2021 crazy vibrations on freeway?

chillbot

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Los Angeles, CA
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2021 Rubicon 392!
Thanks for any help, just wondering if anyone has also experienced this.

11k miles on a 2021 392... this started a few months back. Going 75-80mph on the freeway and then having to decelerate to 40-45mph causes the steering wheel and car to violently shake/vibrate. First time it happened I was sure I had a flat tire.

I can get out of it most times by kicking it into manual and downshifting a few gears. Normally when it happens it's still in 8th gear.

I took it in to my local dealer today and the first appt they could look at it was March 15! (A month from now.)

Maybe someone who knows autos better than me could explain why this is happening and if it's safe to drive?

Matt
 
Any lifts or other components installed?

It sounds like you're describing 'death wobble'.

If you don't have anything aftermarket, it doesn't mean you can't get death wobble, but anyway, keep us updated with what happens with it.
 
It sounds like you're describing 'death wobble'.
Yes that's what it feels like! I didn't know what to search for on the forum I came up blank with "shaking" and "vibrating" etc.

It's stock, no mods.
 
Try a google search for 'death wobble' to find out more about it. I'd love to be able to say it's an extremely uncommon thing for Jeeps...I mean, it probably is extremely uncommon. I've never had it on any of the five wranglers I've owned, but at least on online forums (bias) you hear a lot about it.
 
This is great, searching this forum I found the guy that had the same thing happen at 9k miles (same as when mine started) and it turned out to be the steering stabilizer shock.

My question is, it doesn't happen a ton but is it safe to drive? I suppose the next step is I can call around to different SoCal dealers and see if I can find an appt sooner.
 
This is great, searching this forum I found the guy that had the same thing happen at 9k miles (same as when mine started) and it turned out to be the steering stabilizer shock.

My question is, it doesn't happen a ton but is it safe to drive? I suppose the next step is I can call around to different SoCal dealers and see if I can find an appt sooner.
I went thought this with my JK. A user named "Planman" over on one of the JK forums has an extensive writeup and video series on getting it solved.

A steering stabilizer can mask death wobble, but it's not the cause. loose, damaged or worn suspension components are the cause, since it's a self amplifying vibration, it can very quickly damage other suspension parts.

90% of the time it' related to the track bar. Jeep for some reason used a metric bolt in a SAE hole for the trackbar mounts. Sometimes tightening the trackbar mounting bolts will make it go away, or you can swap the trackbar bolt out for a SAE one that fits better.

But once you have an episode of death wobble, all bets are off, The ball joints, link bushings, trackbar, shocks are all suspect due to the stupid forces when it's oscillating.

I found his videos:



 
I've been reading about others having front end and other issue's with loose hardware.

I would start with the easy stuff first. Get the torque speciation's for the front end hardware and get a torque wrench and start checking for loose nuts and bolts.

I believe it was on this forum where I read about finding loose ball joints hardware and having a death wobble and tightening it up and it cured it. I've had worn ball joints and front end component's cause death wobble.
 
This is great, searching this forum I found the guy that had the same thing happen at 9k miles (same as when mine started) and it turned out to be the steering stabilizer shock.

My question is, it doesn't happen a ton but is it safe to drive? I suppose the next step is I can call around to different SoCal dealers and see if I can find an appt sooner.
Steering stabalizer is what the dealer told the person, a stabalizer does not cause death wobble. for sure make sure everything is tight and right. They told the person this as a cya because they found the real problem and if they told him x,y, or z was loose he would want every bolt and but checked and then every time he drove it he would believe he felt this or that.

I would look cvery close at ball joints and alignment caster. Too much caster can cause death wobble.

When you lift a Jeep the axle rolls back which makes the caster increase. I am not sure about the JL but 4-4.5 was the sweet spot.

if they try the stabalizer avenue tell them sure you will take it for free and thanks for the reach around but you also want to fix the problem for real.
 
Thanks for any help, just wondering if anyone has also experienced this.

11k miles on a 2021 392... this started a few months back. Going 75-80mph on the freeway and then having to decelerate to 40-45mph causes the steering wheel and car to violently shake/vibrate. First time it happened I was sure I had a flat tire.

I can get out of it most times by kicking it into manual and downshifting a few gears. Normally when it happens it's still in 8th gear.

I took it in to my local dealer today and the first appt they could look at it was March 15! (A month from now.)

Maybe someone who knows autos better than me could explain why this is happening and if it's safe to drive?

Matt
I hope to get mine back this week. 2023 392. I had a bad transfer case. It felt and sounded like the entire engine and transmission dropped out of the jeep. It’s been in The shop for about 2 weeks. Literally smelled like burning, grinding metal before I had it towed to the dealer.
 
I hope to get mine back this week. 2023 392. I had a bad transfer case. It felt and sounded like the entire engine and transmission dropped out of the jeep. It’s been in The shop for about 2 weeks. Literally smelled like burning, grinding metal before I had it towed to the dealer.
Great news, and glad to hear our landfills did not get another donation of a steering stabalizer that wasn’t bad
 
2021 with 17K miles, non-XR, stock except skid plates. First time experiencing death wobble this past week driving 75-80K on the highway going from Denver to Moab. It was quite severe and wasn't going to stop until I decelerated. Happened upon hitting a rough stretch of highway. Was on cruise control. Never did it again, wheeled just fine in Moab, and did fine on the way home. Now nervous about crusing at high speeds.
 
Just came across this.... When I experienced this it was in the 20's, so cold.

The Detroit Free Press reports that Jeep has tracked the issue on the latest generation of the Wrangler -- known as the JL – to the steering damper. The chief technical compliance officer, Mark Chernoby, told the paper that a design flaw allowed air to get in at cold temperatures, reducing vibration control at certain frequencies.
 
Just came across this.... When I experienced this it was in the 20's, so cold.

The Detroit Free Press reports that Jeep has tracked the issue on the latest generation of the Wrangler -- known as the JL – to the steering damper. The chief technical compliance officer, Mark Chernoby, told the paper that a design flaw allowed air to get in at cold temperatures, reducing vibration control at certain frequencies.
A few times when this happened to me it was certainly not cold... I remember I was on my way to golf in LA it was likely in the 60s.

Now that you mention it I think hitting a rough patch at high speed is definitely one of the contributors to going into the wobble, that's happened a couple times. Most of the time it tends to occur at a deceleration from high speeds for me, but similar concept.

The first dealer I took it to wouldn't look at it for over a month, I went to another dealer that could get me in right away... I didn't get a lot of info from them but they said it needed a new steering wheel damper and they couldn't get the part in for a couple weeks so I'm just waiting now. My choice was leave it at the dealer for 2-3 weeks or take it home and drive it with caution so I'm trying not to do much freeway driveway....
 
I plan to bring it up next oil change. I will keep all posted, but it will be a month or two.
 
Definitely double check that your wheels and tires are balanced correctly...had to have mine checked and rechecked until they were correct...two tire centers got them wrong initially, went back repeatedly until they got them to zero...next insure your shocks are working correctly, or replace with Fox Shocks, Tracking Bar cannot have any slack at all, have someone move steering wheel back and forth while watching tracking bar for movement, tightened securely as well...tighten/torque all front ball joints to correct torque +10%...install a steering box bracket to alleviate any movement or steering box deflection...all of these contribute to death wobble...some more than others, but 2 or more combined will definitely give you serious wobble issues...
 
Something similar happened to me earlier today. I have a 2021 non-XR with about 16k miles, 100% stock. I was driving at around 60 MPH and was on a direct connector going from one highway to another and started to get death wobble (DW) symptoms. I slowed down to 40ish MPH and it went away. The direct connector is an elevated bridge structure and similar to other bridges with concrete decks, there is somewhat of an oscillation as you travel along the road. Being that I'm 100% stock, I find it odd that I would experience DW. I checked the trackbar and other steering components when I got home and nothing seemed loose to the touch (didn't put a torque wrench on it thought). This is probably a stretch, but does anyone think it's possible that a specific harmonic frequency could trigger DW? I've had a JK, JT, and still have a TJ and haven't had DW before (all modified). Before I enter the black hole of internet searching, I thought I'd ask y'all. Upon an initial search, I did find this link which supports my theory: https://autorepairdenvercolorado.com/repsponse-to-chrysler-fiat-tech-bulletin-on-jeep-death-wobble/. Thanks!!
 
Something similar happened to me earlier today. I have a 2021 non-XR with about 16k miles, 100% stock. I was driving at around 60 MPH and was on a direct connector going from one highway to another and started to get death wobble (DW) symptoms. I slowed down to 40ish MPH and it went away. The direct connector is an elevated bridge structure and similar to other bridges with concrete decks, there is somewhat of an oscillation as you travel along the road. Being that I'm 100% stock, I find it odd that I would experience DW. I checked the trackbar and other steering components when I got home and nothing seemed loose to the touch (didn't put a torque wrench on it thought). This is probably a stretch, but does anyone think it's possible that a specific harmonic frequency could trigger DW? I've had a JK, JT, and still have a TJ and haven't had DW before (all modified). Before I enter the black hole of internet searching, I thought I'd ask y'all. Upon an initial search, I did find this link which supports my theory: https://autorepairdenvercolorado.com/repsponse-to-chrysler-fiat-tech-bulletin-on-jeep-death-wobble/. Thanks!!
DW is a harmonic feedback loop.... so in short yes...

but... if you have DW, then there is enough flex in the suspension or steering components to allow wobble to happen.

There is a ton of bad advice about the on the internet... A new steering stabilizer can hide the symptom, but if you have the DW then something is loose or worn, and once you have a bad episode of DW it can damage anything or everything I the steering/suspension up front.

re-torque the trackball bolts on both ends.... 90% of the time that is the culprit. Beyond that see post #6 above for videos on how to systematically track it down and make it go away.
 
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