Hi: I have had a 96 Jeep Cherokee 4x4 for 2 years now and it has a persistent serious wobble in both front tires. I had a friend drive it while I followed in another car and at around 55mph or when they would hit a bump, both front wheels would start to wobble as if they were going to come off. I have spent almost a $1000 having tie rods, and sway bars, and lots of other things repaired but it still does it and now that I have seen how bad it is, I am concerned about driving it. I have decided to sell it, but would prefer to at least identify the problem before selling to an unsuspecting buyer.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Frustrated in PA
This is what is referred to as “death wobble”. It’s almost always caused by worn suspension components or out-of-balance tires. The most common culprits are the front track-bar or the lower control arm bushings (and given the age of you vehicle, these are likely). Do a search on the web for “death wobble” and you will find plenty of information. Sometimes you can fix it with simply replacing the steering damper (your’s is most likely shot by now and should be replaced anyway).