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Jeep Toad Steering Issue

Yahoo Message Number: 4775
Mostly for Jeep/Chrysler truck owners.
Well, I have greatly enjoyed my Jeep Toad. I have run it over rough terrain from Big Bend to abandoned rail lines in Washington State . Altogether with the highway driving and running about town, Toad has over 50K miles. And I have dragged it behind Roscoe Ventura for 16k miles that does not show on the odometer.
I got a big surprise last week while driving through the San Clemente pass into La Jolla California when I hit some road patches at about 50mph and the steering system went into an harmonic vibration that communicated through the steering column to the steering wheel. I pulled over and the vibrations did not stop until I was almost stopped. That was a heart thumper!
A little work on the internet and it turns out to be a well know problem called politely "The Death Wobble". I kid you not. Here is a video from youtube:
Death Wobble external view:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwiv23dLhMY
Death Wobble internal view:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScVynkfaRJ8&feature=related
Death Wobble Fixes:
http://www.jpmagazine.com/techarticles/154_0906_fixing_jeep_death_wobbles/index.html
Alignment looked good and there was no other visible wearing or anything loose on the front end. In my case it looks like the steering damper was broken and leaking. I noticed that the steering damper replacement part was a lot heftier than the original factory unit.
I hope that does it, as I don't want to experience that again!
Kevin (Real) McCoy [KF5FUZ / WQJE447]
("Roscoe Ventura" Jayco Seneca HD SS 34 Diesel 2006; "Toad" Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 2007)

Re: Jeep Toad Steering Issue

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 4776
Where are you staying down here in San Diego.

de KI6IM / V31DX

From: Kevin (Real) McCoy
To: KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thu, July 8, 2010 12:28:02 PM
Subject: [KodiakChassisClassC] Jeep Toad Steering Issue

Mostly for Jeep/Chrysler truck owners.
Well, I have greatly enjoyed my Jeep Toad. I have run it over rough terrain from Big Bend to abandoned rail lines in Washington State . Altogether with the highway driving and running about town, Toad has over 50K miles. And I have dragged it behind Roscoe Ventura for 16k miles that does not show on the odometer.
I got a big surprise last week while driving through the San Clemente pass into La Jolla California when I hit some road patches at about 50mph and the steering system went into an harmonic vibration that communicated through the steering column to the steering wheel. I pulled over and the vibrations did not stop until I was almost stopped. That was a heart thumper!
A little work on the internet and it turns out to be a well know problem called politely "The Death Wobble". I kid you not. Here is a video from youtube:
Death Wobble external view:
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=vwiv23dLhMY
Death Wobble internal view:
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=ScVynkfaRJ8&feature=related
Death Wobble Fixes:
http://www.jpmagazine.com/techarticles/154_0906_fixing_jeep_death_wobbles/index.html
Alignment looked good and there was no other visible wearing or anything loose on the front end. In my case it looks like the steering damper was broken and leaking. I noticed that the steering damper replacement part was a lot heftier than the original factory unit.
I hope that does it, as I don't want to experience that again!
Kevin (Real) McCoy [KF5FUZ / WQJE447]
("Roscoe Ventura" Jayco Seneca HD SS 34 Diesel 2006; "Toad" Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 2007)

Re: Jeep Toad Steering Issue

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 4777
We have 6 cummins four door long bed pick up trucks ranging from 2006 to 2008 between the guys in my company. I have had two of them have issues with there trucks and they from the very get go referred to it as a "death wobble". Funny they're not the internet You Tube type to come up with that name. I imagine its the very initial response you get when you start shaking like that at 60mph.

Re: Jeep Toad Steering Issue

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 4778
Attachments :

    Santa Fe RV Park. http://www.santafepark.com/ A Passport America park in Rose Canyon , just short of where the Bike trail takes off for UCSB. We are staying here for proximity to family. My Dad's 90th B-day coming up this month. rvparkreviews.com shows some better parks inland, but this is working for us. A tad noisy, but location is excellent. We took in the San Diego County Fair, and have been enjoying the beaches in the AM. Did 4th of July fireworks at the Cove.
    http://rvparkreviews.com/regions/California/San_Diego.html
    Kevin
    32.82626N, 117.23113W

    center
    From: KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com [mailto: KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com ] On Behalf Of Victor Burns
    Sent: Thursday, July 08, 2010 12:37 PM
    To: KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com
    Subject: Re: [KodiakChassisClassC] Jeep Toad Steering Issue



    Where are you staying down here in San Diego .

    de KI6IM / V31DX


    center
    From: Kevin (Real) McCoy
    To: KodiakChassisClassC @yahoogroups. com
    Sent: Thu, July 8, 2010 12:28:02 PM
    Subject: [KodiakChassisClass C] Jeep Toad Steering Issue

    Mostly for Jeep/Chrysler truck owners.
    Well, I have greatly enjoyed my Jeep Toad. I have run it over rough terrain from Big Bend to abandoned rail lines in Washington State . Altogether with the highway driving and running about town, Toad has over 50K miles. And I have dragged it behind Roscoe Ventura for 16k miles that does not show on the odometer.
    I got a big surprise last week while driving through the San Clemente pass into La Jolla California when I hit some road patches at about 50mph and the steering system went into an harmonic vibration that communicated through the steering column to the steering wheel. I pulled over and the vibrations did not stop until I was almost stopped. That was a heart thumper!
    A little work on the internet and it turns out to be a well know problem called politely "The Death Wobble". I kid you not. Here is a video from youtube:
    Death Wobble external view:
    http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=vwiv23dLhMY
    Death Wobble internal view:
    http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=ScVynkfaRJ8&feature=related
    Death Wobble Fixes:
    http://www.jpmagazi ne.com/techartic les/154_0906_ fixing_jeep_ death_wobbles/ index.html
    Alignment looked good and there was no other visible wearing or anything loose on the front end. In my case it looks like the steering damper was broken and leaking. I noticed that the steering damper replacement part was a lot heftier than the original factory unit.
    I hope that does it, as I don't want to experience that again!
    Kevin (Real) McCoy [KF5FUZ / WQJE447]
    ("Roscoe Ventura" Jayco Seneca HD SS 34 Diesel 2006; "Toad" Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 2007)


    Re: Jeep Toad Steering Issue

    Reply #4 –
    Yahoo Message Number: 4782

    Kevin,

    Thanks for the heads up. I too have a Wrangler toad (1998 Sahara). So far no problems. As far as campsites, if you get a chance I would suggest Santee Lake Campground Preserve, just east on Hwy 52. Very nice, quiet, with a series of lakes. We actually live a few blocks from the campground.

    Hoping for a west coast rally in the future.

    Rob

    Fourwinds, 8.1 liter.

    Re: Jeep Toad Steering Issue

    Reply #5 –
    Yahoo Message Number: 4783
    , RYWheeler@... wrote:
    Quote
    Kevin,

    Thanks for the heads up.

    I had a Jeep Liberty that had the same problem and I never knew when it was going to happen. Usually did at the most inopertune time.

    BTW, I agree that Santee Lakes is an outstanding campground and is about the most inexpensive in the San Diego County. The problem is that this campground is so popular that it is almost impossible to get reservations unless you are at least a couple months out. I worked my way in for the 18th of this month but will have to move twice in order to stay one week.

    Bob

    Re: Jeep Toad Steering Issue

    Reply #6 –
    Yahoo Message Number: 4796
    Kevin

    I don't flat tow my Jeep behind the Seneca but I do belong to the AZVJC, Arizona Virtual Jeep Club, http://www.virtualjeepclub.com/forum.php and use my Jeep for rock crawling. You do not need to live in AZ to belong and you do not need to own a Jeep but it is a large forum and you can usually find out anything you ever wanted to know about Jeeps, how to fix what ails them and what causes the problem.

    If you read the JPMag link that you posted completely you would find that replacing the stabilizer is not a cure for the death wobble but will mask the problem. This has been found to be true by many in our club which means that there is another problem causing the DW. As the problem gets worse it could cause the DW to resurface even with a good stabilizer. Wearing and loose parts are very hard to find with a visual inspection and the other probable causes listed in the JP article should be checked out by a good Jeep tech, usually found at a reputable 4x4 shop and not the dealer. It seems in our club that the Track Bar is the number one cause of DW but there are many more.

    You can access the AZVJC site as a guest and it cost nothing to join but I am not sure if you can use the search function as a guest. At any rate there is a plethora of info on that site including DW.

    I could not imagine what might happen if the DW would occur while flat towing at about 60mph.

    Good luck on finding the real cause of your DW and making the proper repair.

    Rich

     

    Toad

    Reply #7 –
    Yahoo Message Number: 4793
    If anyone is looking for a toad I have o2 jeep wrangler sport loaded with 40k miles showroom clean . Would like 15.5k. Dane