Wheel hop fun.

art451

New member
Just bought an 89 wrangler yj. Lately I've been having problems with the front end 'hopping'. At a certain speed with the steering at a certain angle the front tires start, walking is as best as I can say. This happens when the speedo reads 55 or a bit over and stops when it reads 40 or so. Tie-rod ends, ball joints, dampener? Any input is appreciated.
 

Does it hop when driving in a straight line, or when taking turns?

Do you know if you have lockers in the front, or if it's in four wheel drive?
 
either you have oddly balanced tires (i say oddly because you are a hair low to have balance issues but its close enough to check)

or, does it happen at all when you hit a slight deviation in the road surface?
 

either you have oddly balanced tires (i say oddly because you are a hair low to have balance issues but its close enough to check)

or, does it happen at all when you hit a slight deviation in the road surface?

It does OK when I hit larger bumps, but it seems that it's the smaller ones, like old patches or joints that start the show. It also feels like when I'm driving into a quartering wind or across the wind, it doesn't seem to do it as much. It wants to but it doesn't quite get there.
 
sounds like the "death wobble" (da da da!!!) ha ha ha, adding effect to the words

no, it sounds just like when my comanche had a bad vibration damper on the front end. is it stock height?
 
sounds like the "death wobble" (da da da!!!) ha ha ha, adding effect to the words

no, it sounds just like when my comanche had a bad vibration damper on the front end. is it stock height?

I also think it is death wobble, from the sounds of it... BUT, vibration dampners are only a band aid fix, which means that other things are wrong to begin with. Look for loose steering components...
 
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