'92 with Death Wobble

[Colo]

I have a '92 that starts to shimmy a bit when I hit 50-60 mph. Also happens occasionally when I hit a pot hole at lower speeds too, 30 - 45 mph. You can also hear a grind when making u-turns to the left. The wobble usually stops if I accelerate through and get up to 65-70 mph, but it still make me nervous.

How dangerous is it to drive in this condition? Could my tie rod break and the wheel fly off or anything? I don't usually have to drive on the freeway, so this problem rarely comes into play. Given the symptoms I described, is there anything particular I should check first?

Any ideas will be appreciated..

[scuba4321]

do a thread search, this topic has been covered before and there are some good posts regarding this topic

[Cam7]

The 2 main Items that cause Death Wooble are the Steering stablizer and Control Arm Bushings Upper and lower. Yours sounds like you might have a bad Hub with the Grinding noise. Also check the Axle U joints for wear and your Tires for balancing. Jack up the front end and turn the wheels and listen for any distortion. Make sure you use Jack stands.

[paulsenior]

Check tire balance my jeep did the same thing at about the same speed. May not be the total problem but is the cheapiest fix

[Colo]

Thanks for the feedback. Any opinions as to the urgency I should have in repairing this problem? Is this something that is just annoying or is it a possible safety issue? I have limited time and funds to do any repairs, so I've been putting it off as long as possible..

[paulsenior]

Try to get it fixed asap, those vibes can really mess up your rig things can come lose, it will wear out your steering stabalizer. My friend had a problem like this on his chevy, ended up being the drop pitman arm. But for sure get it fixed ASAP just my Paul