Front end slight wobble

I still have a slight wobble in the front end, here's the specs.

Original Dana 30, newer bearings (Timken) and ball joints (Spicer), have a total of ~6,000 miles on them...everything is re-torqued to FSM specs last weekend (nothing was out of spec at the time). Power steering gear box is bolted tight at the frame. Newer steering stabilizer with about 1,000 miles on it. Running 33x12.5x15 BFG Mud Terrains that were re-balanced at Discount Tire two days ago...I even watched them balance and apply weights on all four. I have a 6* shim in the front that corrected some caster a few years ago (thanks to Mcruff), and a 2.5" black diamond lift with stock shackle length.

I attempted the home style of alignment using chalk around the tire and pretty sure its about 1/8-3/16" toe-in...as accurate as that method is.

But I still get this annoying wobble in front end from around 35'ish up to 60'ish. It's definitely better since the tires got re-balanced, but it hasn't gone away.

What else can I do before dropping $80+/- on a professional alignment?

 

Rotate tires? Put your spare on the front and run it?

 

They rotated after they balanced all four. Wobble was there before and after that.

 

Check for bent wheels. Did you watch the wheels and tires as they were spinning on the balancer? Sometimes that can help you tell if a wheel is bent or tire is excessively out of round or runout in tread. Check axle u-bolts, tie rod ends, steering shaft, spring/shackle bushings for play. Mine would do this when the spring bushings became worn. Steering shaft is often overlooked and the joints do wear. Also check the bottom bushing in the steering column. Also common wear point on Intermediates and commonly overlooked.

 

Back in the day, the '72-73 intermediates came from Jeep with no steering damper. Some customers complained of a wobble just like you describe, a shake you can feel in the steering wheel at boulevard speeds.

So you've never had the Jeep professionally aligned? Without shims etc. the only adjustments they can make are toe and center the steering. But you will get the print-out from the machine if you ask for it, and that will tell you where your caster and camber are. My local tire shop measured mine, and they even offered to check it again for free after I installed my caster shims. Maybe you want to go ahead and have the measurement done, so that you are no longer guessing about the geometry.

 

Tim, I think you're right, I should just get the alignment done. Virtually all the front end has been replaced and has not more than 6,000 miles, including tires and wheels. I have since found out that Discount Tire partners with a local guy that does it at a reduced price so I can get one done for about $60. Much more reasonable than the $80-$90 all the other shops quoted.

 

Tires probably require truing. May well be, as mentioned above, slight out of round condition.
If you have a spare, start by replacing each one at a time and test driving, or get the tires checked for it where you bought them.
I just cured a similar problem cured on my 35" MT Baja shod F150 that way. I thought it was at front end, turned out, by swapping the spare, left rear.
Shop cut it down, now no shake.

 

Had a tire shop balance a tire twice. Still shook. On third time I watched it. Bulged like crazy but still balanced. Gotta watch.

 

Yep. Speed window of shake would tell me to save $60 for now and get a little workout swapping tires for free in the driveway. I had a truck that would only do it around 65. At 70 it was smooth again. I lived with it til I got new tires, and it went away with new tires.

 

I had problems om my Mitso Fuso. Tire coming apart once and a bent wheel next. Strange that the tire shop could balance both of them or so they said.

 

One can balance a triangle. If the techs aren't watching for runout they'll not detect a lump or bulge, possibly from broken belts. Tire balancers really should have some kind of runout measurement incorporated into the machines.

 

The newer ones do. To the tune of 25,000 dollars.

 

I spent many years in a tire shop and nowdays, due to insurance, many shops don't allow customers in the service area. I have had to walk out there and explain to the service person what that little L means on the end of the stud, both the MF and the 3B. I quit going to one shop as they are the people that stripped out the threads on the Mitsu and didnt manage to see the "Goose egg" and the bent wheel. The other shop lets me walk around the service area and the service people and myself talk about the trade and they like my old Jeeps. They are also the people that told me about the bent wheel. I think some of those guys have worked there over 20 years.
When the BFG Lifesaver radials came out, we would mount them on a car and the owner would be back the next day complaining about a vibration. My father would have me ride with the owner and some how (through my butt?), I could tell which tire was out of round.