Conference ssdevo::4wd

    My first reaction would be to check the tires. They can really
    contribute. Have you rotated and rebalanced them regularily? Big
    tires can be very sensitive to wear, in particular if not properly
    inflated.

    If not, just take it to your favourite tire shop and have them
    rebalanced and inspected. In particular, you need to ask them to
    check the balance BEFORE they pull the weights so that you can
    get an idea of how bad it was. They can perform a test with a
    crayon to verify that they are round too. Tires can turn into
    "eggs" for various reasons.

    I would hold off on changing the stabilizer until the tires are
    inspected and rebalanced. In the end, you may have to replace
    the stablizer anyway (but do not have that be a foregone conclusion).

    You may also want to consider a re-alignment. They can often
    detect if this is needed by uneven wear on the tires. With a
    1991, it would not be a bad idea anyway. Rebalancing and re-align
    should be about $100 together.

    >Per

Check the cherokee notes. Sounds like the control bar or some 
such name up front. It connects the front axle to the frame. On 
the frame end is a  ball joint.  If you go beneath the jeep and 
find the joint (near the stearing knuckle) and can feel any play in 
it, it is probably going to need replacement.

I had one go on my 88 and I know we had a long discussion on 
this in that note if you want to reference it.   From 1990 they 
made the joint so you can grease it, but if you haven't been 
doing this, you probably wore it out anyways. 

    The steering stabilizer only tries to control the problem. It is not
    the cure. Unless you have oversize tires and/or a lift kit, then you
    probably have worn shocks and/or ball joints. Out-of-balance tires (or
    just worn out tires) will just make the problem more pronounced.
    
    If you have a lift kit, then you probably need a front end alignment.
    Not enough positive caster can cause that wobble. Solid axle Fords had
    this problem the worst. As you raised them up, the axle would rotate
    slightly, bringing the caster back towards zero degrees. You basically
    end up with the same problem that shopping carts have once the casters
    are bent. The wheel wants to wobble violently from side to side. Just a
    few degrees of caster smooths things right out.
    
    Harry
    

re.2

check note 234.14 - 234.70    Good examples of the "track bar" 
and how to DYI.

As to the stabilier, simply unbolt 1 end and push it in and out. If 
it has NO presure, they have a point, else, they are selling you 
what is on sale this week (ie stabiliers and front end alignments)

    I changed my stabilizer shock and found that it was extremely difficult
    to remove.  No amount of banging on it and heat would work.  I ended up
    finally taking it to a garage to change.  It was literally welded in
    place.  It took lots of banging etc on their part as well.  I put a
    monroe on it and found that the "shaking" went away.  My shock had some
    play in it before the fluid would work.  The vibration I felt was due
    to this small play.  I ended up have the front end aligned a month or
    so later when I put new tires on it.  If yours gets replaced I'd
    recommend an alignment to go with it.  (and like Harry said, have the
    camber checked at the very least.) 
     L8tr..
    Steve m...
    ps.  Ever see a "knuckle" on a 64 Landrover?  Now that was a front end.

    Thanks, so far, for the advice. I just might postpone my Meineke
    appointment and look further.
    Stu
    

Stu

    slide under there. You will see a 1" round bar that attaches
from the axle to the frame up near the steering box. The axle end 
has a rubber  bushing.  The frame end has a small ball joint.

     grab it right at the ball joint and see if it has any play in it, just 
like a tie rod end.  There should be zero.

    Did you recently change or rotate the tires?  
    Are you using stock wheels and tires?
    -Vin

    I recently changed my wheels front-to-back and back-to-front BECAUSE of
    the shaking. I was told that my tires have some (not cupping exactly)
    uneven wear. They're Good Year Wrangler A/Ts, I think. I bought this
    vehicle in August, 1994 with these tires on it. Plenty of tread left,
    so hate to have to buy new tires (might have to?).
    Would the stabilizer be the problem if it's within a certain speed
    range and not all the time?

    My stabilizer problems were most noticable at speeds around 50 mph.  It
    is easy thou to confuse them with wheel vibrations.  Also,  you might
    want to check your rims as they can build up grease and this can cause
    a slight vibration as well.  If you are getting uncontrollable
    vibrations then I'd go for the stabilizer .  Otherwise go for the
    alignment and if you are really crazy about it all do everything....
    tires too.  Just make sure that your front end is tight too.  
    L8tr..
    Stevem..

    Check the BRAKES!
    
    Calipers can sieze, rotors and drums can be out of true or out of round...
    
    I had a similar problem on a Dakota, and it turned out to be an egg shaped
    drum in the back which would set up a harmonic with the suspension 
    by alternately "bind" and "free" through it's "egg-shaped" cycle.
     
    Turned the drum and it went away, but the problem could have given me 
    a good run for my money, if I let every garage in town have their way 
    with me replacing all the suspension bits. 
    
    My entire vehicle would set up an eerie and scary shaking which
    typically used to indicate tie-rod or ball joint problems.
    The "wobblies" occurred mostly between 50 and 60 and would mysteriously
    go away below or above.  
    
    Defective brakes can also eventually wear a tire "egg-shaped" too.
    That means an uneven distribution of tread rubber around it's
    circumference.  The sign this is happening is a very slight "limp" on
    smooth pavement at very slow speeds (try it on a freshly paved parking lot).
    
    To check the brakes, just jack 'er up and spin each wheel by hand.
    If you get any significantly hard to turn or "bind-free" cycling during
    rotation, suspect a wobbly rotor or egg-shaped drum.  
    
    If you get a hard binding in the disk brakes...time for a caliper 
    rebuild/replacement. 
    
    Good Luck,
    
    John

    re: .10 by PTOSS1::MATSCHERZ
    
    Why would the stabilizer affect (as in cause) vibrations at highway
    speeds, presumably on a smooth surface where the front wheels are not
    being "kicked sideways."
    
    /Bill

    I figure that the vibrations are just common on everyday kind of roads. 
    That stabilizer is just a damping device like shocks are for the
    suspension.  If the stabilizer were not in place it would allow
    undamped oscillations to occur and that would result in a worsening
    effect until you ended up in the ditch I figure.  My one friend (yes,
    everyone has that one) he had trouble with his blazer for at least a
    year and had major alignments and suspension components replaced before
    he finally decided to replace the stabilizer.   I know he spent lots of
    $$$ before he wised up to it.  He still has that thing too.  It's a 78
    Jimmy with several body rebuilds now.  Looks pretty good too. 
    
    L8tr..
    Steve m..
    ps.  The 64 Landrover had no stabilizer.  I figure that since it
    wouldn't do over 45 anyway that it really wasn't necessary !  Although
    it probably had more to do with the tank type front end it had.  It
    wasn't your everyday Ford (or chevy) to say the least. 

    ref. .13
    
    `...figured Rover didn't need a stabilizer because of low speed
    capabilities and tank-like front end...'
    
    Nope.  That ain't the reason at all... ANY 4WD with solid front axles 
    has no need of a stabilizer bar... the left and right wheels are tied
    together through the solid axle/diff housing.
    
    As for eventually oscillating so bad it'll leave the road... pure
    fancy.  If your friend's Blazer suspension design relied so heavily 
    on a stabilizer bar that the vehicle vibrated and oscillated going 
    down the road like bad tie-rod ends, then that's a poor piece of 
    engineering.  That would mean all the other suspension componentry
    is so marginal in strength that the stabilizer bar is REQUIRED to keep
    everything under control... SHAME on GM.  Of course, put ordinary sedan
    components under Vettes for years too (the 'Stingray' years), and THEY
    didn't handle worth a damn in stock form either. 
    
    FYI, the stabilizer bar's primary job is to minimize body roll and thus
    not add destabilizing secondary body motion to the already
    destabilizing physics of turning the vehicle.  Excessive body roll can
    contribute heavily to understeer and eventually rollover if left
    unchecked. 
    
    Also, stabilizer bars transfer VERTICAL, (NOT horizontal) motion from 
    one side's lower control arm to the other side's control arm.  If the
    vehicle itself is swerving sideways, then the stabilizer bar isn't 
    to blame... worn lower control arm frame-mount or torque strut rubber
    bushings are the likely culprit.  I.E., if the right wheel goes into 
    a hole and the left wheel stays up on solid, level ground, the 
    stabilizer bar will transfer SOME of the height and stability of the 
    well planted left side wheel on high ground to the right hand side of 
    the vehicle as well as assist the right hand springs in not dropping 
    as quickly and violently as it would tend to with NO stabilizer.  
    
    Regards,
    
    John