If you own (or have owned) a Jeep, then you’ve likely experienced the dreaded ‘death wobble’—a’ violent shaking in the steering wheel and suspension that can be downright terrifying when traveling at highway speeds. It’s a known issue with Jeeps, and one that certainly keeps 4x4 enthusiasts on their toes.
Thankfully—and perhaps the only good thing about it – there’s a simple explanation as to why death wobble occurs, one that extends to simple fixes and practices to help put the dreaded experience behind you. Even better, you're in the right place to learn what they are so you can not only say you survived the notorious death wobble, but conquered it as well.
What exactly is death wobble?
Hopefully, most of you reading this have little to no experience with death wobble. In any case, it's good to start with a description of what you're up against so you can effectively diagnose, fix, and, ideally, prevent it.
Death wobble refers to a situation where a vehicle begins to shake back and forth violently. (Hence the disconcerting name.) The steering wheel will also begin to shake rapidly, effectively reducing control over the vehicle.
You can take a quick sigh of relief to learn that death wobble doesn't typically happen out of nowhere. Usually, hitting a bump, pothole, or some sort of road debris at speeds of 45 miles per hour or greater sets it off.
That doesn't mean you'll always see it coming, but you will almost always be able to link it to something you hit unexpectedly while driving down the highway.
Most people associate death wobble with Jeep Wranglers, and they’re right to make the connection. These vehicles are notorious for experiencing this situation, and it's something owners should be on high alert for.
However, that doesn’t mean they are the only vehicles susceptible to it. Jeep models of all shapes and sizes, particularly those equipped with 4x4, are also known to run into death wobble.
For you fans of other makes and badges – don’t start pointing and laughing just yet. Fords and Dodges can experience death wobble too. In fact, virtually anything on the road can run into it for one reason or another.
What should I do when death wobble happens?
Finding yourself in a death wobble scenario is absolutely terrifying. Mostly because you're likely to be on a highway, surrounded by a decent amount of traffic, sitting in a vehicle that isn't exactly known for its stability at high speeds – even on a good day. Telling you not to panic might sound like a joke, but that truly is the most important thing to keep in mind.
The next most important thing to understand is that you're not going to wrestle your rig back into submission. It might happen to catch itself if you're lucky, but that is something you cannot count on.
Do not jam the brakes and try to bring it to an immediate stop. Doing so will cause the nose to dive, which can potentially aggravate the matter and make things worse. Instead, grab the steering wheel and let off the gas. Then slowly depress the brake pedal while directing the vehicle to the shoulder.
Again, the death wobble might cease as you slow down, but it's more likely that you will need to bring the vehicle to a complete stop for it to go away. Yes, the wheel will likely continue to shake the entire time.
Once the vehicle is stopped, take a minute to collect yourself. You're likely to have adrenaline coursing through your body after your first encounter with this monster. So, take a minute to relax. Make sure it’s safe to exit the vehicle, and check to see if anything broke during or before the death wobble occurred. If everything is okay, then start moving down the road again—just do so at a speed you feel comfortable with while being sure to avoid any other impacts.
What causes Jeep death wobble and how can I fix it?
If you watch a video of death wobble from outside of the vehicle, you can tell right away where you need to be looking to diagnose it. That’s because, when it happens, the front wheels start to wobble around like a top that's about to lose its balance. This tells us the problem is in the steering system, which also explains the steering wheel's reaction to the occurrence.
Track Bar Issues
Wrangler veterans will tell you that the track bar is the culprit, and 99% of the time, they are right. Wranglers in particular experience death wobble when the lower, or axle side, track bar mount is worn or loose.
The track bar's job is to keep the axle centered below the vehicle. If it becomes loose, worn, or broken, death wobble is a natural consequence. If you're a Jeep Wrangler owner who has experienced death wobble, that's the first place you want to look.
Be thorough in your inspection, though.
- Remove the bolt and check out the condition of the mount. Any signs of wear, rot, or damage mean it's time to get that thing out of there and sub in a replacement.
- Check the vehicle side, too, to be sure it's not the problem either.
- You also shouldn't rule out loose mounting bolts being the problem. They need to be torqued to 125 ft-lbs. on a Wrangler. Anything less can lead to trouble.
Loose Components
A track bar mount isn't the only potential culprit, though. Any loose components in the steering system can be linked to death wobble. That means, you need to extend your search and carefully look everything over – including the rear.
Just because the issue is typical to the front, doesn’t mean the rear is invulnerable. Take the time to look at all the ball joints, bushings, and tie rods to make sure everything is tight and in sound condition. Even an out-of-balance wheel can be a cause.
Again, any signs of loose, worn, or broken components mean it’s time for replacement.
Taking a Closer Look
It’s worth noting that most components can be inspected without having to remove them entirely. Oftentimes, you'll be fine to remove the wheels and leave the steering system intact.
The idea is to simply move joints and components around to see if there's any play. In most cases, you can do so with just your hands and a careful eye. In others, you will want a pry bar. (Jostling upper and lower ball joints around isn't exactly an easy task without a little leverage.)
Remember: you shouldn't just stop your investigation when you find one faulty component.
Keep looking until you know for sure everything is in safe working condition. Obviously, putting your vehicle on a lift will make things easier, but you can conduct this investigation with just a jack and jack stands. Use a floor jack, though -- leave that off-road jack on the tailgate.
How do I prevent death wobble from happening?
You probably already know that the answer to this question isn’t going to be as simple as just avoiding potholes and speed bumps. While that might help a little, you need to get greasy.
Preventative maintenance is key here. Routinely servicing steering components and keeping them lubricated is how you keep them tight and functional.
You also want to be sure to avoid beating the life out of them whenever possible. That means, maybe don't attempt the hardest obstacles every weekend. And when you do push your rig to the limits, always make sure to give the undercarriage a thorough inspection before you hit the road again.
Those of you buying an old, beat-up Jeep that's seen who-knows-what with little documentation to share maintenance goals, just give the steering system the overhaul it commands. There's no way to know if it's okay to drive on or how much life it has in it, so you might as well play it safe.
So, uh, I can keep my lift kit?
Astute readers will ask how we've failed to mention lift kits by this point. Well, that's because a properly installed lift kit won't change anything discussed here. The same idea applies regardless of the suspension configuration. So, you don’t need to ditch or alter your lift kit—that is, unless you or the person before you didn't use everything they were supposed to.
Lift kits greater than two inches often require extended or redesigned components. Steering knuckles, control arms, sway bar mounts, and even that pesky track bar often require changing with taller lifts.
If you're experiencing death wobble on a lifted vehicle, you definitely want to make sure all the components of that lift are correct. If something's missing or out of place, you'll absolutely wind up repeating the fix sooner rather than later.