wrangler DW problem

[dave123]

I know this is a CJ site, but I have gotten so much help with my CJ, and now that I'm having a problem with my wrangler, thought I might see if you guys are as good with JK's as you are with CJ's.
I'm getting some DW/shimmy, any help would be highly appreciated.
Sorry for the long post, but I want to give all the info the first time to avoid wrong information because of not knowing the whole story.
2012 wrangler sport. Here is what I have on the Jeep now:
Rims: steel. I’m thinking these might be the problem because they are heavy and I have read that steel rims are never really perfect round. These are not hub-centric: http://www.quadratec.com/products/92600_0009_07.htm
Tires, pretty heavy, also suspect, but then again you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a jeep doing just fine with bigger tires. They seem to be wearing correctly. They are directional and are on correct in that regard:
LT305/65R17 http://www.quadratec.com/products/92609_13XX_PG.htm
In addition to the wheels (and at the same time) I had a shop put on a budget coil spacer lift, 1” back, 2” front (leveling kit with bump stops) No extended swaybar links.
Problem started when I put the aftermarket wheels/tires/lift on. Shimmy (not death wobble) started immediately around 35mph, went away around 45mph). Put OEM wheels back on and shimmy goes away. This makes me think the lift kit was installed correctly (I hope). Back at the shop, they added an aftermarket stabilizer (steering one did not help, I got the other) and it helped, but did not solve the problem. After several trips to the shop, each requiring several hours (they are really busy) and 2 rebalances, I gave up on the shop and took it to be road force balanced. They said a rim did not spec out, showed me the computer printout. Got rim replaced, shimmy went away. So now all was good with the new combo on. I thought at this point that the issue was behind me.
5000 miles later, I rotate front to back. Now I get real death wobble. Shimmy is there all the time, all speeds over 25mph. Hit a bump and Jeep virtually uncontrollable, have to slow down to under 25mph for control to come back (death wobble for sure). Maybe the road force place was only concerned with the front? This is the only road force place around me and I don’t want to go back. They are very busy, destroyed several lug bolts, managed to lose (and deny that they lost) one of my air pressure sensors. These guys act like they are doing me a personal favor just by taking over 100.00 for balancing my tires. (end rant).

Fast forward another 3,000 miles. I’m beginning to see a little shimmy sometimes around 40mph. I also had one case the other day when I hit a bump while decelerating at 40mph and got a pretty big shimmy for a couple of seconds. So now my worry is that the problem is just being masked and will come back down the road as components wear. Also, I can't rotate, and when the tires wear out and are replaced, I imagine I will have problems again (not to mention another 140.00 for another Road Force balance.
If the shop had messed something up doing the lift, wouldn't I have the problem even after the road force balance and with the OEM wheels? The "loosen everything, shake it, and retighten" advice seems wise but this is my daily driver and I'm afraid I might find myself in worse shape. They say that it was torqued on the ground, and all seems good and tight, but they may just have said that to get rid of me.
For all I know, my issue could be caused by all these factors, rims, tires, lift. Maybe all these things are off just a bit and it adds up to my problem? That is the frustrating part.
I read on the internet that DW can come from the tires/wheels being too heavy. Could that be it? These steel wheels are heavy for sure. I’ve also read that steel rims are never really perfect round and that I should go alloy.
I found this rim: http://www.amazon.com/Rugged-Ridge-Wrangler-Black-Satin/dp/B0033MNK3Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394449577&sr=8-1&keywords=jeep+rims
It’s hub centric and alloy, could this be my answer? Very expensive for my Limited budget, I would really be bummed if I spent this money and had the same problem!
One other thing. The dampener I have is a Skyjacker Hydro 7000 Series shock absorber – so It’s not made (I imagine) specifically for steering. Problem?
Thanxs again, I really appreciate the help, I'm not much of a mechanic, and know next to nothing about Wrangler suspensions.

 

[Old Dog]

I'm not a jk guy so take this for what it's worth.
I have a dodge ram that has had DW twice and both times it's been a worn track bar. It could be that the bigger tires are just enough difference to make it start? but why rotating them makes it quit I don't know.
I've also read that the budget coil springs spacers change the geometry some.
It's also strange that my trail tires on my cj do the same thing ie. no DW with them on one way but if I rotate them I get DW. I've checked them and all the wheels seem to be straight. I've now got them marked front and rear.

 

[Torxhead]

The earlier JKs did have a history of ball joints wearing out early. I would have thought that that issue was resolved by now. You might want to check for any wobble by rocking your front tires back and forth. This also could have been caused by the first problem that you wrote about.

 

[mtnwhlr]

X2 sounds like ball joints to me. The bigger tires are putting a lot more stress on them.

 

[dave123]

thanx for the replies. going to check these things out in the next day or 2. I will be pretty upset if it's the ball joints. The wheel/tire combo is less than an inch higher, but I admit quite a bit heavier. The city is littered with JK running bigger tires, hard to believe they all need ball joints or I would have heard something by now, but I will check them for sure.

 

[Dan86CJ7]

I put on a set of pro comp wheels for a friend at my dealer and he had a shake to his, come to find the little washer/retainers they slide over the lug studs for assembly were not allowing the wheels to torque down flush. See if they are still there, if they are cut them off with some side cutters and reinstall the wheels and see if that helps.

 

[dave123]

I put on a set of pro comp wheels for a friend at my dealer and he had a shake to his, come to find the little washer/retainers they slide over the lug studs for assembly were not allowing the wheels to torque down flush. See if they are still there, if they are cut them off with some side cutters and reinstall the wheels and see if that helps.

Got this advice from another forum as well. Seems crazy that the paper thin washer could be the problem. But this is a solid confirmation, and the fix is simple and free. Gonna check it on my day off.

thanx

p.s. also will be testing the ball joints etc.

 

[dave123]

Problem solved. After many people telling me that the steel rims have imperfect welds and will always cause problems, I broke the bank and bought some alloy wheels. ProComp 7069. Put them on and the problem is completly gone. I went out of my way trying to make it shimmy, hitting bumps goiing 40mph etc. Rides like the day I first rolled it off the lot.

Moral of the story, don't put steel wheels on the new Wranglers. Although you may get lucky, many people like myself have lerned an expensive lesson.

thanx for all the advice.