DEATH WOBBLE ????

[Tony]

Hi guys, I am opening this topic again as I have picked up an interesting problem....

About a month ago I took my Troll to a steering & suspension fitment centre to sort out my "klunk when turning fully left or right" They resolved that by replacing the panhard rod bushes, and they checked and replaced / tightened up the whole front suspension. They also greased the knuckle joints (which were bone dry), and also replaced front wheel bearings. After all this, I felt a little vibration at around 100kph (I never went any faster) so I balanced all 4 wheels.

The next time I took her on the freeway, all hell broke loose starting at around the 115kph mark - the car shook so violently that I almost lost control and had to drop my speed immediately.

Needless to say I took her straight back. Now, my tyres are shot, and I have a new set of Coopers on order - all the people that I have spoken to say it's the tyres, but it is not possible to deteriorate like that without touching the wheels.

Anyhow, after 4 days of replacing bits - including shocks, the guys put another Patrol's wheels on, and told me that they drove up to 140kph without the wobble... So, while waiting for my new wheels, I decided to swap front and back wheels to see if there is any change - and nothing, she does exactly the same thing. Tiger wheels say that maybe now that the suspension is nice and tight, the tyre wear was compensating for the looseness and is now having the opposite effect. I personally am having my doubts, and it's still going to be a while before I can try with new tyres.

Does anyone have some ideas to share, or better still a similar experience that has been resolved? I really need to sort this out as it is bloody dangerous.

[Kagiso II]

ooohhhhhhhh boy - cant wait for Monday and evrybody else getting back on this one... That place that worked on your front end het drooggemaak met lign-up, castor/camber/ drag link & pitman arm settings and all. Oh - BTW, do you have the "steering stabiliser shock" on th efront? [some cleva gents call it a "DAMPER" but thats American and not the Queens language :-)

[Tony]

Yep, I replaced the OEM damper with a TJM component about a year ago.

Are you saying that these oke's don't actually know what they are doing and have charged me a whak of money in order to mess up my baby??

They are adamant that it's my tyres at fault.

[Chris Skinner]

I would guess that they messed up. No ways the tyres can suddenly make such a difference!

[Tinus lotz]

Tony were about are you ??????why don't you get a nother patrol swop weels and test again I am in centoroin

[Tinus lotz]

I think you must get a second oppinion on that !!!!!!!take it for a weelaliment check by some other place......

[Russ Kellermann]

My situation:

Bought my patrol, had slight death wobble at 80 - 100

Installed XGS suspension with 50mm lift (No Steering damper - actually, its totally buggered and has leaked its load) - No more death wobble

Drove like this for 2 years and after multiple wheel rotations etc and wheel balancing with no issues i took it to TWAT last week for my usual rotations etc - major death wobble!!!

They said the wheels (steel rims) are buckled, but if they were i would have felt it straight after the buckling occurs in my opinion. Anyway, told them to sort it out. They swapped the front rims (rims only) to the back and changed front left to front right(tyres) - girlfriend drove it home she says no worries. I am going to drive it today and check - will report back.

Just a Note : My steering damper is totally stuffed, so i dont think these death wobble stories have bugger all to do with steering dampers at all. As i have no proved that death wobble can be eliminated by other means.

[Tinus lotz]

My patrol has done 140000 and I have checked the weelaliment every 5 000 but has never been out ?????if you put the wheel on the balane machine it will show buckeld rims and bad spots on tires????

[Tinus lotz]

Both russ and tony had their patrols set at TWAT mabe their specks are wrong on their data base??????

[davejones]

My advice - get on 4x4community, landcruiser forum (normally helpful as the LC also have solid front axle), or speak to members here for recommended wheel and tyre specialists in your area. 9 times out of 10 it is incompetence. 9 times out of 10 this incompetence is TWT.

For your info also refer to the following link

http://www.patrol4x4.co.za/viewtopic.ph ... 8943#p8943

good luck