Death Wobble on this immaculate '99 Jeep Cherokee! CAR WIZARD shows how to find it and the fix

[@rbkahuna8192]

We purchased a barely used 2001 Cherokee Sport 4.0 and put almost 200,000 miles on it. In that time it got tires, brakes,oil changes,one tuneup and a serpentine belt. Hands down the most reliable vehicle we ever owned so far.

[@imchris5000]

if the bushings have not been done already just go ahead and buy a mild lift kit they include most of the bushings you will need. the problem is the rubber is over 20 years old and is degrading quickly every time you drive it. my 97 tj had all stock bushings till this year and they were extremely rotten now it rides like it was new again with 2 more inches of lift

[@bobquattrini1787]

Nice...My 99 Xj has over 400,000 miles and it's just like new...Best vehicle ever built...A real tank

[@Pointlesshandle48]

They’re sweet. I wish I never sold mine. 4 liter had great power and it would pretty much drive over anything I wanted it to.

[@riveneva1519]

I have a 99 Cherokee that I bought used with 149,000 miles on it. It eventually developed a death wobble - very scary as you said. I replaced all of the wear items in the front and that solved it. That Jeep now has 304,000 miles on it and is still going strong. I’ve got another 99 Cherokee that i bought used with 192,000 miles that i’m fixing up. It was overheated and a shop told the previous owner it wasn’t worth fixing. I bought it for $500 and replaced the head and head gasket and it runs fine now. These are simple, tough vehicles that are easy and cheap to repair. I’m never selling mine.

[@fredsimmons6188]

I love that Crown Vic in the background.

[@keithcurtis6671]

Car Wizard: " I DO NOT work on older cars!!" Also Car Wizard "Here is the latest old car I am working on!" Keep up the good work!

[@NICK-uy3nl]

Real mechanic works on any car, sissies only work on 10 yrs or newer cars that is not too greasy

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

A vehicle with "timeless" and "abundant" spare parts, upgrade parts... so no hesitation working on it and fixing it....?

[@nickrenda9985]

By older cars, he refers to stuff older than the mid 80s

[@peterzinia3767]

If it needs to be fixed...Fix it! Production year doesn't matter. Wuss. REVOULUTION!!

[@Averagegunenthusiast]

@@NICK-uy3nli understand why they don’t want to work on classics, it’s more about the time it takes to find parts and since it’s not your car you have to bill for that, sometimes it takes days to weeks, you have the car taking up space the whole time. Classic cars are better left to those who can work on them themselves.

[@tornadotj2059]

I've owned 3 of these. My daughter just turned over 180,000 miles on her 98. I'll argue that the steering stabilizer is a band aid and not a solution to death wobble, so a failed stabilizer would only reveal another problem, and would not be the primary problem. I've worked on hundreds of these and TJs, which have the same front end setup. No rear swaybar means it either has the Up Country suspension, or someone removed it at some time.

[@Mr.XJ.96]

They never left the factory without a sway bar. I've been running with no sway bar for years with no issues. Im lazy and dont feel like disconnecting or reconnecting everytime I go Play which is Daily.

[@tornadotj2059]

@@Mr.XJ.96 They did. As I said the Up Country suspension deletes the rear sway bar. From Wikipedia: Rear suspension: The XJ uses a leaf spring rear suspension. Each leaf pack contains four leaf springs with a fixed eye at the front of the spring and a compression-style shackle at the rear of the spring. Two gas-charged shock absorbers are also used, along with a mild anti-sway/anti-roll bar. The suspension used on vehicles with the optional UpCountry package did not employ the rear anti-sway/anti-roll bar and provided one inch of lift over the standard suspension.

[@Mr.XJ.96]

@@tornadotj2059 I know these in and out....I'm on XJ 24 since 1999. All I own and all I drive. I fix and flip them too.

[@tornadotj2059]

@@Mr.XJ.96 Sorry but you are incorrect. I shared the data with you. My 1999 had the Up Country and came with no rear swaybar. Where do you think all the XJ guys got the idea of taking them off and tossing them out in the trash? Because Jeep sold them with the Up Country with no rear swaybar. I've built more offroad TJs, YJs, XJs, etc. than I can even remember. We had a shop. Go out to NAXJA or something and ask, you'll find I am correct. Not many people bought them with Up Country suspension, so it doesn't really surprise me that you haven't seen one.

[@NONAME-kw3pu]

its not an MG Midget, mazda miata, triumph spitfire... but ppl think it is as they think the "APPROPRIATE FOLLOWING DISTANCE" is 20' behind someone at 70 mph??? and they stop... and so they THINK that they can TURN the 4x4 LIKE a "car" and ... its too heavy

[@Uncle05Sam]

That's a good looking Crown Vic in the background... two of the most bulletproof engines and overall vehicles in one video, well done.

[@Cherokeelion]

Looks like a police interceptor, maybe a detectives car. I saw it immediately as well!

[@klwthe3rd]

I lived not far from Papa's Jeep in New Britain CT. That dealership sold TONS of Jeeps throughout the state. I would see their dealership sticker on the back of many Jeep vehicles for decades. Nice to see this one survived. 😊

[@Crzyfrlss1]

I also lived close by there and even bought a Jeep from them!

[@scienceman2024]

I had a 95 Cherokee that I absolutely loved, 237,000+ miles on the odo. Loved that beast.

[@onemat2000]

Hi Wizzard! I grew up in New Britain and Papa's Dodge is still there! My dad bought several cars, I think a 63 Dart. My neighbor had a '66 Charger. It was a great car.

[@ktm42080]

Brings tears to my eyes, I had an 89 Cherokee Laredo. I loved that darn Jeep. It was a demo model for a local Jeep/AMC dealer and was ordered with every option, no tinted glass, but had keyless entry. Beautiful, comfortable, cloth bucket seats. And A/C to freeze you on a 97 degree day. This was in the early 00's.

[@miketyler4536]

Mine was the 2 tone Blue and 5 spd and was a billy goat and got good mileage and only has 112 K and was a ski vehicle for a client in Denver who brought it to SLC Utah where i bought it for 1200 in 2006 and flipped it less than a year for double that

[@DLTJR1959]

I bought an 89 Laredo June of 21. Took a year to get it right. Nothing major, just maintenance. 123K miles and no rust. Just got it painted. Uses no oil and runs great. I get lots of stares. They are great vehicles.

[@miketyler4536]

@@DLTJR1959 Mine was the rare 5 spd. Not many had that for that year or other years forward

[@TammyOne-rd9ng]

Just got a 2002 grand Cherokee Laredo. 110,000 miles. My research said it was a good buy. Fingers crossed

[@JoeyDaBull]

@@TammyOne-rd9ng i have an 04 i bought new.. get ready to be swapping parts if it has original front tierods etc..if something is making noise have it checked out.. how much did u pay?

[@SaxaphoneMan42]

those 4 liter straight 6 engines were really cool. the last automobile motor manufactured in America with a flat tappet camshaft.

[@travisp11]

I had a 2001 XJ and it was my daily driver for 10+ years on jt. My dad currently drives it with over 250k miles on the ODO. Great vehicle but expect to replace items like heater cores, AC compressors, rear leaf springs, camshaft and crankshaft position sensor and the rear hatch wiring likes to break. Lastly the fitting that the oil filter screws into will eventually leak oil on the starter below. I also replaced my headliner

[@jakelannetti3128]

Sold my old XJ last year because the frame had holes in it, but it was at 250,000 miles and ran incredibly well. That was my second one. Absolutely love these.

[@michaelpalm2210]

I had 2 of them myself and that 4.0 L High Output engine was great. If jeep still made them ,I'd buy another one, but they don't so I got a 2020 Toyota 4runner......ironically it also has a strong 4.0 L engine.

[@jonc2914]

Great engine to bad chrystler always had crappy metal. Rust problems.

[@jakelannetti3128]

@@michaelpalm2210 I think that Toyota 4.0 is better than the XJ’s. Keep it for life!

[@kdailey4315]

99 is the best year for the Cherokees. Still had the 8.25 rear end and it didn't have the head gasket issues that the 00 had.

[@baelm]

not entirely true, I had a 99 and the issue is the casting of the head itself. apparently some 99's had the 0331 head

[@v12alpine]

To add to things - first year of the horseshoe intake and thrust plate cam. Last year of the dizzy, high pinion D30, and federal emissions. Pretty much the best of everything offered.

[@baelm]

@@v12alpine i miss mine bad

[@v12alpine]

@@baelm I can't imagine selling them, I have a 99, two 96's and a 93 wrecked parts car I pick off of when needed.

[@toddrhine7648]

​@v12alpine HI, I own a 93 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo with the I6 4.0.(all stock and wanna keep it that way!) Where does a guy buy good OEM parts for it? Like from sensors to suspension. Like they say, Mopar or Nopar when it come to sensors especially!

[@GuyChapman]

That is bang tidy. A seriously capable vehicle, that has been treated with some care by the looks of it. There are a couple of channels that run XJs, notably Matt's Offroad Recovery. It really makes the case for unibody: light, rigid and strong.

[@greenteagabe]

I have owned one of these for nearly 2 years and have never, ever had to take it into a shop. Everything on these things is cheap and easy to replace. The engine is almost as simple as a 12v Cummins. Of course once you start lifting them you'll want to get a bunch of supporting mods (beefed up track bar and steering stabilizer, unibody stiffeners, etc) but they are incredible vehicles. Glad this one's been so well preserved. Most of the XJs in my area (besides mine and my mom's 83k mile '96) are beat down and have numerous miles. But each and every one still manages to start up on the first crank.

[@baelm]

sold my 99 x4x manual in 2020 for way too little money... regret it every day

[@jonc2914]

I hope so... taking a car to a shop after only 2 years would be very bad reliability lol

[@JaredJanhsen]

My brother in law got one of these for a few hundred bucks. Reason it was so cheap was the wonderful world of corrosion on the underside. He welded in a replacement floor pan and he's still got it rolling as an adventure truck with the 4.0 six cylinder. The aftermarket support for these is rather robust.

[@volvo09]

I like these, wouldn't mind picking one up some day. I've always liked the looks of them too, they're almost 4x4 versions of a Volvo 740 / 940 wagon but with a taller body.

[@davidg1152]

@@JustSomeGuyNotAnAlien The 4.0 is a different engine from the 258 CID six.

[@JustSomeGuyNotAnAlien]

@@davidg1152 Thank you for correcting me. I was wrong. I appreciate you.

[@chrisbalfoort2564]

I had a "98 Sport 4.0L 5-Speed, and my dad had a '99 SE 4.0L Auto. Before that my dad had a '90 4.OL Auto. We loved them! The '90 warped the head because of the crappy AMC cooling system. I wrecked my severely rotted one, and my dad's rusted to the point that it wouldn't pass NY inspection.

[@doctorzaius4084]

The early 4.0 "closed" cooling system (no radiator cap) needed to be bled a very specific way or it was guaranteed to overheat. I drove myself nuts trying to get this right on the first Cherokee I owned. Once you get the air out of the system it works great, but it's a pain in the ass. A lot of people just convert theirs to the newer radiator, but there's nothing wrong with it - it's just weird.

[@Thundarr995]

You don't need to park indoors to keep your car lookin good. I park my 96 Grand Cherokee under the carport. Mine is probably as nice as this one. It has about 150k on it,and its a 5.2L. Mine started to get death wobble awhile ago, I installed the better track bar that you were speaking of. It's adjustable too,except I didn't need to adjust it, as mine only has 1.5 in lift Iron Rock medium duty springs. I definitely recommend them and shocks. The aftermarket adjustable track bar gets rid of that pesky ball joint that's prone to failure. Another thing that is a good upgrade is a steering box stabilizer. That really makes the steering noticeably more responsive, and it'll save your steering box seal from leaking by eliminating flex. I know we're talking XJ here,but the front steering and suspension is nearly identical to the ZJ and alot of ZJ parts will swap right into an XJ. You can actually swap the ZJ steering components, drag link tie rods ...etc into an XJ. That stuff is hollow on an XJ,but solid on a ZJ.

[@mattheweburns]

In addition to the death wobble, these are known for getting bad steering gearbox is where there is a lot of play in the steering. We fixed mine about 10 years ago and 100,000 miles ago put some Bill Steen shocks on it Cooper cover tires and it can still keep up with traffic on the interstate.

[@aaronbrown6266]

So that Bill Steen guy makes some pretty good shocks?🤣

[@Thundarr995]

The steering box seal on these and the ZJ is prone to leaking because the pitman arm shaft is really long and unsupported. If you add a steering box stabilizer,it will make the steering more responsive by eliminating flex,it will also keep the steering box from leaking. Did you know that a Chevy S-10 steering box will bolt right on a XJ or ZJ? Yup, it's a faster steering ratio too. Idk all the years that swap in,but 96 to 2000 fits. Probably other years too,but I haven't swapped any other ones. I wouldn't be surprised if they're all the same. All the bolts line right up.

[@happilyham6769]

Good ol' Bill Steen.

[@67FORDTRUCKF250]

​@@Thundarr995 wow, I didn't know that... awesome advice, thanks!!! I replaced my steering box a couple of years ago and didn't know about the flex issue.

[@williamjones4483]

Bilstein. Jeez.

[@jaredcrawford3025]

Like my father before me, I also am a huge Toyota fan and believe in the liability as well like father like son, became a Toyota technician..I don't say this often, but I agree 100% those 4.0 engines and XJ's and the older 4.0 wrangler were very well built and lasts.. It's a shame they don't make them like they used to. I heard the reason the 4.0 was ousted was because they couldn't get it to meet California emissions. Congratulations on your FJ40 purchase.

[@JBK647]

The liability?

[@jaredcrawford3025]

@JBK my mistake lol. Reliability ****

[@bobquattrini1787]

My 99 Xj has over 400,000 miles and it's just like new and it doesn't need a timing belt like Toyota's and it has a solid axle... It'll outlast and outwheel the Toyota with ease too.... 😆

[@marshalmagooo3899]

The 4.0 and AW transmission was an indestructible combination

[@marshalmagooo3899]

​@Bob Quattrini just like new is an overstatement. I owned 3 as well and they were spartan at best

[@Homeinmygardenwithmydog]

My daily driver is a 1998 Cherokee XJ Classic in Deep Amethyst Pearl (purple). Just had the rear leaf springs re-arched and a leaf added to them. This lead to getting some new, taller springs up front. That with my new, bigger tires and rims, gives it a certain badass look to it. Great, great car. 187,500 miles on it. Just keeps going. I do my own maintenances to it and I am, at best, a shade tree mechanic. It is extremely simple to work on. I hope to keep it forever. Perfect size with great power. I drive it with the rear seat folded down pretty much all the time. Had the death wobble taken care of. No biggie. I should also add that, because I live in the high desert of Nevada, I don’t have ANY rust on it. 😎 Love your videos, Mr and Mrs Car Wizard!

[@stevemcdaniel7990]

Had 2 Cherokees, an 89 and 2001 (final model year for the XJ) and got great service from both. Plenty of power and torque and great off-road capabilities. This definitely makes me nostalgic seeing Wizard's video! Thankfully never experienced the death wobble in either but I was aware that many Chrysler vehicles had that problem.

[@richardsmith2721]

I had one in Salt Lake City in the 80's. It had plenty of torque to get me up LCC canyon to Alta and Snowbird. It was really comfortable on the highway driving up to Jackson Hole or down to Moab too.

[@mr.mr.3301]

Had the death wobble. Started with steering stabilizer. Tires balanced. Shocks. Ended up being my sway bar. Yes get an upgraded adjustable track bar. Good if they add a 2 inch budget boost as well.

[@DorDeKrey]

My Commander has been the best vehicle we've owned, and I also own a '12 FJ Cruiser. 240k miles zero break downs, no major repairs, no leaks either. It just keeps going, you can sit comfortably in it, and it will cruise along while towing our boat without complaint. I can confirm the diff bushings wear out & exhaust manifold bolts, but all our electronics work, remote start, power liftgate, moonroof, etc. Rockers are rusted out, and its starting to creep up the fenders...my FJ is also excellent, but the frames disintegrate over time unfortunately. Glad to see you got one from TX.

[@GeraldPUR]

The track bar. I'll remember that thnk! The oil pan gasket is a very easy fix. Hell, even the valve cover gasket was a breeze to replace. I love this 4.0L engines 😊 get them while you can ppl!

[@moonshinefuel]

Leaf springs over axle on the back, coils on the front. Very capable well built and mod friendly vehicles.

[@OutnBacker]

I owned a 96 for almost eight years. The most reliable vehicle I have ever had, and I've owned a lot of used ones over the last 45 years. I now drive a 95 Grand Cherokee that is a cream puff. I hope it is as reliable going forward because it has the same 4 liter but lots more comfort. The only downside is that the six cylinder works pretty hard, given the extra 700 lbs for the Grand. Pretty decent on the spur tracks off of the local forest roads. a 3' lift with Goodyear 30x9.50x15 KO2's is all I need. No death wobble with either model.

[@mrblondeheart9562]

I had a 04 GC with the 4.0L in it. I blew it up sadly. But that’s what happens when you roll back down a hill in drive… Miss my WJ but now I own a FJ cruiser and couldn’t be happier. I have a love for the 4.0L and love watching vids on them

[@machintelligence]

The first XJ that I owned had to have the track bar replaced once in 248,000 miles. I caught it before the death wobble set in.

[@pkvillager]

I miss my 98 Cherokee more than any of my old cars.

[@gerardtrigo380]

Having been a 4X4 person since the 60's and having seen death wobble many times in many off-road vehicles, I think the destroyed busing you have found may be a result of the death wobble, not its cause. The two most common causes on solid axle vehicles were oversized tires and/or an improper lift kit installation that did not provide a proper dropped pitman arm. The adjustable track bars do not keep the front geometry as well as the proper pitman arm. Good luck.

[@budlanctot3060]

I refuse to call it "xxxxx wobble". When it happened to me on my '94 Cherokee, it was a little disconcerting I'll grant you, but it just felt like I had a flat tire. For me, I put new tires and shocks on it, and it never reappeared in over 150k subsequent miles.

[@ky0611]

Have you ever experienced any slight shaking from 50 to 60 mph?

[@TexasRedneck]

@@budlanctot3060then you didn’t have death wobble.

[@jimsix9929]

you are right about that bushing being the result, not the cause, I am the owner of Jims power steering in Akron Ohio, the cure is more positive caster, yes everything needs to be tight but 3 degrees of caster will cure it even with worn parts

[@chrishayden8137]

Papas is still going! I live about 30 minutes away and they primarily deal with Jeeps, Rams, and Dodge.

[@wesfields9322]

Man's wizard said, "Old is pre '95". You're hilarious people, keep up the content, peeps

[@GutsAnGlory]

Papa's is still in business! Current New Britain resident and I drive by it almost every week 😊

[@crazyeyez1502]

My mom had a 91. It had the selectable awd, "fulltime 4wd" as labeled on the selector. 2hi 4hi 4lo and full-time. Full-time was great for heavy rain and snow, as it acted like (best i was able to tell 20 years ago) a typical awd system.

[@JeffMiletich]

I had a very clean 1970 VW Beetle that I bought in 1975 from the original owner who babied it (garaged), painted it a root beer metallic brown, had 50,000 miles on it. I kept it well maintained & then one day I experienced the "Death Rattle" after going over some railroad tracks. It almost shook the steering wheel out of my hands! I had to come to a complete stop for it to stop shaking. Back in those days Target carried many popular parts for Beetles, so for $13.99 + tax I bought a new steering damper. Took about 5 minutes to install. It was still working properly when I sold the car 3 years later with 103,000 miles on it.

[@gaetanochiurillo1380]

Wizard! I live 10 minutes from Papa’s in New Britain CT. They are still in business. Bought a few jeeps there myself. Had a 2004 Jeep wrangler unlimited that had the death wobble. Couldn’t solve it so I traded it in for a 2011 Jeep GC. Love the channel and a hello to Mrs. Wizard.

[@klwthe3rd]

Yeah I wasn't far from that dealership either. They sold alot of Jeeps throughout the state. We had Wetmores and Georgetown Jeep/AMC in my part of the state.

[@shoemaker924]

Chiming in from New Britain! So cool to see this in wizard's shop!

[@Icehawks7]

@@klwthe3rd yup I live in the same town as Wetmores. Small size for a dealership but they sell a ton of Jeeps it’s crazy!

[@klwthe3rd]

@@Icehawks7 They aren't still open are they? I used to know Old man Wetmore and his wife. They were members at Ridgewood Country Club for years. They were so old when i knew them back in the 1990's. Wasn't sure if the dealership was still operating?

[@Icehawks7]

@@klwthe3rd oh I have no idea who the owners are. Also we may not even be referring to the same Wetmores, I’m referring to the one in New Milford. Not sure if that’s the one you are thinking of as well.

[@MichaelWilson-sn1yo]

Mr Wizard, been watching your videos for years and enjoy the content. This video helped me fix longtime death wobble curse in my 96 XJ 2 door. Love the Jeep hated the wobble! Thanks for your help

[@johngaither9263]

Three years in a Jeep dealership in the 70's I never saw "death wobble" in a Cherokee or Wagoneer. Different sized vehicle than yours. The wobble was common in the CJ-5 and was most often the stabilizer unit. Jeep called the Cardin joint a constant velocity joint; it had no provisions for lubrication. Bad news if it failed. The flailing shaft frequently cracked the trans case.

[@jonc2914]

Why would you see death wobble selling NEW cars?

[@outdoorsinoregon]

Good Video. As a long-time Jeep guy and owner of a TJ and a JK, I agree with everything you said. I believe most death wobble issues are related to aftermarket lifts and/or improperly torqued bolts. However, on a stock Jeep, the track bar and steering stabilizer are probably the most common causes, followed by front brake calipers sticking (not releasing). The design of the front calipers on the XJ and TJ contribute to sticking, especially if driving in sand and dirt or letting the vehicle sit without driving it for a while. Unlike most calipers, they don't use clips with anti-rust coating for the pads to slide on, and the pad gets stuck rather easily due to debris or rust between pad and caliper.

[@TenFalconsMusic]

Really enjoy Mrs Wizard's interior walkthroughs. 😁👍

[@mattheweburns]

I finally figured out how to fix overheating problems on these engines! Fan shroud makes a big difference, when you pick out a thermostat never delete your thermostat and don’t go with a cooler thermostat either, go with an OEM 195 degree thermostat. I guess it lets the coolant stay in the radiator long enough to actually cool significantly better. I did all sorts of stupid stuff and this was the only thing that worked. Some of these do you have some sort of reverse flow cooling systems, which can be confusing.

[@rootbeer666]

I had that on my Grand Cherokee. There was a spot on the highway where the cracks had the exact interval to trigger it when going a certain speed. I would often get stuck in dense traffic going that exact speed, and would have no choice but to run over that spot and trigger the wobble, needing to pull off onto the shoulder a quarter mile down (where there is a shoulder) to slow down and let the suspension calm down. The fix lasts a couple years.

[@matthewgreener9423]

Northeast?

[@karlkarl-2247]

Drove one for 13 years had a lot of fun with it.

[@garganega]

One point about shocks and dampers. Rebound problems can arise with no leaks. The only way to test is to drive over a dip that forces rebound. I had a brand new car with this problem in a strut.

[@shitloveaduck]

Yeah,,, dry shocks don’t mean they aren’t worn out. There more to inspecting them than just seeing if they are dry. Like others said here, death wobble is rarely attributable to just one item needing repair or replacement. The shocks appear to be originals. If they are 100,000 miles or 160,000 kms are more than enough on them to consider some better quality aftermarket ones. All 4.

[@jimsix9929]

hey car wizard, that is a really nice jeep, I am the owner of Jims power steering in Akron ohio, I have fixed more death wobble problems than I can remember, and you are so right it is scarry, and will not stop until you slow to 5 mph, hard to do in traffic, yes that track bar should be replaced but what I have found is more positive caster is the cure, even with loose parts, death wobble is gone

[@travisp11]

I know that you guys don’t really do much with tires but would it be possible for you to do a video on when or when not to replace all 4 tires when dealing with AWD vehicles? Also a basic explanation as to why all 4 should or should not be replaced (for example when you have 1 tire that is damaged beyond repair). With the sheer number of AWD vehicles out there now, shops may be taking advantage of customers when they claim a tire on their AWD vehicle cannot be repaired. I know you did a video on an AWD Cherokee with a roasted diff a while back.

[@masterwhopper414]

Believe me, your AWD/traction control system knows right away when all 4 tires do not have equal tread depth and your differentials will start freaking out the moment you lose grip. Replace all 4, or buy whichever tires need to be replaced and shave the new tire tread down to match the tread depth of the old tires still on the car.

[@travisp11]

@@masterwhopper414 I ended up buying a new set of 4 but took a heck of a lot of convincing for my grandparents to do the same with their Subaru Outback when they had a blowout that couldn’t be repaired

[@stevec5657]

Had an '89 XJ and installed a basic Rusty's Offroad 3" lift (springs and shocks). Immediate death wobble. I eventually figured out that with the front 4-link setup, the lift actually rotated the axle forward a little - introducing negative caster and resulting in death wobble. Adjustable UCA's and LCA's from Rusty's returned caster to stock and solved the problem.

[@Anatoli50]

Curing death wobble on a 24 year old Jeep usually involves renewing many components as they all contribute. The steering box can appear ok but replacement is often needed.

[@joeturbo7406]

Bought my 2001 XJ a little over 4 years ago with 220k miles on the clock. It's now at 262k and counting (my daily driver). I've had death wobble a few times, can't seem to figure it out. Any more I just stay off the highway. Never happens below 50 MPH which is 99% of my daily driving. Living in the rust belt, it's tough to find one that isn't rusted out or made into a woods vehicle. I installed a 1.75" lift and 1x size larger tires for the "up country" look. Love this XJ (my 2nd Cherokee). Great video Wizard!

[@mattscullin5844]

Cool! I saw this jeep in the last video and was wondering about it. I have a '99 Cherokee myself. Thanks for doing this video!

[@theweeze1922]

I love my ‘06 TJ…the 4.0 straight 6 is the pinnacle of AMC technology

[@titaniumman_22]

I have a 98 Cherokee I’m finishing up a stroker build on…I love the look and simplicity of these guys. Thanks for this video and this 99 Cherokee is in insanely excellent condition.

[@thomasculkin349]

Yes, Papa's in New Britain CT is still around. I bought a Charger R/T from them in 2013 and currently have one of their Chrysler 200s.

[@stevenatwater7298]

Did anyone else see play in the driver outer ball joint?? With the age, I'd be prone to replace just about everything up front, all links, ball joints, tie rods. Make it enjoyable and SAFE for years to come. I still say you need to apply way more force than that to identify worn ball joints, etc.

[@shitloveaduck]

He mentioned that he had already checked them on the ground. If they show serious wear in the air, they are much worse than a person actually thinks.

[@jlr194]

Yes, Papa's is still in Business, I used to live in Connecticut until a year ago.

[@johnspitta6725]

Love that u mention date codes on tires. Please tell my wife I’m not wasting money but saving her life when I replace 6 year old tires that look “fine” to her.

[@bobkonradi1027]

I'm in an area where Discount Tire has a big presence. Don't let the name fool you, they're a quality operation. My purpose in mentioning them: they have a company policy not to do work (like fixing flats, etc) on any tires over 5 years old. They'd rather lose the repair business than send a customer out with a fatigued tire.

[@johnspitta6725]

@Feral Man thanks for the tip! But I thought the problem was that they rot from the inside? Is that not so?

[@grad0n]

I’ve had an xj ever since 1993 and have kept a half dozen of them and bought, fixed , and sold a half dozen others. I prefer the 2 dr manual SEs. I have a 99 w 220k and the lady has an 00 with 232k. The only cons are the

[@ChocolateFrog]

Had one in the UK. Quite rare over here but I got rid before the rust became terminal.

[@scootermann83]

There is some colorful, interesting cars in the background today. That burgandy P71 looks nice and that blue 911 is gorgeous

[@ericwilson2585]

I really like the XJ series Jeep's, one of my favorite vehicles. I've even heard that it's not uncommon for these cars to last for over 700,000 miles down south in states where they don't rust out. Now that's amazing. I think Chrysler might have had something to do with that, IDK, Lol...

[@Slacksfifth]

Credit goes out to it's made in Japan transmission. It's AMC built cast iron block; and of course it's handsome French influenced body styling.

[@HEMI345S]

@@Slacksfifth Sorry, but the transmission was made in S. Korea.

[@Slacksfifth]

@@HEMI345S No it was not. The same transmission is used in the Toyota supra , Cressida, and sc300 Lexus models. All of those cars are Japanese. You dummy.

[@nev997TT]

I still have my ‘95 two-door Cherokee Sport with manual transmission and 275k miles. It’s been sitting unused for a number of years, and definitely shows it’s age, but these really are terrific vehicles. I was able to get 215k miles out of the original clutch. The first time I experienced the death wobble it certainly did scare the crap out of me. I hit a very small pothole on the highway and the front end started going completely crazy until I slowed down to around 30mph.

[@sccarguy8242]

The prices on these are going up and up, especially in clean original condition with lower miles. They are absolutely future collectibles.

[@baelm]

there is a 89k mile 98 model 4x4 manual in Colorado, dealer wants 12k

[@mikesweet5848]

Yeah that's been the case for the past 7 years already.

[@tunnelsnake627]

​@@baelm I've nabbed a 1996 with 250k and and 92 with 50k mile both for just $1500

[@baelm]

@@tunnelsnake627 i'm gonna keep looking then

[@rickbrown7287]

Ive got a '99 with almost 300,000 miles on it. Bought it in 2001 with 20,000 on it. I missed out on a 2001 that looked and drove LIKE NEW about a month ago. The lot it was on was asking $17,000.oo. Hes got another 2001 that's gonna be up for sale soon. Waiting to see what he's gonna ask for it. It only has 74,000 miles on it. 🤪

[@Jordan-ce7sf]

My parents bought a year-old '95 Cherokee County when I was a kid. Hunter Green over tweed. Damn that thing was beautiful.

[@aymaneoubad5057]

Cool car ! Also, can we please have a video about that Crown Victoria ?

[@drooskeedoo3388]

Man, brings back memories. I had a 99 I used to beat to hell and it never left me stranded. They also had an amazingly reliable automatic transmission. The aw4 was unkillable. Another issue with that front track bar is that the hole for the bolt on the axle bracket wallows out. It's pretty thin metal. I would weld on a little strip of 1/4 steel and re-drill the hole.

[@todd2k3]

Totally agree. My 99' was awesome. I regret everyday having wrecked it. The guy I sold it too fixed it and got it running again and still drives it. It was low mileage and I babied the heck out of that thing... sad.

[@bienvenidojosejorajuria5125]

Stabilizer bar

[@rootbeer666]

I had the imported Aisin tranny in my '93 Grand Cherokee. That had no issues either.

[@cjhawk67]

Fun fact the AW4 also known as the Aisen Warner A340 is a Toyota transmission Chrysler picked to put behind the 4.0 in 87 when they shoehorned the motor in the XJ because it was strong yet small enough to fit within the constraints of the XJ trans tunnel.

[@drooskeedoo3388]

@@cjhawk67 and yet, for some reason, they didn't put it in the TJ. I'm still salty about the 42rle they ended up using in later years. That thing has no business being behind the 4.0

[@lstruggy]

My 2007 jgc laredo 4x4 limited just hit 220K and she still runs amazing and still nice inside & out. Was gonna trade her i for newer jgc but decided I’m gonna drive her till the wheels falls out

[@phillipcraggs6202]

A bad steering stabilizer does not cause death wobble. True, any number of loose ball joints/tie rods can attribute to death wobble, including the track bar, a worn out steering box as well, an incorrect caster angle can also contribute to death wobble, so if the control arm bushings are worn or a bent control arm, this may move caster in the wrong direction. Thanks for the vid, everyone has their own take on death wobble, and every video says something different.

[@shitloveaduck]

That about covers it all. A lot of time the steering box goes by unnoticed until it’s the only thing left. They have replaced enough on this I may consider replacing it as well out of an abundance of caution. The alignment is/was definitely out on this one. That tire wear is very evident. I’m surprised he didn’t talk about it.

[@jimsix9929]

good advice, 100% correct, not enough positive caster is the cause of death wobble, loose parts just make it worse

[@markmelnyk9897]

Yes, Papa's Dodge is still in business in Hard Hittin New Britain, CT. I bought my wife’s 2008 Chrysler Town and Country there. They have a great little museum with classic Mopar and other cars that they roll out for cruise nights during the summer. One of the rare 80’s cars they have is the owner’s Chrysler Imperial Frank Sinatra edition. Fun place to visit if you’re ever in Connecticut. Thanks for keeping those oldies but goodies on the road, Wizard. 👍

[@extexdf82]

The passenger side bolt hole for the track bar commonly gets wollered out causing play in the track bar even when replaced. There are lots to fix that. I personally tacked in a couple washers to hold the bolt firmly in place. That corrected my issue.

[@cacline72]

This video made me go out to my XJ to inspect my track bar, I am also suffering from the dreaded "Death Wobble" on my 1995 Jeep Cherokee, and what do you know, the trackbar bushings are cracking and breaking down, I have a new aftermarket trackbar on the way right now so I can get back to highway driving. I love my XJ, I've been dailying it for 5 years straight.

[@ronwade2206]

My 1997 Cherokee Sport was the best car I ever owned! I put well over 300,000 miles on it and when I sold it it still ran strong! Crappy Japanese wiring and switches aside, I love those 4.0 Liter 6 cylinders.

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

Blame the manufacturer for specifying (and only paying for) the crap wiring. A little more money spent on good wiiring and switchgear...there would never have been a problem. It's the money...always folow the money!

[@realcoolphil]

I've had two of these with death wobbles the fix was new shocks and a good tires. Did not have to change any suspension parts except for the shocks of course never had another problem with either one of them.

[@WhittyPics]

Straight 6 engines are usually pretty bulletproof

[@MoparRocker74]

I experienced the same thing on my ‘00 Wrangler. Except it was the upper (frame mounted) bushing which had been regularly bathed in used oil, rotting the rubber. A $9 urethane replacement killed the wobble, nothing in the next 100k miles. I would only get DW at 25-35 mph after hitting a bump in the road setting it off.

[@Sprintervan1]

I have the same 99 Cherokee I just inherited from my grandfather. It’s got 79k miles and I love it except it gets only like 13 miles per gallon.

[@sccarguy8242]

They are become very valuable, especially in stock form and low miles.

[@67FORDTRUCKF250]

Never sell it....

[@md2k8]

These older, late-1990's Jeep Cherokee's are very solid vehicles to own, because they last forever with proper maintenance. They only have the 4 L six-cylinder engine, which is a reliable engine for Jeep and other Chrysler vehicles. Anyway, I hope that the Car Wizard will have a minivan at his shop, preferably the 2006 Ford Freestar Limited with the 4.2 L V6 engine, which is a good engine from Ford to see, if the vehicle is well-maintained and if there are any small problems. He has not completed a video upload for a minivan just yet. I hope it comes 🔜. Thank you very much and have a great rest of the day.

[@lance62]

Love my 2001 two door Cherokee. Great Informative video!

[@johnalm9238]

Hello Wizard, I live in Vernon CT and yes Papa's Jeep is alive and thriving because they put customers first , not sure how long they,ve been around but has been awhile, keep up the amazing work 😊

[@johnalm9238]

Wizard are the inside of tires worn , the back tires look almost new , I,d guess tires where,nt rotated enough

[@johneldorado]

Such a clean design, why can't they make things like this now?

[@michaelpalm2210]

I just got a toyota 4 runner very strong engines and boxy style for sure.

[@k9under]

EPA.

[@rickbrown7287]

EPA like said above AND they last too long. 🤘😎

[@majorhemroid]

Had a 92 Cherokee Limited. Bought it because I needed a vehicle I could work on, that was capable of on and off road. Fixed the death wobble (tie rods and bushings), got in high quality motor mounts (which was fun *eyes rolling*) and changed the shocks on all 4 corners. Also ripped out the interior carpeting (massive mold issues) and put down Herculiner, repainted all the interior parts to a black with gold fleck and replaced the headliner with Alcantara. Seats were comfy as could be. Far better than my current vehicles. Ended up selling it because there were things I couldn't figure out. Great ride.

[@Henry_Jones]

When these were in production wrangler drivers would get PISSED when xj drivers did the wave.

[@AldermanFredCDavis]

Had a used white 2001 2-door, 2WD Cherokee and a used yellow 4WD 2000 Cherokee. I had them when they were 10 or 11 years old. Loved them. Pavement princesses. Both were 2nd vehicles. Something very relaxing about having a vehicle where you're not worried about door dings, where you're going to park, and whatnot. I found the weakest component to be the air-conditioning system. Air didn't work in the white one. The yellow one would get cold, but not ice cold.

[@volvo09]

What a nice and clean interior!

[@stevenlamb4099]

i just love this video, i have a 95 grand Cherokee, zj. four wheel coil spring, with all disk brakes. 4.0 six, i love it. i already did a tie rod, and a track bar, but my control arm bushings are gone. that wobble is no joke.

[@MrBillsfishin]

Very nice original Jeep. That drivers side tire did look like it had a little bit of play in it though. As much as all original is nice a really good set of shocks can really improve the ride.

[@unstablebobgable]

The Car Wizards has the coolest walk on KZbin! I'd love to see a continuous loop video of him just waddling around on his stubby little legs with Pantera's WALK as the background music.

[@jwelchon2416]

I was going to guess the steering stabilizer. That is in amazingly good condition. Those are usually beat pretty hard.

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

Possibly owner diagnosed this and replaced it recently in an effort to stop the deathwobble?

[@Stackali]

its never the steering stabilizer. putting in a new one will only mask the problem.

[@petesmitt]

@@Stackali yep; actually, it's best to remove the steering stabiliser, then check the front end.

[@shitloveaduck]

@@petesmitt - Good point. I haven’t done that myself before, thanks! 😊

[@johngreen1907]

Nice jeep. The death wobble is added to when the body is "lifted" from stock, because the unequal length suspension arms cause the whole front axle casing to rotate a few degrees, decreasing the caster angle, which is what controls the self centering of the steering. Reduced caster angles remove the independent forces on each front wheel that works against any play in the joints, thus allowing the death wobble to be uncontrollable. Great channel, keep it up!

[@jimsix9929]

you are so right, positive caster is the cure for death wobble, I am the owner of Jims power steering in Akron Ohio, have fixed more death wobble problems that anyone, I hope everyone reads your post because it is the best one on here, 100% correct

[@bungeycord5971]

Experienced the death wobble in an 07 ram mega cab at 70 mph on the highway. I thought the entire truck was going to shake apart. Scared the hell out of me.

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

What was it that caused it?

[@bungeycord5971]

@@JohnSmith-yv6eq i was driving back to the dealer who let me take it overnight because the finance people had gone home. I told them what happened and told them i didnt want it. I could see some worn bushing in front suspension but i dont know. The megacab 1500 had the 2500 frame setup for that year and it was a not that uncommon issue back then. It can be very hard and expensive to fix.

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

@@bungeycord5971 TKS.. The death wobble also occurred in Nissans especially the WD21 models (hardbody) from the 80's and 90's right through to the 1997 models overseas...as the rear link bars (4 link plus panhard rod) would wear out their bushings...and the rear end would start to steer the front end... diagnosed by accelerating then slowing under engine braking... vehicle would snake and clunk one way under acceleration...and the other under engine braking as the ends of the rear axle would move forward or back.... I have replaced only the bottom link bushings and panhard rod bushings on mine so far....top link bushings stay good after 31 years...

[@philipjfrydtm]

My Big Brother had a 1995 Jeep Cherokee XJ 4.0 liter back in the early 2010's.

[@troy8940]

I love all of your videos on car repairs not too many people will take the time to thoroughly go over a vehicle such as you and Mrs. Wizard really I truly appreciate you taking the time out to do what you do I've learned a lot I know where to go now to have work done On my cars😀

[@JoeFpoc]

Unbalanced tires can cause it too with bigger tires. Had a k5 on 38 inch bias ply swampers, took 2lbs per wheel to balance it. Everything else was new. That steering dampener shock doesnt really fix the problem but does help mask it

[@1mlb704]

Up here in New England where this originated from, you don't really see these much anymore because they've all rusted out. It's a shame, these are great, simple, capable vehicles.

[@dannykelly3617]

I still see a ton in Massachusetts

[@michaelpalm2210]

@@dannykelly3617 me too . Love seeing them, and i owned a 1999 brand new . I now drive a 4runner similar style SUV

[@senanfoutchedjev2401]

Hi Wizard, I thought that all of the Jeep products are not good or reliable. But I guess there is a Gem in that rock group. Thank you.

[@seumasmackinlay]

The XJs were not only reliable, but probably one of THE best vehicles ever made --in my own humble opinion...

[@charlie_nolan]

I'd love to have a non-rusty XJ some day. However they're probably going up in price

[@andrewhigdon8346]

I thought this was gonna be for the death wobble under braking. I did the caliper upgrade and it cured that issue immediately. Something about how the other calipers applied the piston and thusly the brake pads. I don’t remember exactly, but I do remember replacing the old rotors and pads and the problem remained, this after replacing all four shocks. I had bought the front stabilizer but one of the bolts was frozen and in a difficult place to cut it off or any other method. I had tried heating it, PB Blaster, everything, even bent a long ratchet handle and ruined the Craftsman ratchet trying, but realized the shock action had zero play, no leak, and seemed to function properly, so I gave up on the replacement. There’s a bolt on top of the steering box that can help remove some of that slop and careful adjust,met did help. Ultimately, replacing the calipers got rid of the death wobble immediately. I think the other OEM calipers had a design flaw where even if you replaced them, sooner or later they would start that problem again, something about the piston bore and the way it pressed the pads to the rotor. Regardless, I was able to use the original caliper brackets and rotors,and even the pads, calipers were like $150 for the pair, problem fixed. There was a range of build dates from 2001-2004 and if your VIN fell in, it was worth doing the swap. Ours did and sure enough, it worked!

[@Henry_Jones]

AMC at its best!