Weight transfer: should I feel it this strongly?
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Let me preface this by saying it’s possible that every vehicle I’ve owned has done this but because of my driving style it wasn’t apparent.
When driving my GC at speed (most noticeable at 50 or higher) when I completely let up on the gas, and again when I accelerate, the Jeep does a single shimmy.
It’s just a single back and forth, I can see it and I can feel it. It’s completely predictable, same motion every time.
Seems apparent that it’s just weight transfer, but it caught me by surprise. Is it always noticeable under these circumstances and I’ve simply been oblivious for 30 years?
On walkabout. Back soonish.
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@just-jeepin Definitely not normal, something must be off ever so slightly in your front end. A tiny bit of the infamous Jeep Death Wobble I suspect.
Former hoarder of motorcycles, recent CA transplant, nerd.
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Google search Grand Cherokee death wobble...
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@jminer @onlytwowheels Oh, exciting, something else to have them look at next week. Thanks.
On walkabout. Back soonish.
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@just-jeepin Yup, bushing health for Jeeps appears to be a very very very important thing. Or you can upgrade to heim joint links everywhere and that should help.
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Neighborhood kid has recently picked up an 2004 WJ. He has talked to me on a couple occasions about lifting it 2 inches. He has been reading about the death wobble, and thinks limiting a lift to 2 inches will keep death wobble in check. Fact is, it is usually worn bushings or steering components that cause this. Check track bar bushings first.
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That depends upon how much weight you actually lose. Or gain. Where you'll really feel it is the waist of your trousers.
The Van of Theseus
The entropy of my garage is always increasing.
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@rusty-vandura said in Weight transfer: should I feel it this strongly?:
That depends upon how much weight you actually lose. Or gain. Where you'll really feel it is the waist of your trousers.
Every. Single. Day.
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@just-jeepin How many miles on the clock?
The Van of Theseus
The entropy of my garage is always increasing.
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@rusty-vandura I try not to talk about my age. Too depressing.
On walkabout. Back soonish.
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His has 140K.
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@just-jeepin Um, on the Jeep?
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@just-jeepin Everyone covered it but
wobble. Check track bar bushings and then all the others in the front. Also if anything is bent/tweaked. -
@onlytwowheels If that were my car, I'd plan a project of replacing every piece of neoprene forward of the bulkhead. Every bushing and also the engine mounts and probably fresh shocks. It's good, honest work that requires some wrenches and some elbow grease, but it ain't rocket science. Then a trip to the alignment shop. It'll feel like a new car afterward. It's the kind of work that shops salivate over because it ain't rocket science and there's very little to screw up.
The Van of Theseus
The entropy of my garage is always increasing.
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Twice in the past 8 years, I have replaced upper and lower control arms, tie rod ends and shocks on my 1997 F150. The first time was because the original bushings looked very dry rotted from age and I was about to drive cross country towing a 5500 pound trailer. The second time was because all the cheap boots on the Autozone/Dorman ball joints had split in less than 2 years. I put Moog parts on when I replace these, and already have one ball joint fail..... The older I get, the longer it takes to do the work.
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@onlytwowheels All of that. And your truck is old enough that OEM parts will be hard to find. I own a '97 GMC Safari and there was a period several years ago when apparently, dealers and suppliers surplussed out all their parts and the Delco parts were available on eBay at good prices. My friend who runs a full service shop won't work on a car that old because he can't conveniently get parts or guarantee the work.
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@just-jeepin said in Weight transfer: should I feel it this strongly?:
@rusty-vandura I try not to talk about my age. Too depressing.
Agree. I hate birthdays. I try to ignore them.
I don't know anything about Jeeps but in addition to everyone else's points about death wobble, does it have a steering damper? Just helped replace the completely worn damper on my buddy's Rubicon.
...meh...
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@vincentmalamute
The WJs have a stabilizer. It is probably worn out as it is less likely replaced than the shocks are. In addition to stronger aftermarket parts there's a dual stabilizer upgrade as well. Death wobble will trash one pretty quick as well because the fluid will get boiled during an "event." -
@looseonexit said
Death wobble will trash one pretty quick as well because the fluid will get boiled during an "event."
ah! That might explain why my buddy's damper was gone. I think he's had issues with death wobble off and on.
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@vincentmalamute I don't mind people spoiling me on my birthday. It's not like I can slow the earth's progress around the sun.
The Van of Theseus
The entropy of my garage is always increasing.
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@rusty-vandura I like the stick my head in the sand and it will go away approach.
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@just-jeepin When I lifted my JK I very specifically maintained the stock rake angle. So I went 2" front, 2.5" rear. Most lifts specifically even out the nose and tail for looks. But that also unweights the steering components a bit and can make the handling shittier; it won't cause the D-wobble, but it doesn't help either. I'd check your track bar, and steering stabilizer. Especially if you have bigger tires. I used a Rough Country dual-stabilizer on my Jeep and it helped a lot with tire vibration and shimmy.
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@just-jeepin I don’t thing this is death wobble, or even the front axle. I had a 2004 WJ with the exact same problem. It was the bushings in the rear lower control arms. One side was more worn than the other so when you accelerate or let off the gas you get a little steering from the rear axle as one side moved.
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It doesn't sound like a death wobble, but maybe slack in the driveline? Have you wiggled the driveshafts for play?
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@kgman Thanks, that sounds quite plausible
