Bad shape after a mud stuck

[droog]

Hi all.

I have a 2002 Wrangler X. All stock.
Got stuck in mud up to bottom of doors yesterday. After digging, and rocking back and forth for 3 hours, i broke down and called someone to winch me out.

Driving it today, the front end shakes violently at 45 mph. Its fine up to that speed. I cleaned it, and got about 90% of the mud off, but that didn't help at all.

I have had mild shakes (death wobble?) before at around 53-54 mph. But this shake I'm getting now is hardcore.

Anyone ever have something similar happen??
Suggestions?

Thanks!!

 

[Wrangl3r93]

I've had similar problems with mud caking on the backside of the rim. Pull them off and see if it's throwing the tire offbalance or if a weight was thrown in the muck. You should prob finish cleaning off the rest of the axle, especially any moving parts, because taking them apart is no fun.

 

[currupt4130]

This is why you see me drive around mud on the trail... I look funny driving a beat to death YJ on 38's around a measly puddle Hahaha. Sorry I can't help anymore than that.

 

[droog]

Thanks for the advice. Im pretty new with this.

I got all the mud off of the tires and most of it from all the nooks and crannies...That stuff just doesn't want to come off.
The shakes are gone until i hit about 50mph. Not nearly as bad as it was.
I'll get the rest of the underside cleaned up tomorrow, and get the tires balanced. Hope that works..

 

[cewtwo]

Do you think you might have turned the steering wheel while you were stuck in the mud? You may have loosened up some of the steering components. Check your tie rod ends and drag links. You may have messed up a ball joint also.

As soon as you can, lube it. Lube it now. Check to see if any mud pushes out as you push the grease in.

 

[TwistedCU]

Take it to the self-serve car wash and use that high pressure sprayer to blast the inside and outside of the wheels and tires. Hit everything underneath as well. Caked mud incites corrosion and is heavy

 

[Jason4x4]

What's the point of having a Jeep if you don't plow through some mud from time to time??

 

[JeepcrewX5]

CEWTEW is right, may be steering, does it pull one direction or the other? And be sure to check the front and rear axle fluids, if the oil looks milky you may have gotten water through an axle seal. Start the cheapest and work to the expensive, a quarter car wash has my bet to do the trick.p0p

 

[droog]

Thanks for all the help!!

I lifted her up and took the tires off. What a mess. Mud in the tires, clumped to tie rod, caked in springs. There was even mud caked in the vents on the discs. Lets just say I now have the cleanest front end in the world now, and my Jeep is about 150 lbs lighter. Mud was packed, and I mean packed in the transfer case skid plate. Mechanically she is fine. Tie rod ends and drag links are fine. As are ball joints.

Thanks again. I am new at this, and was horrified thinking that I broke my Jeep.
Super happy that it just needed a cleaning.

 

[Jason4x4]

Thanks for all the help!!

I lifted her up and took the tires off. What a mess. Mud in the tires, clumped to tie rod, caked in springs. There was even mud caked in the vents on the discs. Lets just say I now have the cleanest front end in the world now, and my Jeep is about 150 lbs lighter. Mud was packed, and I mean packed in the transfer case skid plate. Mechanically she is fine. Tie rod ends and drag links are fine. As are ball joints.

Thanks again. I am new at this, and was horrified thinking that I broke my Jeep.
Super happy that it just needed a cleaning.

So do I infer from that that the cleaning took care of your problems?? As for the transfer case being packed, back in Feb I ran at Paragon. The high temperature for the day was about 7 deg F. I came home with the transfer case skid packed full of ice. It was about 2 weeks before it melted enough for me to pull the slab of ice out.