This is Why They Call It Death Wobble 

Update: replaced drag link and tie rod due to worn ends. disconnected track bar at the axle and sure enough, the hole had wallowed out a bit. Replaced the bolt with a larger diameter bolt and added some heavy duty washers. Next trip I'll weld the washers to the bracket.

Sell it to a painter. He can mix the cans on the way to the jobsite.

Props to the camera man for risking his life to get that death wobble!

Just turn the radio up.

No so much a "this is why they call it death wobble" as it is a "this is _what_ death wobble looks like."

I think it needs more blinker fluid

Being a certified google mechanic I can diagnose that this vehicle just wants to dance.

It's supposed to do that once in a while, it knocks the rust off.

Seems like a steering damper with a valve that has a similar frequency to other vibrations.

Who else randomly got this suggested to them?

That slo-mo segment was absolutely stunning. It looked just like the regular speed footage, but slower.

I was able to fix this by removing the Jeep and replacing it with a land cruiser from Toyota

Glad you found the solution. Sucks seeing so many get junked over something that could be dealt with

Replace your ashtray gasket and add some blinker fluid, it should fix that.

My Grandma get death wobbles every time she goes for a walk.

I feel bad for that shock absorber, it went through entire sahara desert in 5 secs.

I saw this happen to a Cherokee driving next to me on the expressway in VA. Looked like it was going over speed bumps at 65mph. I couldn’t believe someone could drive a vehicle that did that.

This video is 4 years old but some comments are only an hour old

The beauty of death wobble is that it is super easy to fix and you can talk some down on a price very easily. I once got a gorgeous XJ with death wobble. A price of $5000, was being asked. I went over and turned on the engine and checked everything. Everything worked excellently. Then th owner told me to tqk it for a ride but keep it under a certain speed to avoid a small misfire. I took it past the speed and the death rattle kicked in. Then I knew I was going to get it for almost nothing. I took it home for $1000 and put in a 4 inch suspension lift that got rid of all the old junk in the front anyway. I still have that 99 XJ today on 33 inch tyres and with a later added Edelbrock cylinder head that someone gave me free! By the way, of course I kept the legendary stock cylinder head. 2000 was a poor year for the stock AMC 242ci I6 cylinder head.

Wow mad props to the cameraman....he risked his life...hanging on to the underside of the car

A friend had a late 80s or early 90s GMC 2500 4x4 truck that would get into a crazy death wobble. Turns out the upper ball joint on those Dana 60s is forced into a conical seat by a heavy duty coil spring. Over time that spring sags, loses force, and is no longer able to keep the BJ fully seated. The result is the BJ popping in/out of its seat - resulting in loss of positive control of the kingpin angle. The fix? installing a new spring and conical seat. Easy peasy. But boy, when that thing did the death wobble - you thought you were about to die.

Once again, recommendations has brought us together

I remember working on the front end of a Dodge Charger when I used to work at a body shop. Two links were the lower control setup which also were used as the steering components. We had to "burp" the power steering system after replacing some parts of the system, and the front end worked its way to one side. Don't know what made Chrysler think having suspension components also work as steering components was a good idea, especially on a high performance vehicle

Do you think it gets faster and more fuel efficient every time it shakes the rust off? Just looking for the positives here.

All of a sudden RU-vid thinks it’s logical to recommend this video after 3 years. 2021 is the year hopefully 🙏

I should be asleep right now, but instead I'm reading these comments and laughing.

See y’all in another 8 years

I had to put a new front end on mine and it fixed the problem. The whole steering wheel and dash shakes like crazy too. Cool video.

Why we all here on May 13 2021

I saw this vid years ago, and now its back in everyone's recommendations. Sign your attendance now for another 5 years.

looks like youtube slapped all of us with this sexy video in our recommended. hello fellow 2021 test subjects

“Hey let’s put 40s on the Jeep stock everything with a Chinese lift kit”

My truck almost killed me today. Guy on the phone: You gotta make sure the tires are inflated correctly.

If you buy a new 4wd Ford super duty you can get this feature built in from the factory

If I'm not mistaken it was being shot at by a passing A10 Warthog.

Keeps you awake and alert, safety feature

It's shaking because it's cold. Give it a blanket, should fix the issue.

Today I learned what a Death Wobble, thanks RU-vid suggestions

Check how engine bouncing on its mounts. This problem is related to resonance in engine - mounts - frame - suspension - wheels dynamic system. At certain speed wheels are gone into resonance with rubber parts and self weights of that system. The engine mounts with different stiffness and suspension dampeners able to shift resonance point to different speed.

Funny how we all end up here 4 years later at the same time...

Ive seen a extra large man running to mcdonalds. looked like he had a death wobble around the mid section

wth YT starts recommending this after 7 years

Mech: This isn't a moving part Jeep: Are you sure about that

Am I alone in wishing this video had an "after" segment? It's spectacular to see the death wobble in action, thank you for thinking of mounting a GoPro under your car, that was great.

Why am I am getting this recommended 4 years later?

When your truck does the same thing a skateboard does “Houston we have a problem”

RU-vid said, lets pump your video out 7 years late

A big thing with the death wobble was because the steering and live axle setup is excellent for heavy duty applications for trucks and the twisting articulation you can get for off roading but because of that you loose higher speed stability. While yes better materials and structural design make it harder to get the death wobble but it’s all the same it’s a old tech that has its advantages but also disadvantages.... and yes a upgraded steering damper or doubling the damper helps but also have your alignment checked because if the wheels aren’t straight that also increases the chance of the wobble occurring the higher your speed.

This happened to my brothers 1997 grand Cherokee while I was riding with him. Thought there was an earthquake it was freaking scary

That's quality chrysler engineering.

I had this happen on my '95 Wrangler - Was insane! Impossible to control. Could not stop it by turning, braking, speeding up or slowing down. Had to come to a complete stop. My buddy was beside me once and said my front tires were bouncing off the ground and my fenders and hood looked like they were going to fly off! Replaced the stock worn out suspension ( Springs & shocks - minor lift kit: 2 1/2") & steering stabilizer. Also both front hubs. Was like a different vehicle after - and I'm still alive!

Judging by the time of the comments, RU-vid sent this through everyones recommendations.

4 years later, we shall meet again

This just got recommended to everyone

Was uploaded on May 2016, People watching in December 2020.

God bless the poor soul hanging under this Jeep upside down. He lost his life capturing this footage. Rest In Pieces ✝️👼🏻 Justin Kidenue 1997-2017 ✝️👼🏻

Axle: "hits bump" HERE WE GO AGAIN

Have you tried turning it off then on again

The rough country stabilizer is the icing on the cake

There seems to be a lot of confusion and misinformation in regards to the death wobble in the comments of this RU-vid video, so I will try to explain some of it here. Basically the death wobble is an oscillation of steering components known for its occurrence in axle front ends, more of then not 4x4 as well. That being said death wobble is possible on independent front suspension (IFS) front ends but it is MUTCH, MUTCH, i mean MUCH less likely. So any 1/2 ton 1500 series trucks won't have this problem. Chevy/GMC trucks no longer use IFS at all (Unless you go back in time to the end of the 1990's) and as of 2017 the only two manufacturers that still use them in SUV's are the Jeep Wrangler and Mercedes G class. Fixing the death wobble can be something of a calculus problem, because at its root, well it's a vibration. FIXING IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY or cheap, here is a list of possible causes -Front track bar -ball joints -drag link/tie rod end -Upper/lower control arm -suspension bushings -steering stabilizer (One thing manny people do is install a steering stabilizer, but it is not a permanent fix, they are more of a bandaid) and steering knuckles. One of these components could be loose, bend broken or worn out, so if this does occur the first thing to do after getting to a safe place is to do a visual inspection/check for loose bolts, and even then it could have just been the right scenario, and it may never happen again. Like it's shown here it can be quite violent and difficult to control, but the only way to get the oscillation to stop is to stop the vehicle.. Death wobble is not to be confused with a slight "shake" or vibration caused by a unbalanced wheel. It's much more violent. This can happen on any solid front axle vehicle wether or not it it's lifted, but lifts do make it more common, as they change the castor, leading to more rolling resistance. An alignment can also, not necessarily cause but rather exacerbate an already existing problem. Its like the fuse that lights the bomb, but not the bomb itself. Hope this helps.

Why’d everyone get recommended this today, 4 years later???

I fixed that issue with a short throw dipstick

Its really impressive how much a vehicle can withstand when shit is really messed up.

Muffler bearings need to be rebuilt. ..gonna be costly. May as well replace the johnson rod tensioner pulleys while we're in there.

Death wobble, is basically harmonic resonance between a series of worn parts... Many times if you have the balls you can drive through it. As speed increases the harmonics change and the wobble goes away... But I wouldn't advise it.... Lol... Nice video...

"BUT MY HOPE WILL NEVER DIE"

Loose parts and perfect speed, thru a dip and sets it up. Yep. Sold a lot of steering linkage parts and adjusted alot of front angles in my life. Seen bad sleeves, bushings and loose rivets or cracked brackets too. Funny, they always think a steering stabilizer is the magic cure. Nope. Thorough inspection, diagnostic, and putting the rear tires up front with the new linkage and adjustments and your paint shaker becomes a dream.

This is an old video that is about Jeep Cherokee XJs specifically. Jeep Cherokee XJs have a Quadralink front suspension, meaning four control arms Joining the front axle to the body. They have no frame. These vehicles were made like this from 1984 to 2001, it is 2020. It’s So funny to hear people complaining about Worn control arm bushings, tie rods, or track bar on a nearly two decade old Jeep, that’s assuming this vehicle is a 2001, the last one made In America. Still were made in Mexico until about 2004. That said, the one in the video is also missing two critical components, while having a budget lift kit and oversized tires installed. If you look closely and know anything at all about suspension or 4x4s, besides what your yearly automotive calendar from your grandma every Christmas teaches you, you will see this vehicle was sabotaged by not having a front track bar in place. I can see it’s empty mounting bracket from here. And it’s missing it’s front sway bar completely also, further amplifying any loose components and the added unsprung weight of the larger wheels. So basically the whole front end is bouncing on it’s supposed to be flexible and soft control arm bushings. But what do I know? I work at mcdonalds

My 96 Cherokee XJ didn't have the "death wobble", but it did have the "whiplash stutter". It began with random stalling. Like someone just cut the ignition. Fire it back up, and go another 3 or 4 minutes and stall again. It eventually got to the point where it would stall every 30 seconds or so. I replaced: injectors, plugs, wires, Dist. cap, dist rotor, coil, the electronic part under the dist rotor, (I can't remember what it's called) crank sensor, fuel pump, fuel filter, MAP sensor, even the ECM. Well, it was at least driveable. Kind of. But then it had seizures. It would stall, but immediately recover before the engine stopped turning. As if someone had a momentary push-button to kill the ignition and was randomly tapping it several times a second. With each "stall, it would lunge and jerk. shaking any passengers like a martini. I could only imagine the hell it was playing on the drivetrain and mounts. That too, had a worsening progression. It would do it once the engine warmed up. But run silky smooth until then. Eventually it began to happen sooner and sooner. Until it got to the point where it would begin stuttering immediately after starting. It was a shame too. I'm not known for being fond of Chry-Mo-Fia-Mler, (who ever the f--k they are sold out to this year) And I actually liked that Cherokee. Ironically, I now own a '90 Dodge B250 conversion van with a 318 that was so weak it couldn't make it up a mild grade without putting it in first and crawling. That is, until I chopped the cat off and let the thing breathe. Runs like a champ.

That’s weird. This video was posted on May 10, 2016, and here I am seeing it while crossing the Atlantic on the Mayflower.

I changed the tie rod, track bar, and the ball joints. Everything now works smooth as clockwork now. Alignment was super easy to do. Rusty's tie rod, Rubicon Express adjustable track bar, Detroit ball joints, were the formula to a smooth ride. While I was there I replaced noisy wheel bearing, added Rough Country rubber spring isolators to quiet the ride. Before putting it all together, I used marine black paint for undercoating.

I like how they even installed the hydraulic shock to dampen the wobble

Hey mate, is it OK to feature your clip in a my chanel for educational purposes? It will be credited in the description & comments section with your name. Thanks, MM

it's amazing to me that this is still an issue on modern solid axle vehicles.

My son's 2018 Wrangler JL had this happen. There was an active recall on it when we bought it used with 46K miles on it. Both he and I experienced this ridiculous phenomenon in the first year he owned it. It's ridiculous that they haven't corrected the suspension geometry and components in all these years.

The car's entire undercarriage for no reason: *"Welp, I guess I'll just go f%&$ myself then."*

So the death wobble is when a GoPro shakes real bad. Got it.

Looks normal to me. At least my memory of driving jeeps. If your knuckles aren’t white it’s not a Jeep

The first time I experienced death wobble in a Cherokee, I was on a massive overpass with sheer dropoffs to either side. It was unpleasant

Excellent capture of what happens under the vehicle, but this does not show what happens in the driver's pants the first time it happens...

Wow the entire axle is moving laterally. I always thought it just the steering components because of the alignment geometry. 😲 I suppose the axle is being acted on by forces of the wobble

Owners manual in my 02 four runner starts off saying “congrats for purchasing a highly capable off road vehicle...” Domestic manufacturers first line of the manual say “off road use voids warranties” Highly capable is an understatement

Good to see y’all here after 4 years

I’m amazed at how much the engine moves on its mounts!

Most commonly the causes is bad track bar and or steering dampener with it. I’ve seen many new and old vehicles Come through my shop with good ball joints, good tie rods, good alignment and good tires and still had this issue. Track bar and dampener nearly every time.

Owned a 2008 Jeep Wrangler that did this. 100% stock vehicle. No changes to factory tires or suspension. Dealership found nothing wrong. It would happen at highway speeds, 50+ MPH. Hit a bump or groove in the road. An oscillation that got worse and worse within 5 seconds. Steering wheel rocking violently. Slowing down, in middle lane, down to 40, 35, 30, and it would finally stop. Cars braking behind me, steering to avoid rear ending me. Worst vehicle I ever owned. I traded it in at some other Jeep dealership. Love my 4Runner.

IDK why this is suddenly getting recommended to everyone but hey, I learned something today.

This happened to me once...sold my jeep...fixed the problem

I have a 07 F-250. This problem can kill an inexperienced driver. It used to happen alot on me. I never drive over 60 mph. Ever. I bet many people have died because of this.

Hello years old RU-vid recommendation my old friend. I have come to watch a death wobble again.

I replaced the upper and lower control arm bushings with urethane ones. That was 13+ years ago, haven't had a problem since. 2001 XJ.

finally, for some unknown reason, this video seemed relevant for us after 5 years thanks to the super youtube algorithms, intresting indeed!!

Sell your Jeep and the wobble goes away 😂😂

Where we're going we don't need sway bar😎

Will never forget the first time I drove a 250 that had a "slight shake" when it turned out to be a violent death wobble that made me shit my pants. Ended up replacing the front end, and the dudes driver seat.

Dealerships be like : that's totally normal

Death wobble comes standard with every Jeep.

That could definitely spill beer!

Had a '94 Cherokee that would do the death wobble any time you hit a bridge joint over 40mph. Or in other words, it happened all the time. The very first time, I screamed for my life thinking all 4 wheels had blown simultaneously. I fixed it by putting it on Craigslist.

Interesting how much engine movement there was side to side. I can't think of how that's relevant, but I'm curious about the mounts.