hardware or use the new hardware that came with the kit? Right now I'm using the new hardware that came with the kit and it seems to be fine but I just wanted to double check. There's no instructions for this particular p/n on Skyjacker's website. Just wondered if anybody knew the answer.
You sound just like me! I have a 05 Unlimited with a 4 inch lift. I was running BFG MT 33x10.5. I began to have the death wobble after about 30,000 miles. So I began by installing an adjustable front track bar, nothing happened. I then switched my Pro-Comp 3000 shocks to MX-6 shocks, slight improvement. After going to about 3 different shops, no one could explain my problem. Finally one friend rotated the tires and it minimized the problem. As of two weeks ago, I am running 33x12.5 Goodyear Duratrack's with after-market wheels that have a larger backspace. I have lost the wobble. No more MT for me on my daily Driver.
Bounty__Hunter
Super Moderator
A wobble between 40-45 definitely sounds like a tire balance issue. I would highly recommend searching for a shop that has a balancing machine that can measure road force and recommend which corner of the jeep the tire is placed. I've seen this solve many wobble issues.
Also be sure to use loctite on the wheel studs when attaching the wheel spacers to the axle.
Also be sure to use loctite on the wheel studs when attaching the wheel spacers to the axle.
Take the wheel spacers off your front tires and see if it goes away. If it does then keep on reading.
I was asking around the office about this and one of they guys thinks it's because your wheel spacers aren't hubcentric. Here's how it was explained to me:
A stock Jeep has a lip on the hub that the wheel sits on. The lug nuts don't keep the wheel centered, they only provide tension - the lip centers the wheel and supports the vehicle weight.
Your new spacers don't have that lip (they are called lugcentric). The lugs not only center the wheel, but also have more sheer force applied to them, since they now support the weight of the vehicle. There is probably a small amount of play, so every time you remount your tires there is a chance they could be in a very slightly different position.
You may want to check out some hub centric spacers, assuming that your rims are hubcentric, and can make use of this lip. They should keep everything lined up a bit more.
In an effort for full disclosure, it appears that there is debate if Jeep rims are truly hubcentric or not - the jury appears out on this.
I was asking around the office about this and one of they guys thinks it's because your wheel spacers aren't hubcentric. Here's how it was explained to me:
A stock Jeep has a lip on the hub that the wheel sits on. The lug nuts don't keep the wheel centered, they only provide tension - the lip centers the wheel and supports the vehicle weight.
Your new spacers don't have that lip (they are called lugcentric). The lugs not only center the wheel, but also have more sheer force applied to them, since they now support the weight of the vehicle. There is probably a small amount of play, so every time you remount your tires there is a chance they could be in a very slightly different position.
You may want to check out some hub centric spacers, assuming that your rims are hubcentric, and can make use of this lip. They should keep everything lined up a bit more.
In an effort for full disclosure, it appears that there is debate if Jeep rims are truly hubcentric or not - the jury appears out on this.
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I like TerryMasons post,he makes a good point. Also from what others have told me that adding spacers put added stress on the ball joints because your pushing the tire out further.Kinda like holding 10lb. close to you, then holding 10lb. at arms lenghts. Have you checked yours yet. May be they were going out on you and this made it worse.
Just a thought.
Just a thought.
I'm toying with the idea of getting a set of the Spidertrax hubcentric spacers for the front and seeing if that makes a difference. If it fixes the problem and I can get Rough Country to accept these spacers back then I'll get another pair for the rear. I do think I'm going to need new tires before long. I was checking out of curiousity and it looks like my spare has almost .5" less wear than the other tires. In fact, these 32" BFG MTR's (and I know they're not actually 32" even when brand new) are barely measuring 30" at 30psi. I'd still like to run MTR's as this Jeep is not really a daily driver - I have a seperate work vehicle and just use the Jeep to run occasional errands and get me to hockey games and the golf course in between 4 wheelin'. Basically, I want to keep it street friendly but I like the extra grip when I'm off-road that I get from an MTR. Anyway, I'm trying to decide between 33x10.5 and 33x12.5 (as mentioned in my other thread). I think I could clear the 12.5's with the spacers on the stock wheels, but they're a good bit more expensive. Would anyone happen to have pictures of 33x10.5x15's on your Jeep?
Terry, you are THE MAN. I had some free time this evening so I went out to take a look at things. I took all the lug nuts off of one wheel and looked closely, and there is definitely enough play to where the wheel can be tightened up on these spacers without being properly centered. I don't have the hubcentric spacers yet, so I took the front wheels off and put them back on and was VERY careful when tightening the lug nuts and made sure I followed the same pattern each time and the wobble is now completely gone!! That was the problem, I wasn't getting everything tightened up evenly and the wheels weren't centering properly as a result.
It definitely looks like hubcentric spacers are the way to go, but to be fair to Rough Country these spacers seem to work as long as you take your time and make sure you get everything tightened up evenly so the wheel gets centered properly. I don't know about extra stress on the lugs or whatever, I'm just happy to be able to drive my Jeep around town without fighting the steering wheel anymore 8). Thanks again Terry, and thanks to everyone else who replied and gave me advice/suggestions to get through this! I owe you guys!
guys think about this....evry one of you seems to be putting older tires on these jeeps. i know they are expensive but a NEW set of tires makes the vehicle drive like new. Steering stabalizers when they are bad let the front end wobble. a new one will stabalize the front end "get it stabalizer". Also what about shocks are they older replace them. any veicle with new shocks and tires turns into a much better riding vehicle.
Good luck keep trying
Good luck keep trying
