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Why Does My Jeep Shake At 40 MPH? All You Need to Know

I came across several instances where my Jeep started shaking at 40 mph. Jeep shaking is a common issue observed by off-roaders. The Jeep might make the driver feel that the vehicle is shaking or vibrating after certain speed limits. Why does my Jeep shake at 40 mph?

Jeep shakes at or above 40 Mph typically due to poor or unbalanced tires. Another reason for shaking is the improper alignment of the tires. The driver will notice a prominent shake in the steering wheel at speeds between 45 and 60 Mph if the tires get out of alignment. 

No matter how much we keep our vehicle in a good state of maintenance, there are chances of vibration and shaking. Various reasons revolve around this scenario, and people often get confused about why their Jeep shakes at 40 mph. Often this problem is observed at low speeds and sometimes in vehicles travelling at high speeds.

Primary Reasons Behind Shaking of Jeep:

Here we will discuss some reasons why jeep shakes at 40 mph:

  1. Tire issues
  2. Issue of wheels and brakes
  3. Issue of suspension and its components
  4. Worn shocks and struts

1. Tire Issues:

The main reason jeep shakes at 40 MPH is due to the issues associated with tires. The issues include the usage of winter tires in an inappropriate way, tire wear and an imbalanced set of tires.

Winter Tires

Tire Wear

Imbalanced Tires

  • Winter tires can cause unnecessary vibrations due to rubber design and performance.

  • The winter tires in the jeep are not designed for a warmer climate, leading to poor performance in warm areas.

  • It is recommended to check the tires either are suitable for warm areas or not. Winter tires hold an M+S mark on their side or a snowflake symbol.

  • It indicates that the tire is a winter tire. You can still use such tires in summers, but they will wear out quickly, giving an uncomfortable ride.

  • Worn out tires or deterioration of tires is the primary suspect in the vibration of the jeep at 40 MPH. Tires require replacement after a certain limit of time.

  • Their deterioration can lead to vibrations and shaking in vehicles. You can check the tread of your tire using a micrometre calliper.

  • Tires having values under 4mm or 0.15 inches are not safe for off-roading and will produce vibrations.

  • You can measure the width of the tire to check for any discrepancy.

  • A slight slant of the tire towards or away from the vehicle can cause uneven wear on one side and lead to vibrations.

  • It is important to balance the rim and tires before installing them on the vehicle. It will prevent the shaking and vibration of the steering wheel.

  • An inflated tire also causes vibrations. You can determine the points of unbalance using special machines. It is better to take your vehicle for an inspection to avoid shaking at 40 MPH.

2. Issue of Wheels and Brake:

Balancing the tires is associated with the geometry on the rim, while tire alignment is lined with the wheel angle. It is necessary to balance the tires as misaligned wheels wear down more quickly, and there is vibration in the vehicle. Misaligned wheels lead to reduced stability and control. It is better to ask for professional help to fix the misaligned wheels with specialized tools.

Improperly tightened wheel bolts are a common cause of violent rattling and are dangerous in the case of off-roading. If you suspect such a situation, it is better to take out the tire and get the wheel bolts tightened. Check out the rims for bends, chips, and cracks that cause unbalanced rotation and can lead to vibrations.

Improperly tightened wheel bolts are a dangerous and common cause of violent rattling. You should also check the rims for bends, chips, and cracks that can cause unbalanced rotation resulting in vibrations.

Focus on the vibrations after pressing the brake. It is a difficult task to change the brake pads or brake disc. There is a proper procedure to handle the brake pipes.

It is difficult to air out the brake system, and if it is done incorrectly, an air bubble sabotages the brakes. It is an easy task to inspect the brakes, and you can save money.

3. Issue of Suspension and Components:

Suspension can absorb the bumps and imperfections on the road. It can handle the vehicle and is responsible for its stability. Vibrations at 40 mph are seen when one or more components or suspension fails. Suspensions also wear out like other components.

The suspension operates, and vibrations can absorb the moisture, rust, and age of the vehicle. The stiff metal parts are connected through rubber and ball bearings.

4. Worn Shocks & Struts:

It is worth checking to have a look at the shocks and struts. These components do not cause vibrations at all still; it is good to have a look.

Worn suspensions cannot absorb the bumps and corners, leading to loss of control of the vehicle. It is easy to check that the shocks and bounces can signify the problem with the coils.

We have created the infographic below that covers the reasons and the fixes on why jeep shakes at and above 40 mph. (You are welcome to use and share but please credit us if you do so.)

Why Does My Jeep Shake At 40 MPH

Determining the Imbalanced State for Tires:

Why Does My Jeep Shake At 40 MPH

The common symptoms of out-of-balance tires are that the tires would wear off more quickly, way earlier than routine.

Another common symptom of imbalance is the increase in fuel consumption and the start consuming more fuel than it usually does regularly. The most common symptom by which the un-balancing of the tire is identified includes the vibrations.

If the vehicle vibrates at slow and high speeds simultaneously, the tires have gone out of balance, and an immediate need for balancing the tires is now required.

How to Measure Wear of Your Off-Road Tires?

If a person observes any of these symptoms frequently in their vehicles’ tires, then it is high time for maintenance and balancing of the tires. In simpler words, these common symptoms are:

  • The driver would feel vibrations in the steering wheel, the floorboard, or the seat.
  • The driver would get the wheels rotated, generally every 5,000 miles.
  • At the very least two years, once in a year, if the person drives rough roads.
  • The tire gets flat and is repaired. 
  • In case the tires are new, they also might need to get balanced.
  • You notice uneven tire wear.

Also, some other symptoms indicate that the car tires are imbalanced and need to get fixed as soon as possible. 

Chassis and Continuous Vibration in Jeep:

The issue behind the constant vibration is the uneven wear of tires or their imbalanced state. It is recommended to balance the tires or rotate them to resolve such issues. There is no need to use the worn-out tires having misshaped treads.

Replace them altogether to control the vibrations and shakes at 40 mph. If, after adopting these strategies, you still notice the vibrations, then the issue is with the brake pads, suspension or axle. The worn-out pads and defective axles can also lead to constant vibration.

1. Extremely Loud Road Noise:

The tires’ wearing down on tires results in noisy driving. A loud noise is produced on the road due to an issue with the tires. Tires not maintained or managed properly can lead to a worn-out state and cause loud noise. Check out your entire car if you notice an unusual sound on the road. It indicates an issue with the tires or any other system of the car.

2. Accident That Damages the Chassis or Assemblies:

If you want to travel in a safe zone on the road, focus on the assemblies and chassis of your vehicle. It is advisable to check and fix your chassis and assemblies of wheels if they were damaged in a road accident. It will lead the vehicle to vibrate at 40 mph. This overall checking will help you detect the other issues with the car if they are present.

3. Hard Objects and Curb:

The accidental hitting or strike with a curb or other hard objects are indicated as minor issues, but they can lead to tire damage-causing vibrations. It is recommended to inspect the vehicle if you face such an issue. You can seek help from a professional who is an expert in automotive to detect the issue if you cannot do so.

If no issue is detected after such an incident, it is still advisable to get your tires rebalanced. It will help you attain an accurate balance on the road with all four tires and prevent damage to the vehicle.

Why Does My Jeep Shake At 40 MPH

Rebalancing the Tires and Controlling the Vibrations:

If you want to rebalance the tires for controlling the vibration in your vehicle, focus on the tire area unit. Place the wheel-tire unit on the equalization machine and point to the heavy and light areas for taking accurate measurements. Make the changes according to the variations. You can adopt the following measures to do so:

  1. Attach the tire that is mounted to the wheel causing vibrations to a tire balancing machine.
  2. Make sure to measure the vibrations by spinning the wheel in different directions. It will indicate accurate vibrations.
  3. The technician can adjust the weight and can rebalance it. If you are not able to detect the imbalance meant then seek help through a technician. Move the tire on the wheel to rebalance it as sometimes the tires can line up together to create imbalance. It is necessary to correct such an imbalanced state.

Is It OK To Drive the Jeep With Imbalanced Tires?

It is not safe to drive unbalanced or worn-out tires having misaligned treads. Majority of the car owners are aware of this fact and it is necessary to resolve this issue, especially before off-roading.

Sometimes, the off-road enthusiasts unknowingly engage themselves in such a situation and continue their activities with such tires for a longer period of time. It is recommended to inspect the tires to detect any wear and tear on tires and to avoid any accidents.

If they are unsure if the tires need to be balanced, rotated, or replaced, they should keep an eye for the signs of unbalanced tires.

Excessive vibrationsThere are fewer chances of vibrations when all the tires are in a balancing state. But vibrations are increased in an unbalancing state and it needs a proper fix.
Poor treadWhen the tires are properly inflated and are balanced, the tread is not worn down. The tires remain in the same condition. But in an unbalancing state, the areas of tires wear down faster leading to uneven tread wear.
Sudden rise in fuel costsThe tires in an unbalancing state can increase your fuel cost. The tires in an imbalanced state insist on fast driving and driving performance is affected. It leads to increased fuel costs and decreases efficiency.

There is no need to stress about such a situation of car tires. You can get them in a perfect balancing state, which is easy.

You can seek professional help from technicians and can detect the damage in the tires and assemblies of wheels. Technicians focus on tightening the lug nuts and seating the wheels and tires on hubs. In the end, technicians make sure that tires are properly installed to provide a safe drive on the road.

Owners charge some balancing fee on purchasing a new set of tires in their stores. After this payment, you can get your tires rebalanced without any cost from many tire stores. It is a useful activity, and you can rotate and change your tires after six months. It will enhance your tire performance.

Also Read:

Why is Jeep So Unreliable? All You Need to Know
Why Does My Jeep Wrangler Keep Beeping? All You Need to Know
How Long Do Jeep Wranglers Last?
Can You Lower a Jeep Wrangler? All You Need to Know
Can All Jeeps Go Off-Road? All You Need to Know
The Top 10 Jeeps for Off-Roading

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Why does the jeep shake at 45 mph speed?

Jeep shakes at the speed of 45 mph and wobbles. Death wobble or shaking is seen when you hit a bump on the road at highway speeds. The shaking becomes violent in such a case, and the whole end of the jeep seems to be moving around.

Why does the jeep wobble at 40 mph?

The jeep is designed to absorb and control the vibration. The frequency of the jeep can absorb the vibrations at 40 to 45 miles per hour in case of death wobbles.

What leads to a car shaking at 40 mph?

When something is out of balance, the car vibrates or shakes. Tires and wheels are balanced in such a case and lead to a worn or bad wheel bearing causing shaking.

Why does the jeep shake at fast driving?

The common causes behind the shaking of jeep wrangler are unbalanced tires, misaligned wheels, tire damage and loose lug nuts. Some less common causes are the bad axle and worn suspension, worn-out steering parts and incorrect tire pressure.

Why do jeeps face death wobble?

When rotating, the steering wheel rapidly rotates, it causes the steering wheel to move rapidly, causing a death wobble. It feels like the vehicle is moving apart.

Why does the jeep wobble when hit by a bump?

Death wobble faced by vehicles is the by-product of solid front axle design. It can cause the steering wheel to shake violently after hitting a bump at higher speeds. Any vehicle with a solid front axle is susceptible to issues.

How much is the jeep death wobble common?

I-Team found out more than 600 complaints about wobble since 1997. No deaths are reported as an issue of death wobble, but injuries have been reported.

What leads a car not to reach the speed of 40 mph?

The limp mode is responsible for not reaching the vehicle to accelerate over 25 or 40 mph. It is also called limp home mode.

Why jeep vibrates?

The improperly balanced tires are the common cause of jeep vibration. Other causes are bad U-Joint and Bad driveshaft.

Why does the jeep vibrate?

There are multiple causes behind vibration, including the bad transmission mount and worn-out spark plugs.

Is it possible to drive with a death wobble?

It is recommended not to drive in a death wobble situation. Keep the speed under forty-five if you want to stay on the road.

Can the ball joints in a vehicle cause death wobble?

Worn out ball joints and unit bearings are also a cause of death wobble. Grab the front and backside of the tire to detect the issue.