shaking when accelerating past 50...

[junk210]

So my jeep ('99 grand cherokee laredo) started shaking (steering wheel and all that...) recently when i try to drive above 50... could this be the transmission...? It hasn't been driving as smooth lately...

[JeepForever]

I've heard this referred to as "Death Wobble", and don't worry - you probably won't die from it (unless you get a heart attack when it happens). It happened in my '94 Grand Cherokee and it freaked me out. I pulled over and everything looked fine. A few days later, above about 50 MPH the same thing happened. If you search for "shaking", you'll find other articles about this. Here's what I did to solve it:
1. Replaced steering damper (about $180 through a dealer, or $29 if you buy the part and do it yourself - looks pretty easy)
2. Replaced track bar (front - between wheels) - about $120 at a shop - doesn't look too difficult
I also had new tires and an alignment, but I think the biggest culprit was the steering damper. I have slight rattles when I hit a pothole while going around a corner, but it doesn't keep shaking - just a little vibration for a moment.

This should give you a good starting point.

[freebsd]

My 2001 GC 4.7L would start to shake/buck at around 60 km/h +. Turns out it was the TPS (Throttle Position Sensor). Pretty cheap fix.

Good luck.

[joed]

my vote is for the steering damper. same problem, same fix!

[JeepForever]

I read another article where someone got "death wobble" after jacking up the suspension and putting 33" tires on their Grand Cherokee. Death Wobble sounds like a common condition when the steering is loose, or if you do modify the suspension and the steering gets a bit stressed.