2006 Rubicon Unlimited

[TerryD]

0331 heads on 00-01 XJs cracked a lot, but the internet blew that out of proportion like most things….TJs for the most part avoided the cracking heads because by the time they went to COP the issue was resolved

I was thinking the 4.0L went COP in 1999 with the release of the WJ.

 

[Chickntrk]

The 4.0 in XJs went COP in 2000, you are correct WJs we’re always COP but 99 XJs still have a distributor. This is just a personal opinion but XJs tend to run hot and I think that led to a lot of the 0331 issues….seems like WJs and TJs never suffered many head issues.

I have had 3 XJs with 0331 heads, all 3 went well past 200k with no cracked heads. The same thing happened with OPDAs in the TJs, a couple of them had bushings go bad and lock up the oil pump and the internet go ahold of it and you’d think every TJ had an issue.

 

[TerryD]

Ordered a RockJock track bar last night. The RE bar is flexing slightly, the new heim is already loose and even the 5/8 bolt is flexing so I'm getting a shimmy around 55-60mph.

I had hoped to get to wheel it a little before having to upgrade this bar but oh well.

 

[TerryD]

I've got a set of second hand JKS disconnects inbound as well.

I'm going to set up with my shop to get the balancing beads out of the tires and actually balanced. I'm beginning to think my issue is partially tire related.

 

[shady]

Balancing beads work AWESOME at speeds above about 35.
Where they get funky is hitting little bumps or awkward stuff in the road below that speed. Then you get pure death wobble and have to basically stop and start moving again to fix it.

 

[TerryD]

My issue is right around 53-57. It wobbles awful.

I've run beads before in Boggers and some other stuff with good luck.

 

[shady]

Need more negative castor...? I think too close to zero can cause death wobble.
That's how they fix it in stupid duties.

 

[Wes Harden]

+caster, not negative

 

[shady]

I thought the top was supposed to lean back from the centerline. Didn't realize it was supposed to go forward.

 

[Wes Harden]

it is supposed to be behind the lower ball/king pin, but that is positive caster

 

[shady]

I looked this up knowing it had to lean back, but not what it was called.
I instinctively thought I was looking at the driver's side... And completely missed the little car icon on the bottom.

 

[TerryD]

I've got some time this morning. I can check that out.

 

[shady]

On the 03 I just did, the lower control arm bolt at the axle was a centered bolt with no adjustment. From factory I believe since it was heavy washers and they were the only bolts I had to cut out. Even though it has cam slots around the washers.
I bought cam bolts for it at O'Reilly's so that we could correct the caster due to the lift springs.

 

[TerryD]

Need more negative castor...? I think too close to zero can cause death wobble.
That's how they fix it in stupid duties.

Good call. D: 3.25° P: 2°

Factory spec is 7° +/- 1°

The bolts are seized and no eccentrics so now.... Gotta have control arms, might as well buy the 'spensive RockJock bling. @swettysblazer

 

[Wes Harden]

Short wheel base do better with more positive caster.

When a vw Beatle pan is shortened 14.5" for a glass buggy body, we add another 2° positive caster, to tame the higher speed squirrelyness

 

[swettysblazer]

These are the only Jeeps I like selling parts for

(other than the old stuff)

 

[TerryD]

I installed the RockJock track bar today. That has helped with the death wobble quite a bit. I've got to get in with my tire shop to get the tires balanced and rid of the balance beads.

I swapped most of the tools and recovery gear from the Xterra to an Action Packer in the back of the Jeep. I plan on building a scaled down drawer set for the Jeep in the near future but for now I just need my gear available.

 

[Wes Harden]

Very little Jeep experience here, could be totally full it. My understanding is the square head lamp jeeps, at a least year, had mismatch hardware for the bushings. Ie metric bushings and last years SAE bolts. This was major cause of the death wobble in those models/years.

 

[TerryD]

Very little Jeep experience here, could be totally full it. My understanding is the square head lamp jeeps, at a least year, had mismatch hardware for the bushings. Ie metric bushings and last years SAE bolts. This was major cause of the death wobble in those models/years.

I'm unsure. The square light Jeeps were the YJ and the last open body Jeep with leaf springs. My 06 is a hodgepodge of metric and standard hardware so it's plausible.

Though I don't think the YJ had track bars.

 

[Chickntrk]

YJs did have track bars though it was pretty pointless with leafs. I don’t recall YJs having many death wobble issues because of said leafs.