Nick's POS thread.

[USMC 0369]

[COLOR="darkred"]So this weekend, installed a B&M trans cooler, but haven't really tested it. Also had to rebuild the carb (torn pump gasket) and that gave me fits. Still have not installed the new wiring for the neutral switch on the transmission. The new wiring is shorter with different connector at the end. I think I'm going to cut the connector off the end and solder it into the existing wires. [/COLOR]

[USMC 0369]

[COLOR="darkred"]ALSO!! I almost forgot. I have a Death Wobble problem that about killed me yesterday. And it's getting more common. I used to get a really bad shimmy in the front end/steering once in about four months or so. But it happend about four times yesterday. Once it yanked the steering wheel out of my hand.

Typically I'm doing about 30-35mpg down the street & hit a bump or there is uneven pavement, and all heck breaks loose. I have to pull it over and come to almost a complete stop before it quits. I've checked the steering joints & ball joints... I have no idea. I'm on leaf springs with no sway or track bar. I'm wondering if maybe my spring mount bushings are going bad (reference my engine mounts & transmission mounts) and that is allowing the front end to wander around???

What else can I check?[/COLOR]

[aw12345]

Caster angle, to much caster will cause this, often overlooked. Also check all the common stuff, tire balance tierod and draglink ends. Spring bushings, sagged springs, loose U bolts, bend rim.
Probably best place to start is rotate tires first

[USMC 0369]

Caster angle, to much caster will cause this, often overlooked. Also check all the common stuff, tire balance tierod and draglink ends. Spring bushings, sagged springs, loose U bolts, bend rim.
Probably best place to start is rotate tires first

[COLOR="darkred"]Ok Art, I'm on ALL these items. Scared the dookie out of me this weekend.[/COLOR]

[aw12345]

I bet it did a good case of the shimmy shake is no fun

[6spdYJ]

Make sure you check the ball joints and unit bearings too. Have you firmly applied the brakes when it happens? It will probably yank one way or the other, but if it's loose ball joints or rod ends The drag from the wheels should cause the sloppiness to bind and quit shaking. I don't recommend actually trying this, but just wonder if you've noticed it. Had this happen in a Chevy coming down the hill from mainside to the airfield. Bad stuff.

[inVERt'D]

Like Art said, castor angle. I experienced first-rate DW in my brother's TJ several times. It is violent, like both of your front wheels are fighting each other. Looseness alone can't account for it. There have been of times when just about everything that could possibly be loose on my TJ was loose, but it has never done the death wobble dance. Rolled it a couple of times, but no DW. The only time I got the slightest shimmy out of it was after I'd "corrected" the front pinion angle a bit (thereby increasing castor), but since my control arms were longer than stock, the change in castor was moderated.

My brother's TJ had a 3-1/2" lift on OEM control arms. The thing that finally fixed my brother's Jeep was aftermarket (Rubicon Express) control arms, which were much more rigid and slightly longer.

So I'd check and fix everything that has been discussed, but I think castor (and whatever caused it to increase) is at the root of the problem.

[RAT]

Geez,
I leave for a couple of weeks and look at the trouble you've gotten yourself into You never mentioned DW to me. But since everyone else has chimed in I'll reserve comment... Let me know if ya need some help.

[USMC 0369]

[COLOR="#8b0000"]The Jeep will have to wait a couple days.[/COLOR]

[1 Bad F N Z]

Whose the leader of the club, thats made for you and me, Mic ---

[USMC 0369]

Whose the leader of the club, thats made for you and me, Mic ---

[COLOR="#8b0000"]I don't get it.[/COLOR]

[RAT]

[COLOR="#8b0000"]I don't get it.[/COLOR]

Communist pig...

[USMC 0369]

Communist pig...

[COLOR="#8b0000"]I know the song ya pink-o... Just don't know how it applies here.[/COLOR]

[RAT]

So Nick brings the POS to Ahole Fab today for some fixin. Welded the old shock absorber, AGAIN. I'm really not a big fan of Bilstien shocks anymore after seeing Nicks break at least five times, and Dougs broke on the trail in Colorado. Anyway, the old DW monster has attacked Nick and so I applied my new prototype anti-death wobble device, sure to be a hit across the country. But first, we ran the YJ over some speed annoyances, err, speed bumps on my street and sure enough the old DW hit hard and fast. Took it back to the garage and installed my new, super duper, extraordinary anti-death wobble device on the YJ and took it over the speed bumps again. No DW. Did it a couple of times and no DW. I will patenting the new device as soon as I can, and I reluctantly show a picture of it, but I know the technology is so far above anyone's head here at MJR that no one will figure it out...
And now, for the unveiling of the latest, the greatest new device the aftermarket will ever have to offer the owners of YJs for eliminating death wobble, The Ahole Fab anti-death wobble device... TAA DAAAAA...

anti DW device001 by MJR RAT, on Flickr
When you stop laughing, please clean up the spilled beer, milk or what ever you were drinking please. It makes the laptop keyboard sticky... :bonk:

[RAT]

^ It really does work though...