Loose steering feels like it has play and drifts

[jeremyjeep]

I think the steering fluid is the same but there are still a lot of variables for the Jeep engineers to sort through. And Jeep is the only vehicle out there that I know of with a solid axle controlling 60 to 90 +pounds of wheel and tire but I don't think it's suspension related. Bumps in the road don't seem to upset the steering at all. What doesn't make sense is why it's taking Jeep so long to respond to those that are having this issue.

For the other posts about weather. Winter is coming so I’m sure we’ll see all the differences here soon.

Are steering system is a gear box not rack and pinion. Also it’s electice hydro assist so there is still ydraulic fluid required to move the gears in the steering box. It’s not an all electric steering box. I’m thinking like others have posted the temp of the hydraulic fluid impacts it’s viscosity and therefore changes how the steering feels.

That’s why the TSB states lockup occurs at colder temps...the fluid is thicker and probably won’t move through the gearbox as it should. It would be like driving a car without power steering back in the day. You can turn it but it’s very hard.

Also, the gearbox has a cone type gear so if you make it too tight to take away the play as you turn the wheel more you can introduce binding in the gear system which could result in lockup, tighter steering when in a turn, or slow to return to center.

I’m not mechanic, but have read a few articles and stayed in a holiday inn express a few times.

Can’t wait until winter arrives and we all start to report steering lockup’s at speed. Haha

What are your temps at night vs day? Do you see a difference in steering with the different outside temps? And, the steering fluid for a JK is different for a JL, right? About your other reply about steering adjustment, since mine drives way better when it isn't blazing hot (95 vs 77), there is no need for me to try the adjustment since it drives great at 77 degrees. Also, my garage is hotter than the outside temperature (sometimes by 20 degrees or more) so it makes it even worse. I'm not sure if humidity could be an additional factor in this case or not (example - the other day outside temp was 95, "feels like 105" per weather.com) due to the humidity. I'm guess that there won't be a difference in steering between 55 and 75 degrees, but would be a difference between 75 and 95 (both are a 20 degrees difference, but fluids, metals, etc. can start to change when things get above 90.

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[jeremyjeep]

I think the steering fluid is the same but there are still a lot of variables for the Jeep engineers to sort through. And Jeep is the only vehicle out there that I know of with a solid axle controlling 60 to 90 +pounds of wheel and tire but I don't think it's suspension related. Bumps in the road don't seem to upset the steering at all. What doesn't make sense is why it's taking Jeep so long to respond to those that are having this issue.

You are right. The online manuals for the JK and JL both say "Mopar Power Steering Fluid +4".

 

[chadc880]

Ok just caught up on reading page 73 to 75. I actually took my JLU for a night drive before putting the hard top back on. Temp outside last night was around 73 ish. I noticed no difference. In fact I stopped at a stop light and was playing with my steering to feel the dead spot better. Also the tracking button on and off does not change my steering of handling.

Who knows how complicated or not complicated they designed out JL steering boxes. If the box temp is 175 I cannot see how outside ambient temp would affect the box since it is already "at running temp" But I can see a tire pressure drop with cooler temps ? Loose ball joints, I could see cooler metals securing by contracting making a difference. I don't know. I did send a follow up email to FCA Corp last night with some stronger tone to it.

 

[jeremyjeep]

Ok just caught up on reading page 73 to 75. I actually took my JLU for a night drive before putting the hard top back on. Temp outside last night was around 73 ish. I noticed no difference. In fact I stopped at a stop light and was playing with my steering to feel the dead spot better. Also the tracking button on and off does not change my steering of handling.

Who knows how complicated or not complicated they designed out JL steering boxes. If the box temp is 175 I cannot see how outside ambient temp would affect the box since it is already "at running temp" But I can see a tire pressure drop with cooler temps ? Loose ball joints, I could see cooler metals securing by contracting making a difference. I don't know. I did send a follow up email to FCA Corp last night with some stronger tone to it.

The steering TSB 08-092-18 mentions "during colder ambient..." so something somewhere in steering is affected by outside temperatures. I have no idea if it is the steering fluid, aluminum vs steel steering box, the fluid in the steering box viscosity due to aluminum, tire pressure reaction to outside temps, etc. I wonder if a steering fluid additive would affect any of our steering symptoms, or would it void warranty. The mystery continues.

 

[skrubi12]

@Saejin - where in MD are you located? feel free to PM me. I had the TSB applied awhile back and my vehicle is no longer randomly darting into other lanes like it was so I think it may have helped. My wife drove it for the first time and said that the steering really sucked and she really had to focus on steering to keep the jeep in a straight line. I don't know if I got used to it or if the wife just isn't used to driving a jeep (it doesn't drive like our Honda Pilot, nor do I expect it to - but it doesn't drive like the JKU I traded for it either).

 

[jeremyjeep]

@Saejin - where in MD are you located? feel free to PM me. I had the TSB applied awhile back and my vehicle is no longer randomly darting into other lanes like it was so I think it may have helped. My wife drove it for the first time and said that the steering really sucked and she really had to focus on steering to keep the jeep in a straight line. I don't know if I got used to it or if the wife just isn't used to driving a jeep (it doesn't drive like our Honda Pilot, nor do I expect it to - but it doesn't drive like the JKU I traded for it either).

If you guys in MD figure this out, I'm going on a road trip to MD, expensing gas money, hotel and $0.20 per mile to FCA and I will buy you both the next Wrangler mod on your wish lists. lol

 

[skrubi12]

If you guys in MD figure this out, I'm going on a road trip to MD, expensing gas money, hotel and $0.20 per mile to FCA and I will buy you both the next Wrangler mod on your wish lists. lol

I will say someone is onto something with heat and what not. I do feel the steering feels tighter and less slightly in the morning. I only have an 8 mile drive to work and I never seem to notice any looseness (is that a word?) then. I took the family out for a 3 hour Sunday drive on some backroads yesterday afternoon and it felt a lot flightier on the way home driving the highway at 70-75 than it did when we left. At crawl speed, didn't notice anything (we have some "rural" roads - unmaintained - that I could just putt along on). Like I said, I may just be used to the steering, I feel like I can keep it straight without much effort. I also wonder if maybe I don't have a problem and it was a mind game for my wife. Grip the steering wheel to hard and you start to pull it left/right - once you drift out of the "play zone" it starts to steer, then you're going the other way.

It's weird for sure and something is very different in it that my JKU. For what it's worth, I can tolerate it and don't feel unsafe, but something is definitely odd and not just a jeep thing.

 

[hubble]

I wonder if a Jk steering box fits the new JL or are they completely different? It would be interesting to install a JK steering box on a JL that has the steering problems and see what happens...............

 

[x8086]

Outside temperature of 59F this morning. Drove 15 miles to work with what I consider normal steering wheel play and no drifting.

It will be in the 70's today and I'll note any differences.

 

[jeremyjeep]

I will say someone is onto something with heat and what not. I do feel the steering feels tighter and less slightly in the morning. I only have an 8 mile drive to work and I never seem to notice any looseness (is that a word?) then. I took the family out for a 3 hour Sunday drive on some backroads yesterday afternoon and it felt a lot flightier on the way home driving the highway at 70-75 than it did when we left. At crawl speed, didn't notice anything (we have some "rural" roads - unmaintained - that I could just putt along on). Like I said, I may just be used to the steering, I feel like I can keep it straight without much effort. I also wonder if maybe I don't have a problem and it was a mind game for my wife. Grip the steering wheel to hard and you start to pull it left/right - once you drift out of the "play zone" it starts to steer, then you're going the other way.

It's weird for sure and something is very different in it that my JKU. For what it's worth, I can tolerate it and don't feel unsafe, but something is definitely odd and not just a jeep thing.

It was a high of 73 and low of 62 in Toledo Ohio (MFG location) on the MFG date of my JLU per temperature history data at https://www.wunderground.com/history/. They would of never seen the steering problem during any steering QA via computer or human test drive. The temperatures plus/minus a few weeks was nearly the same. I doubt they have a test lab with high temperature above 90 degrees for testing.

 

[jeremyjeep]

Outside temperature of 59F this morning. Drove 15 miles to work with what I consider normal steering wheel play and no drifting.

It will be in the 70's today and I'll note any differences.

You might not see any differences in the 70s. Mine is steering great in the upper 70s, if it is an ambient temperature issue in your particular vehicle that is. Once it gets to upper 80s, or above 90 here, I have to constantly correct steering so it will stay in lane. Similar to what others here have reported.

 

[Richamby]

Tire thread squirm could be a factor.

I had a similar issue with my 2005 Chevy Colorado and when I changed to a normal street tire, the wandering stopped.

I know this isn’t a reasonable solution for a off road Jeep.

That being said, lowering air pressure solved a great deal of my issue, Sahara on AT Bridgestone tires.

I think if I adjust the lash on the steering box, I can cure it to acceptable.

 

[viper88]

Do we have fluid in any part of our suspension?

The only thing i can think of its the steering box or tires getting harder with cold.

The viscosity of fluids can change with temp changes. The steering box has fluid in it. Tire pressure will change also with temp. You will loose about 1-2 psi for every 10 degrees in temp drop.

 

[jeremyjeep]

That being said, lowering air pressure solve a great deal of my issue, Sahara on AT Bridgestone tires.

How far below the door jam PSI are your tires at? I might try the same %. My door jam says 37, I've tried 38, 37, 36. No difference. Heat, especially in the mid 90s, could definitely affect the tires of course.

 

[skrubi12]

I'm at 35-36 psi depending on the day and it feels good - haven't noticed a difference in how much it wanders compared to 41. I ran the same in my JKU with 265/70R17 KO2s. Even at 41 psi (coming home from the dealer in the JKU), I didn't have wandering steering, just felt really stiff going over bumps. The JLU feels like it's on ice skates with little to no resistance at 41psi.

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