89 XJ Death Wobble now deceased

Previously I replaced my 9 front suspension and track bar bushings which seem to aggravate my wobble so I then replaced all my tie rod ends except the track bar. Then I set my toe-in to zero.

On a 75 mile round trip from Canon City CO to Pueblo CO at 65 mph, I had absolutely no shimmy, wobble, boo-ga-loo or Peppermint Twist in my front axle.

Smooth as a greased slide.

Darn thing might just be worth keeping.

Now I need to replace front rotors, pads, grease and re-boot the CV joints on the axle shaft (wish I could swap for the standard U-joint type shafts ... less / easier maintenance) and replace the "S" curved rear springs (thanks to a 3/8" thick add-a-leaf booster leaf) and get the rear dropped back to stock height.

Maybe fixing the rear springs will stop us from being tossed around every time we run over a shadow from a light pole.

Reply to
Budd Cochran
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Great hobby ain't it. :)

Glad to hear that solved the problem. A teeny bit of toe-in (1/16" front-to-back) is about what you need. I forget exactly what that is in terms of just turning the tie-rod, but it wasn't much. I had to mess with it when replacing ball joints and even after measuring many times got it horribly, horribly wrong. :/

CV boots are fun. Especially if you don't have to repack the joint. I gave up trying to separate the drivers side one and simply pushed grease through it with a cattle syringe/turkey baster. What a mess.

Yep. I've got coils all the way around, but probably a bushing going on the rear track arm.

On the other hand. I did get a free battery this weekend. The old battery would go to 9v when sitting for a while and the inner two cells looked grey and a bit low (suspected they were boiling or shorted)

Took it to PepBoys and they tested the battery.

Them: Looks like a low charge, tester says you probably have some ignition off draw. Me: (yea, right, nope) Hey, how about charging it for me first? Them: Ok. (throws it on the charger as I step back)

(couple of minutes as the machine sets up and starts to charge)

Me: Hey, do you hear something that sounds like a fan or boiling water? Them: HOLY SH__T! (turns off charger) Yep, looks like you need a new one.

Reply to
DougW

I dunno, Doug ... been thinking about going down to the Credit Union and seeing about a loan for a good used Neon or Stratus and keep the XJ for hauling the fishing boat. : : Glad to hear that solved the problem. : A teeny bit of toe-in (1/16" front-to-back) is about : what you need. I forget exactly what that is in terms : of just turning the tie-rod, but it wasn't much. I had : to mess with it when replacing ball joints and even after : measuring many times got it horribly, horribly wrong. :/

If you have the T-case with the Full Time position as well as the Part Time, then every source I could find online and at my local dealership said 0 degrees toe. : : > Now I need to replace front rotors, pads, grease and re-boot the CV : > joints on the axle shaft (wish I could swap for the standard U-joint : > type shafts ... less / easier maintenance) and replace the "S" curved : > rear springs (thanks to a 3/8" thick add-a-leaf booster leaf) and get : > the rear dropped back to stock height. : : CV boots are fun. Especially if you don't have to repack the joint. : I gave up trying to separate the drivers side one and simply pushed : grease through it with a cattle syringe/turkey baster. What a mess.

Now you know why I want the good old-fashioned U-joints. Less mess and less trouble to repair. : : > Maybe fixing the rear springs will stop us from being tossed around : > every time we run over a shadow from a light pole. : : Yep. I've got coils all the way around, but probably a bushing going : on the rear track arm.

My better half is disabled (O2 24/7) and if I had the dinero I'd install full air suspension so I could drop the Jeep a few inches for ease of entrance and exit for her ... and she's the reason for looking for a regular car with doors big enough for her to get in and out of. : : On the other hand. I did get a free battery this weekend. : The old battery would go to 9v when sitting for a while and : the inner two cells looked grey and a bit low (suspected : they were boiling or shorted) : : Took it to PepBoys and they tested the battery. : : Them: Looks like a low charge, tester says you probably have some : ignition off draw. : Me: (yea, right, nope) Hey, how about charging it for me first? : Them: Ok. (throws it on the charger as I step back) : : (couple of minutes as the machine sets up and starts to charge) : : Me: Hey, do you hear something that sounds like a fan or boiling water? : Them: HOLY SH__T! (turns off charger) Yep, looks like you need a new one. : : : -- : DougW : : Grey down in the cell? That's the dry top of the plates. Check your water more often and use distilled but in emergencies you can use water you can drink as long as there is no added minerals as found in some bottled waters.

Reply to
Budd Cochran

Not a bad choice. I just don't care for trading problems I know how to fix for problems I don't. :)

I'll look, but that's what the service book said for the 89XJ. Still though, at that toe-in it's just tracking vs any outside wear on the tires.

Yep. After doing a few of these I have to agree. The U-joint is so much easier to deal with (providing you lube it that is).

I've seen bags on a ZJ. Got to admit the ride was very smooth but it gave up any travel off-road for that ride.

Yep. I check it every couple of months. The electrical had been giving me fits since this winter when I first suspected a battery problem. Filled it back up with distilled water twice. That ain't normal. I think there was an internal break in the battery. Not the first time I've seen a plate or someting break due to vibration.

Reply to
DougW

"DougW" wrote in message news:lbpmn1$n1c$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me... : Budd Cochran wrote: : > "DougW" wrote... : >> Budd Cochran wrote: : >>> Previously I replaced my 9 front suspension and track bar bushings : >>> which seem to aggravate my wobble so I then replaced all my tie rod : >>> ends except the track bar. Then I set my toe-in to zero. : >>> : >>> On a 75 mile round trip from Canon City CO to Pueblo CO at 65 mph, I : >>> had absolutely no shimmy, wobble, boo-ga-loo or Peppermint Twist in : >>> my front axle. : >>> : >>> Smooth as a greased slide. : >>> : >>> Darn thing might just be worth keeping. : >> : >> Great hobby ain't it. :) : > : > I dunno, Doug ... been thinking about going down to the Credit Union : > and seeing about a loan for a good used Neon or Stratus and keep the : > XJ for hauling the fishing boat. : : Not a bad choice. I just don't care for trading problems I know how to fix for problems I don't. :)

I agree but the last time I could afford a new car was '72 (Dodge Charger) and if I've got both Haynes and Chilton manuals for it I can usually figger it out ... now where did I put that big hammer . . . . . . : : >> Glad to hear that solved the problem. : >> A teeny bit of toe-in (1/16" front-to-back) is about : >> what you need. I forget exactly what that is in terms : >> of just turning the tie-rod, but it wasn't much. I had : >> to mess with it when replacing ball joints and even after : >> measuring many times got it horribly, horribly wrong. :/ : > : > If you have the T-case with the Full Time position as well as the : > Part Time, then every source I could find online and at my local : > dealership said 0 degrees toe. : : I'll look, but that's what the service book said for the 89XJ. : Still though, at that toe-in it's just tracking vs any outside wear : on the tires.

I'm going to have to replace the chunked out tires anyway but for now I'll swap them to the rear. : : >>> Now I need to replace front rotors, pads, grease and re-boot the CV : >>> joints on the axle shaft (wish I could swap for the standard U-joint : >>> type shafts ... less / easier maintenance) and replace the "S" : >>> curved rear springs (thanks to a 3/8" thick add-a-leaf booster : >>> leaf) and get the rear dropped back to stock height. : >> : >> CV boots are fun. Especially if you don't have to repack the joint. : >> I gave up trying to separate the drivers side one and simply pushed : >> grease through it with a cattle syringe/turkey baster. What a mess. : > : > Now you know why I want the good old-fashioned U-joints. Less mess : > and less trouble to repair. : : Yep. After doing a few of these I have to agree. The U-joint is so much easier to deal with (providing you lube it that is).

Yep, gotta lube them but what I hate is the Zerk for the lower balljoint is blocked by the u-joint / cv joint and I have to pull the shafts to swap a 90 degree Zerk in. Very poor design. : : >>> Maybe fixing the rear springs will stop us from being tossed around : >>> every time we run over a shadow from a light pole. : >> : >> Yep. I've got coils all the way around, but probably a bushing going : >> on the rear track arm. : > : > My better half is disabled (O2 24/7) and if I had the dinero I'd : > install full air suspension so I could drop the Jeep a few inches for : > ease of entrance and exit for her ... and she's the reason for : > looking for a regular car with doors big enough for her to get in and : > out of. : : I've seen bags on a ZJ. Got to admit the ride was very smooth but it gave : up any travel off-road for that ride.

My off-roading is limited to crossing a weed covered area to get to where the fish are rising. I've also thought of going with stock springs and air shocks to handle any extra loads. : : >> On the other hand. I did get a free battery this weekend. : >> The old battery would go to 9v when sitting for a while and : >> the inner two cells looked grey and a bit low (suspected : >> they were boiling or shorted) : >> : >> Took it to PepBoys and they tested the battery. : >> : >> Them: Looks like a low charge, tester says you probably have some : >> ignition off draw. : >> Me: (yea, right, nope) Hey, how about charging it for me first? : >> Them: Ok. (throws it on the charger as I step back) : >> : >> (couple of minutes as the machine sets up and starts to charge) : >> : >> Me: Hey, do you hear something that sounds like a fan or boiling : >> water? Them: HOLY SH__T! (turns off charger) Yep, looks like you : >> need a new one. : : > Grey down in the cell? That's the dry top of the plates. Check your : > water more often and use distilled but in emergencies you can use : > water you can drink as long as there is no added minerals as found in : > some bottled waters. : : Yep. I check it every couple of months. The electrical had been giving : me fits since this winter when I first suspected a battery problem. : Filled it back up with distilled water twice. That ain't normal. : I think there was an internal break in the battery. Not the first time : I've seen a plate or someting break due to vibration. : : -- : DougW

Plate collapse from age and vibration. To save money in the long run go to a wrapped and/or gel cell like an Optima.

But even gel cell (deep cycle, mobility scooter type) require checking when they age a bit.

My wife has a Rally mobility scooter we got for free because it wouldn't hold a charge and the two batteries are $75 /ea. at a discount source.

Popped the caps and began topping with distilled water before a charge cycle and now instead of ten minutes of operation we get 8 hours ... yep, back to normal.

Reply to
Budd Cochran

Budd, they make a head for grease guns to get to those - kinda long and tapered. Myself, I use a cheapy I got at Autozone or Advanced Auto that is just a long needle with a zerk fitting on the end to attach it to the grease gun. Pretty stout needle, but all it does is depress the ball in the zerk fitting and squirt around it. I added a sleeve of rubber around the needle to seal things up so that it's less of a mess. Big thing most folks miss is getting grease smeared on that center ball, anyway. Those joints don't use that much grease.

Reply to
Will Honea

I may have caused a misunderstanding, guys.

On my stock D-30 front axle the upper and lower balljoints are lubed by Zerks on the ball end of the balljoint and not the stud.

This means the u-joint or cv joint on the front axle shaft blocks access to the lower balljoint Zerk unless it has a 90 degree Zerk or you pull the axle shaft out.

This spring I have to do front brake work and check the spindle bearings so I'll be replacing the Zerk on the lower balljoint with a 90 degree Zerk pointing so the CV boot cannot catch on it (to the rear).

That way all I'll need is the needle adaptor for the driveshaft u-joints and Cardan Joint needle type Zerks.

Reply to
Budd Cochran

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