Put Teraflex 9550 shocks on the TJ, now have wobblies

[TJustin]

I just purchased new Teraflex 9550 shocks for the 'ol TJ mainly because the Superlift shocks rode stiffer than no suspension, in other words they made the TJ ride like it didnt have a suspension.

After I put on the new shocks I noticed wobbling that would go away quickly when I hit a bump in the road. I thought it was related to the trac bar, but after I put on my adjustable one and tightened it to specs it still wobbles.

When I had the alignment done on the Jeep about a year ago I had the fixed Superlift Control arms. After getting the wobble I installed adjustable control arms that had been sitting in my bedroom for months waiting to be installed. Nothing. I do remember that when the alignment was done the mechanic said that the camber/caster was way off , I dont have the paper but IIRC it was 4.xx. The mechanic said that it really couldnt be adjusted because there was no adjustment to fix that, but now there is thanks to adjustable control arms.

I jacked up each side and checked for play in the tie rod ends, and ball joints and nothing seems loose.

Any diagnosis?

 

[GEEPAHOLIC]

did you check your stearing stabilizer ? i have the same problem but no money for control arms .

 

[bryson]

Steering stabilizer = bandaid. Not going to hurt the issue, but shouldn't be used to fix it.

Make sure all of your steering components are in good shape, double check the track bar, and pay a shop (one that is VERY familiar with Jeeps) for a proper alignment.

 

[waynehartwig]

Steering stabilizer = bandaid. Not going to hurt the issue, but shouldn't be used to fix it.

Make sure all of your steering components are in good shape, double check the track bar, and pay a shop (one that is VERY familiar with Jeeps) for a proper alignment.

x2!
I'm running 39" tires on D60's with no steering stabilizer and have no steering/wobble issues up to ~100 mph. Even when I had 35's and D44's, I had no stabilizer then, either.

And if you think it's the shocks that caused the wobble, take them off and drive it. See if the wobble is still there. If it seriously went from no wobble to wobble and all you did was swap shocks, then pull them. If you did anything on top of that at the same time, like rotate your tires or even just pull a wheel off, go back. Or just take it to a shop and get the tires balanced/checked now.... Worst case that eliminates one very common cause.

...Those crappy stiff shocks could have been covering up a suspension problem, though. So do like Bryson said, check out your suspension.

 

[Herzog]

...Those crappy stiff shocks could have been covering up a suspension problem, though. So do like Bryson said, check out your suspension.

I came in here to post this too.

 

[waynehartwig]

I came in here to post this too.

Crappy shocks suck! You'll love those Teraflex shocks and the ride, though. You'll think you went from a wagon to a Cadillac!

Stay away from these shocks:
Superlift
Black Diamond
ProComp
Skyjacker

Buy these:
Teraflex
Rubicon Express - either mono or twin tube
Edelbrock
Rancho
Bilstein

...I'm sure there are others that I'm forgetting for either list, and they are in no specific order, either. But buy good shocks; you're kidneys and neck will love you for it! Not only that, but that suspension system that you thought was junk and wanted to replace, might not be so bad afterall.

 

[Dal Bone]

You'll love those Teraflex shocks and the ride, though. You'll think you went from a wagon to a Cadillac!

I have the Teraflex 9550 shocks and am disappointed. The ride on my JK is very stiff. I am looking to purchase different ones...just my experience

 

[JackKeslerCustoms]

What are the spec's on the lift? If it's short arms with too much spring or spacer, then you have bad geometry, even with adjustable arms. That would make sense also why it would ride "like it didn't have a suspension". New shocks and an alignment won't help.

 

[TJustin]

Crappy shocks suck! You'll love those Teraflex shocks and the ride, though. You'll think you went from a wagon to a Cadillac!

Stay away from these shocks:
Superlift
Black Diamond
ProComp
Skyjacker

Buy these:
Teraflex
Rubicon Express - either mono or twin tube
Edelbrock
Rancho
Bilstein

...I'm sure there are others that I'm forgetting for either list, and they are in no specific order, either. But buy good shocks; you're kidneys and neck will love you for it! Not only that, but that suspension system that you thought was junk and wanted to replace, might not be so bad afterall.

Wayne, its funny that you list my shocks first. And yes, with the Teraflex shocks the springs actually move. I was wondering the same thing about the Superstiffs covering the issue.

Last night I went thru and torqued all the components to specs. Just about the only thing that I could find was the vertical movement of the frame end of the trac bar. It isn't much but its noticeable.

The last thing that I could possibly see that is that the camber is off. When I had the alignment done they told me that the camber was high, but at the time there was nothing we could do because the lack of LCA's. I now have LCA's.

From what I can tell, the specs are somewhere from 6-8. From the sheet that I am looking at now it is telling me that it was set to 9. Could this in ANY way cause the wobble?

 

[TJustin]

Just to describe the wobble- There is no wobble on smooth roads, the tires are giving no vibes. It seems to be the worst when I hit a hole on just one side of the Jeep and it will only wobble for a second or two. I dont have to slow down for the wobble to go away, it does on its own.

I have noticed that it does pull a little when I hit a bump. Its not huge by any means, but it does pull to one side momentarily.

 

[TJustin]

What are the spec's on the lift? If it's short arms with too much spring or spacer, then you have bad geometry, even with adjustable arms. That would make sense also why it would ride "like it didn't have a suspension". New shocks and an alignment won't help.

Its a Superlift 4". Its got Rusty's front LCA's Teraflex front track bar and shocks, and take off tie rod & drag link also from teraflex plus. Right now the arms are at the length the old Superlift ones were. It does have a VERY improved ride, it rides like stock + wobble.

 

[waynehartwig]

I didn't rate them as the #1 worse, just the first to come to mind when I posted my opinions of shocks.

It really sounds like the toe in is incorrect... Should be 1/8-1/4". You can do a pretty good job of checking/adjusting it in your driveway with a tape measure.

Simply find a common center on both front tires.
The measure directly in front of the axle and directly behind, roughly the same distance off the ground on both.
The front measurement should be .25-.5" less than the rear.

Easy squeezy...Takes about 2 mins to check it. Just make sure full weight is on the rig and the suspension is settled - ie you didn't just gas it causing the front end to rise before stopping or in the middle of a turn when you stopped, and hten turned the wheels straight. If so, simple straigten the wheel and roll it back and forth a few times by hand.

 

[TJustin]

I just went out an measured.

front- 60 7/8
rear-61 1/4

 

[Jesser04]

Track bar any movement is to much IMO. Is it an adjustable or has it been relocated? Does the wheel always wobble to the same direction when it starts?

 

[waynehartwig]

I just went out an measured.

front- 60 7/8
rear-61 1/4

That's nearly 1/2"... Not too bad. Might cause the issue you have, but probably not. Look elsewhere... Maybe ball joints? Unit bearings?

Lift the front end up so the tires are off the ground. The grab the tire at 6 and 12 o clock with your hands and see if you can wiggle it.

If the ball joints/unit bearings are even starting to go, then you will definately feel it.

Lock the steering and try it again at 3 and 9 o'clock. This will move a bit, but you might be able to see where the movement stops - ie what's loose and not tight.

 

[waynehartwig]

Track bar any movement is to much IMO. Is it an adjustable or has it been relocated? Does the wheel always wobble to the same direction when it starts?

Yeah, I'd fix that first... Any movement there can cause this type of thing.

 

[Jesser04]

Is it possible his drag link and track bar are not parallel and he wasn't noticing it because the stiff shocks weren't letting his suspension cycle and the new shocks are? Hence the pushing to one side?

 

[TJustin]

I did check the tie rod ends and the ball joints while checking the suspension and all seems to be well. There was no movement in either of them.

I had the tires unbalanced idea in mind, and indeed they were out of balance but did not fix the issue. I also had a buddy turn the steering wheel back and forth while I checked everything and the only loose thing I could see was the Track bar.

 

[waynehartwig]

I did check the tie rod ends and the ball joints while checking the suspension and all seems to be well. There was no movement in either of them.

I had the tires unbalanced idea in mind, and indeed they were out of balance but did not fix the issue. I also had a buddy turn the steering wheel back and forth while I checked everything and the only loose thing I could see was the Track bar.

Fix the track bar because you already know it's an issue. Then see if it fixed it. If not, then back to the beginning.

 

[JackKeslerCustoms]

Last night I went thru and torqued all the components to specs. Just about the only thing that I could find was the vertical movement of the frame end of the trac bar. It isn't much but its noticeable.

It's the track bar. That explains all of the issues. The angles of the track bar and tie rod was my next suggestion, but any movement in the track bar will cause this.