Toad wobble

2manytoyz wrote:
Our Jeep Wrangler started getting the "death wobble" late last year. The first time it happened was when the Jeep was being towed behind the motorhome, on the maiden voyage with the new-to-us Class A.

Then it happened again when driving the Jeep shortly thereafter. Took it to the shop. All the front end parts are still within spec, but the steering was pretty neutral, which aggravates the condition.

The fix was simple. Add more toe-in to the alignment. Now the Jeep drives and tows perfectly. The alignment shop said that's the preferred setup they do for any vehicle that's towed behind a motorhome. I've been going to them since the 80s, and always pleased with their work.

This is some great information! I think I will have it done to my Jeep....it doesn't wobble, but I don't want it to start!

cwit wrote:
If a wrangler goes into death wobble it is because something is worn out. The Cherokee on the other hand has the electric pump and will death wobble. I have both and tow both.

Not necessarily! I thought the same thing. We put on a 2.5" lift kit, and went up 2" on tire size (30" to 32"). A couple of years after having no issues, the death wobble occurred.

I had the Jeep shop check it out, they said everything was still tight, but recommended adding some toe-in. Didn't even recommend adding any upgraded steering hardware.

Then took it to the front end alignment shop I've been going to since the 80s. I told them "whatever it is, FIX IT!". They told me the same thing. Simply added toe-in. They had free reign to replace parts, but didn't. Their honesty is why they keep customers since their shop is out of the way.

PROBLEM SOLVED! That was 6 months ago. No problems driving it, or towing it.

Think about how kids are taught to ski. Tips of skis pointed inward to "snowplow" down the hill. That keeps them going straight and neither ski is trying to go a different path. Same concept with tires/steering. The downside is more tire wear, and a slight increase in rolling resistance. I drive a Jeep, and don't care about such things.

If a wrangler goes into death wobble it is because something is worn out. The Cherokee on the other hand has the electric pump and will death wobble. I have both and tow both.

It seems the engineers don't think about vehicles as toads. For instance, the Equinox 4cyl have electronic steering (less expensive) while the 6cyl has hydraulic. This simple difference means the 4cyl develops the wobble while the 6cyl does not. Has to do with the lack of pressure on the steering box. (at least that's the easiest way to describe it). Using the bungee and now pulling a different fuse allows the electronics to stay engaged while towing. Jeep used a pigtail work around. Still, even with these changes, I would never tow on a dolly for a few reasons. One convenience. I can hook/unhook in less than a minute with no tie downs etc.. and I don't have to find a spot to stash the dolly once I arrive. Then again, with a dolly it doesn't matter too much what kind of car you tow.....Dennis

I've been researching to see what car I will buy when I replace the Prius I now tow. That car will likely go to my son when he's off to college.

I drove a recent Jeep Wrangler on a business trip for hundreds of miles and found I could drive that without any issues (I need options like power windows and keyless entry and start -- I'm spoiled) but that's just adding to the bottom line, no issue.

Then I read about "Death Wobble" I look it up online after seeing it mentioned here. What in the holy hell? Then my thought process turned to "Maybe dolly towing isn't so bad after all."

My ACME dolly that I use is very low profile, light enough where I can move it effortlessly, and can tuck under the rear of my rig while in a campground. My impetus for going to 4 wheel tow are those you mentioned, quick attach, less equipment to maintain, and so on. Even with those things in mind, I'm making progress into making the dolly load and unload process less problematic. I'll detail my research and modifications on another thread. I'll just say this, with the size tires I have and the clearance on the dolly, I'm going to build custom wheel chocks for extra insurance against rolling off the dolly.

So, back to my original question. Do dolly towed vehicles cause death wobble? The wheels on a dolly are aligned and don't have the ability to turn independently. My guess is they don't cause the issue. If it's a guarantee they do not, does this affect my 4 wheel tow decision when I purchase my next car?

Monkeyman_and_Lady wrote:
Maybe I want to keep towing a car on a tow dolly....That is insane. I am still thinking about a Jeep Wrangler so I can do without the dolly...haven't had or heard of this happening with a dolly.

anyone else??

It seems the engineers don't think about vehicles as toads. For instance, the Equinox 4cyl have electronic steering (less expensive) while the 6cyl has hydraulic. This simple difference means the 4cyl develops the wobble while the 6cyl does not. Has to do with the lack of pressure on the steering box. (at least that's the easiest way to describe it). Using the bungee and now pulling a different fuse allows the electronics to stay engaged while towing. Jeep used a pigtail work around. Still, even with these changes, I would never tow on a dolly for a few reasons. One convenience. I can hook/unhook in less than a minute with no tie downs etc.. and I don't have to find a spot to stash the dolly once I arrive. Then again, with a dolly it doesn't matter too much what kind of car you tow.....Dennis

Maybe I want to keep towing a car on a tow dolly....That is insane. I am still thinking about a Jeep Wrangler so I can do without the dolly...haven't had or heard of this happening with a dolly.

anyone else??

In the old days when we towed a car, we'd loop an old fan belt around the steering wheel and shut the door on the other end.

The dreaded 'death wobble' can occur with any vehicle with a solid front axle. The only way to stop it is to slow or stop your vehicles. I've experienced it twice with my Equinox and it's not fun. Even with a 45' coach we were shook pretty violently. There are several 'fixes' that can be applied. Jeep designed a $200 work around with a pigtail that needs to be installed. Chevy changed which fuse to pull. I haven't heard of a Ford fix yet. As stated, a bungee wrapped on the steering wheel will prevent it. Put 'death wobble' in the search box above and you'll get lots of reading. I filed a complaint with the NHTSA and while waiting on Chevy to figure it out, I put an eye hook in the floorboard in front of the drivers seat, hooked the bungee to that and thru the steering wheel. Worked great until Chevy came up with their fix. Below is one of the best videos of this issue. Use the bungee method until you check with Ford for a permanent fix.....Dennis


Death Wobble

Our Jeep Wrangler started getting the "death wobble" late last year. The first time it happened was when the Jeep was being towed behind the motorhome, on the maiden voyage with the new-to-us Class A.

Then it happened again when driving the Jeep shortly thereafter. Took it to the shop. All the front end parts are still within spec, but the steering was pretty neutral, which aggravates the condition.

The fix was simple. Add more toe-in to the alignment. Now the Jeep drives and tows perfectly. The alignment shop said that's the preferred setup they do for any vehicle that's towed behind a motorhome. I've been going to them since the 80s, and always pleased with their work.

Sounds like "death wobble". I have a '13 Equinox with electronic steering, towed it for the first 3 years without any issues with the steering. The wobble is created by sharp turns such as pulling out of a side street, and the only way to stop the wobble is to come to a complete stop, and then proceed. You don't make many friends on the street this way.
I have to remove a fuse to tow the car which also kills the electric to the steering which obviously effects the unwanted wobble.
As previously suggested on this form, I wrap a bungee on my steering wheel and hook the two ends on the front edge of the driver's seat to create tension on the steering wheel to keep it centered, it does not take a lot of tension to stop the problem.
My Equinox is a 4 cylinder which has electronic steering, the 6 cylinder engines have hydraulic steering which is not prone to wobble.
I've towed the last 11,000 miles(approx.)in this manner.