I was thinking of upgrading my 1999 2 door for a later model 4 door.but think I'll stick to what I've got!
thejazzpianoma,
Feb 1, 9:40pm
Get a Jeep Phoenix. small but brilliant!
sundown,
Feb 1, 9:44pm
! What do they look like! Can't seem to find any on trademe!
thejazzpianoma,
Feb 1, 9:47pm
They are actually a Fiat Panda with a different badge. Brilliant little machine but not what you are used to, possibly not suitable for your purpose depending on what that is. There are a few in NZ wearing the Fiat badge, they do come up on here now and then. Sadly because Ateco are lazy and a waste of space we never got the Fiat version new here. Hopefully we might get the Jeep version under Chrysler in future.
I have seen this in NZ, believe it is usually predisposed by a worn steering damper, fixed by replacing, but there must be an underlying geometry issue.
pico42,
Feb 1, 10:07pm
Never experienced it, but as it happens I came across this thread the other day
Yes.I came across that thread too pico42 .I've seen on different threads people having trouble with DW starting at 5000 miles.and with factory standard everything .most common with the DW though is jeeps that have done around 20,000 miles.I'm surprised there haven't been any lawsuits.or maybe they have and just been hushed up!
sundown,
Feb 1, 10:47pm
hmmmm.I'm a bit of a GI Jane when it comes to my vehicles.and the jeep wranglers "do it" for me.will stick to my 1999 one I think.safety is paramount.
I had no idea how "not safe" they are.that's pretty scary footage!
petermcg,
Feb 2, 8:18pm
Yes the death wobble also know as a wheel shimmy is very common in a vehicle that we own. It is a 1978 dodge Apollo Motor Home. They have a solid beam front axle. The wheel shimmy is very violent in these vehicals as they weigh 6 ton. There is a veryscientific explanation that I dont fully understand (you know the feeling of starting a grinder up in your hand and moving it around) The shimmy can sometimes be caused by imperfections in the road and can sometimes ,in the case of heavy vehicles be just an adjustment of sorts with a vehicle that was designed to drive on the right side of the road and converted to left. Wheel bearings and suspension need to be tight, front wheels need to be balanced and some steering boxs need to be adjusted.Wheel balancing is the most obvios and also flat spots on the tyres from sitting around can influence. With mine i keep the tyre pressure up. Adjust the tow in, in a bit to keep even load on the wheels when driving. On solid beam axles a wedge is placed between the spring and axle to lean the axle and adjust the steering camber. A change of tyres can help, also somtimes it is the rotation of the tyres, ie if one wheel is 2mm higher than the other then then will be travelling faster and a imperfection in the tyres can somtimes be opposite each other and sometimes be together at the same time. The appollo also does it at 40 to 45 mph and can sometimes go away with more speed but not always. Hitting the brakes is the only way to pull a vehicle out of a shimmy. Also one thing new that happened to me recently was when my front brakes were binding on all the time when driving that the shimmy was more noticable.
sundown,
Feb 2, 10:59pm
Hey Peter how are you!We are still planning to get down your way one day.still yet to see the Sth Island.how bad is that!
I just tried email, is it the same still or has it changed.
sundown,
Feb 4, 12:23am
not sure if I can put it here.but go towww.sundown.co.nz and email us from there.:)
NZTools,
Feb 4, 12:25am
99% of us have no problems with you putting it here.
desmodave,
Feb 4, 12:47am
Watch out Johnny has finished his dinner and will be back on patrol shortly. As you were.
sundown,
Feb 4, 1:30am
lol.it just takes one person aye
panelvanner,
Feb 4, 2:51am
true dat
strobo,
Feb 5, 12:52pm
The Dodge ram 4x42005 cumminshas massive play unloaded on all 4 upper and lower joints at the front end .they are like this new apparently ! Thoughthe joints are designed this way,way past the normal service limits as much as 5mm each joint ! Some havereplaced the joints with other greasable types.then find they crap out even quicker than factory joints! Im guessing the loaded weight of the vehicle as such that will keep all geometery in tune.! The tyres dont show any abnormal wear patterns either.Thedeath wobble if not the steering damper will be when the suspension becomes unloaded at speed this canhappen. The yanks have strangereasons for some stuff. Have one (Dodge Ram) in the w/shop that is going a for ac.o.f soon next week so will be interestingwhat vtnz have to say.
sundown,
Feb 5, 4:54pm
So do you think this is generally.more a problem in 4 x 4 's but not exclusively jeep wranglers!
phillip.weston,
Feb 5, 5:25pm
It's more of an issue with vehicles with a live front axle and panhard rod as a means of tracking the front axle true in its articulation up and down. It just happens that the Wrangler has substandard brackets for the panhard rods and bolts too small for the mounting holes which allow movement side to side further elongating the holes and then amplifying the issue even more.
sundown,
Feb 6, 3:46am
Ok.yeah from what I've heard .with the Jeeps 05 to 09 .the problem was never completely resolved .and the only resolution came with a new model.and change to designs in the 2010 model. We had a H3 hummer for a while.no problem at all with that.or my 2000 jeep before that.or my 99 jeep since.but yeah definitely put off upgrading to the 05 and up model.
kev_58,
Feb 6, 3:47am
I experienced this once in my 95 Jeep Cherokee Sports, was due toa sticking / seized front brake calliper, how did I know, well when driving along motorway & you note flames coming from front wheel gives you a hint. After stripping brakes pads were found to be cooked.
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