94 jeep grand cherokee laredo

[dncr3]

Hi everyone. Just signed up on this forum. Hope someone can help me with my problem. I have a 94 jeep grand cherokee laredo with 85000 miles on it. Two years ago we were on the freeway and hit normal bump in the road and all of a sudden the whole front end started SHAKING . It was really violent and scary at 75mph. So I slowed down and checked to see if everything was still were it was supposed to be, and it was. I made it back home and had my mechanic look at it, he recommened replacing the steering stabilizer so I did it. It was ok for about three months and the shaking came back. So now it was the steering box that I replaced. The after market steering box gives the jeep a real "loose" feeling. Apparently the steering box is adjustable. So I had it adjusted. This seemed to help, but it still didnt feel the same. Well Today the shaking came back, again on the freeway. it a bump and WHAM violent shaking. Can someone please help me figure this out before The tires shake right off...

[DRC]

Hey! My 94 jeep grand cherokee laredo with 150000 miles on it started doing the same thing (it's like having a violent seizure) about 6 months ago. My mechanic thought that I was crazy at first, but it finally did it for him when he was driving it. He's mystified about what to do about it. I called JEEP to see if they knew what to do, but they claim they've never heard of such a thing. Have you solved the problem and what did they do to fix it? I'd appreciate any help you can offer. Thanks!!!

[dncr3]

Hi DRC
My mechanic is going to look at it this week. He heard that it may be the ball joints, or even the geomtry on the hub, as in the axle housing has moved or something. We will let you know what happens.

[DRC]

Hi dncr3,
I appreciate your willingness to share info. I just got my jeep back from the shop today. My mechanic replaced the steering stablizer, but I'm not hopeful that will fix it since you said that it hadn't worked for yours. Dave (the mechanic) is going to keep researching the problem and I'll let you know if he finds a cure. In the mean time, I'll be holding my breath waiting for the next "seizure" to happen.

[surflife88]

I read your posts about the tire shake and I am having the same problem. I have put on new tires and changed my dampening shock to a heavy duty off road shock from Rancho. The problem stopped for a few months but has come back again. I have taken it to 2 mechanics and they say all of my front end suspension is just fine. I think they are full of it. I am going to be testing my ball joints as well as replacing all of my shocks to see if I cant remedy the situation. Ill let you know!!

[Defender42]

Hi dncr3,
I appreciate your willingness to share info. I just got my jeep back from the shop today. My mechanic replaced the steering stablizer, but I'm not hopeful that will fix it since you said that it hadn't worked for yours. Dave (the mechanic) is going to keep researching the problem and I'll let you know if he finds a cure. In the mean time, I'll be holding my breath waiting for the next "seizure" to happen.

Did you ever get your problem resolved? I have the same problem with my Jeep G.C.

[SS Hobby]

I have/had the same problem. From what I have read, there could be many solutions to this problem.

First is get your tires rotated and balanced just in case your wheel threw a weight or you have a bent rim.

Second, I would replace the steering damper. Jeep calls it this but the auto parts store called it a steering stabilizer. I looked at the front end and didn't notice that it was basically just a shock absorber that attaches from the chassis to the center link. At first glance I thought it was a power cylinder for the power steering pump but failed to notice there are not any hydraulic lines coming from it. You can get this part yourself for around $35 and they also sell a dust boot to go on it if its not included. I used a Monroe Magnum Steering Stabilizer and boot. I wouldn't go cheaper than that. It took me about an hour to replace it myself. Jack up the side you are working on by the chassis to give yourself room to work. Detach the end attached to the chassis first then tackle the one attached to the centerlink. The end that is attached to the centerlink is pressed into the arm so I gave it a little help with a hammer to get out. Don't overtighten the new one because I had a feeling I was about to strip the threads when I thought I had to tighten more.

Third if the first two things don't work. Replace your shocks. Again I wouldn't go too cheap here. I originally purchased a set of shocks 6 months ago but I am bottoming out with them and they feel pretty soft. I ended up getting Monroe Reflex shocks for the front. I did one side at a time and it took around an hour to do total.

If these don't help then you probably have bad ball joints somewhere. Unfortunately, that will be something a mechanic will have to do for you.

I did everthing backwards. I started by replacing the shocks because I needed to and I knew what I was doing. It seemed to make my problem worse after I test drove it. I then discovered the damper "shock" in the center and a light went off in my head. That seemed to fix my problem for now.


1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited V8 4WD

[mister xj man]

I have also recently experienced this death wobble. It originally started shaking at spees above about 50 mph.(the day after I had my rear breaks done...I naturally assumed that the guys who did the breaks messed something up but of course they denied such claims and refused to help me). But then I took it to Firestone Tires and had the wheels balanced and rotated and the alignment set. That seemed to fix the problem at first. But then when I got up to speeds above 70 mph the wobbling, though not as bad, started up again. So my next choice, as it seems others have done as well, is to replace the steering stabilizer with an aftermarket rancho shock, the same as my main shocks. Hopefully this will fix my problem.

[trucker18723]

I had the same problem, you can't replace with after market you need to replace with mopar. After I did that, problem solved.

[mechanic_jake]

okey so you guys with your jeeps its a comon problem and ive had it hapen to myself aswell, first if your jeep is a 4x4 with a front differential then the problem is the berrings in the solid axle not the steering stabilizer ... you mechanics probably didnt notice it becouse they would have to open the diferential to take the solid axles out to sheck the berrings and it they say they would notice becuase of a gear oil lack its not necesarily true because the oil seal can still be in great condition when the berrings are worn out and not only that but the stabilizer is just a temorary fix it just makes it have a diffrent way of sitting.... and iff you drive with the problem for to long then what could be happening is your solid axle will wear away slightly to so if not changed imediatly then you would have to change both the berrings and solid axel.... the solid axle is in the real the c.v. joint in in the front and it wouldent be in the c.v. oint itself but the beings for the neck that the c.v. joint axle joins into

[kisses]

I think that shaking is common to bog vehicles but once you had some repairs on it, it will be ok soon. Like in my chevy, I replaced some chevy truck parts like the stabilizer and align my wheels and thank god, I never experienced it again.

[harryshot]

I have a 94 jeep grand cherokee that is experiencing the death wobble, or as I call it the (violent death shaking syndrome......mine, my partner and our dog) if you've ever had to deal with "THAT" look.... horror...recrimination....this is your fault and your going to kill us all look you'll know what i mean... I have replaced the sway bar bushings, front rotors and pads, tires replaced and balanced 3 times, front 4 wheel drive outer bearing assemblies and also the shocks and springs. The wobble went away for about a month and returned with a vengeance yesterday. I hit some washboards while going around a left hander and it was there big time and then it happened again much worse further down the road when i hit a bridge meets the hiway bump. what the &*() is causing this and does anyone have a known fix for this. I am reading a lot of speculative solutions but they all seem different, although in the steering components catagory? Please help before I loose it in the ditch and kill myself and have to answer to the boss who now has contempt for my jeep.

thanks

[crug75hid]

I encountered with the similar problem. But my workshop person told that he did wheel balancing. Now it is ok.

[harryshot]

just to update this post,

I had sway bar bushing assemblies replaced (x2) after the death wooble got so bad one night it broke a brand new bushing assembly sending my beloved jeep into the ditch with no control. the broken assembly was replaced under warranty and now the jeep just has this annoying shimmy or shake all the time over 90 kms per hour............ gets worse or can go away around 120 kms. of course we drive in the 90-120 km range all the time. So to recap.... replaced rotors, brakes, shocks, springs, rims, tires, sway bar bushing assemblies, new sway bar steering damper shock, and last but not least had tires rotated and balanced 3 times............ sorry to say the shimmy is still there and I don't trust the damn thing anymore..... I love the jeep and am thinking of replacing the dog bones that hold the axles on and all bushings that connect the body to the frame and the components that hold, keep, tie or turn things. If this does not correct the problem once and for all you can email me at harryshot@hotmail.com and we can make a deal on a used jeep with a minor but annoying shimmy. the jeep powertrain is indestructible, its the chrysler stuff thats rotting off and disintegrating and causing me much concern. It has 255,000 kms and I believe this machine has at least another 100,000 kms on the engine and powertrain.

[alisachin]

What do you mean by Mopar? I have never heard this name before.