Keeper
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2019
- Threads
- 3
- Messages
- 68
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- 29
- Location
- Seacoast NH
- Vehicle(s)
- '19 Sport Granite
My trackbar is installed correctly, but I still have loose steering.
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Hi Keeper,My trackbar is installed correctly, but I still have loose steering.
FCA should have a service bulletin for this issue !Just a note to other JL owners experiencing steering issues.
- I took it to a local dealer who apparently did a full steering inspection. After the inspection the service manager told me, it drives like a Jeep and that standard transmission Wranglers have looser steering than their automatic counterparts and it has always been that way... cough.. Two different dealerships blew it off.
- The first thing I did was try and stall an aftermarket steering stabilizer. I decided to go with a Falcon stabilizer, and while it did add sense of tightness to steering and give it a more tactile heavy feel it didn't resolve the steering play.
To check the alignment, re-center the steering wheel, and make sure my modifications were good I wanted to take the Jeep into a shop to have my work verified. I'm still super new to Jeeps and steering components in general, so I wanted the things I touched checked. I mentioned to the owner of the shop I've been super frustrated with the potato steering so he took a minute with me and we just started poking around.... then we found this...
- When doing some of my own inspection on steering components I noticed some excessive play in where the draglink connects to the pitman arm... I knew that I would be upgrading steering components later in the life of the Jeep anyway so I took the plunge and bought a Steersmarts draglink. After installing the steering was a bit better, but still not great.
It came this way from the factory even though there appears to be a blue line that this was inspected (if that is what it means). After bolting the trackbar correctly to the bracket located behind it and putting the screw all the way through, the way she drives is night and day. After several dealership visits and some out of pocket expense trying to figure out what I could do to fix it - I can close the book on this jeep's steering issues. It's been really frustrating and leaves me disappointed with Jeep but it's fixed. Maybe this can help someone else maybe it won't, but either way this is something to check for.
You sure it wasnāt moved when the steering stabilizer swapped?Just a note to other JL owners experiencing steering issues.
- I took it to a local dealer who apparently did a full steering inspection. After the inspection the service manager told me, it drives like a Jeep and that standard transmission Wranglers have looser steering than their automatic counterparts and it has always been that way... cough.. Two different dealerships blew it off.
- The first thing I did was try and stall an aftermarket steering stabilizer. I decided to go with a Falcon stabilizer, and while it did add sense of tightness to steering and give it a more tactile heavy feel it didn't resolve the steering play.
To check the alignment, re-center the steering wheel, and make sure my modifications were good I wanted to take the Jeep into a shop to have my work verified. I'm still super new to Jeeps and steering components in general, so I wanted the things I touched checked. I mentioned to the owner of the shop I've been super frustrated with the potato steering so he took a minute with me and we just started poking around.... then we found this...
- When doing some of my own inspection on steering components I noticed some excessive play in where the draglink connects to the pitman arm... I knew that I would be upgrading steering components later in the life of the Jeep anyway so I took the plunge and bought a Steersmarts draglink. After installing the steering was a bit better, but still not great.
It came this way from the factory even though there appears to be a blue line that this was inspected (if that is what it means). After bolting the trackbar correctly to the bracket located behind it and putting the screw all the way through, the way she drives is night and day. After several dealership visits and some out of pocket expense trying to figure out what I could do to fix it - I can close the book on this jeep's steering issues. It's been really frustrating and leaves me disappointed with Jeep but it's fixed. Maybe this can help someone else maybe it won't, but either way this is something to check for.
Yeah on the stabilizer install I didn't have move the trackbar. If I had screwed it up I would have swallowed my pride and just not posted anything about it.You sure it wasnāt moved when the steering stabilizer swapped?
I canāt see it leaving the factory like this but that might just be giving FCA too much credit....
Evidently the assembler that normally does the front steering components was obviously absent or on vacation and had fill in .Just a note to other JL owners experiencing steering issues.
- I took it to a local dealer who apparently did a full steering inspection. After the inspection the service manager told me, it drives like a Jeep and that standard transmission Wranglers have looser steering than their automatic counterparts and it has always been that way... cough.. Two different dealerships blew it off.
- The first thing I did was try and stall an aftermarket steering stabilizer. I decided to go with a Falcon stabilizer, and while it did add sense of tightness to steering and give it a more tactile heavy feel it didn't resolve the steering play.
To check the alignment, re-center the steering wheel, and make sure my modifications were good I wanted to take the Jeep into a shop to have my work verified. I'm still super new to Jeeps and steering components in general, so I wanted the things I touched checked. I mentioned to the owner of the shop I've been super frustrated with the potato steering so he took a minute with me and we just started poking around.... then we found this...
- When doing some of my own inspection on steering components I noticed some excessive play in where the draglink connects to the pitman arm... I knew that I would be upgrading steering components later in the life of the Jeep anyway so I took the plunge and bought a Steersmarts draglink. After installing the steering was a bit better, but still not great.
It came this way from the factory even though there appears to be a blue line that this was inspected (if that is what it means). After bolting the trackbar correctly to the bracket located behind it and putting the screw all the way through, the way she drives is night and day. After several dealership visits and some out of pocket expense trying to figure out what I could do to fix it - I can close the book on this jeep's steering issues. It's been really frustrating and leaves me disappointed with Jeep but it's fixed. Maybe this can help someone else maybe it won't, but either way this is something to check for.
Normally the next assembler installing components checks previous installer work and so on .Yikes - i would (at least) have the dealer document that, in case there is any potential fallout from driving on that. That's poor quality (and like someone said) cant believe it passed inspection.
Are you sure they even LOOKED AT IT? Or just check off they inspected it to make you go away as just another Jeep driver irritated over steering issues?Yeah on the stabilizer install I didn't have move the trackbar. If I had screwed it up I would have swallowed my pride and just not posted anything about it.
What irritates me is getting it inspected by the dealership and nobody seeing it. Seems like they are used to writing off the steering stuff because it is a common complaint that doesnāt seem to have a definitive solution. Then they come up with bs to give customers about how mt models have looser steering.. I know dealers are hit and miss but I think they wanted me out the door and didnāt give it the time of day.
The first dealership said it drove normally without inspecting it, the second one said they did a full inspection on it and even re-torqued some components down.Are you sure they even LOOKED AT IT? Or just check off they inspected it to make you go away as just another Jeep driver irritated over steering issues?
Lydia,Hi Keeper,
We recommend returning to your dealer for further inspection. We are happy to help with this process as well. We can be reached via private message.
Lydia
Jeep Social Care Specialist
This does not surprise me at all. My JL's loose steering problems were fixed by tightening the finger tight ball joint nuts and 50% loose track bar bolts, drag link bolts, etc. Several people have reported this exact same loose steering component fasteners in the other main steering thread on this website. Even one of of the Star Bulletins says to check steering component torque specs, so FCA is aware of the loose parts issue, but no mention about the track bar being installed outside of the bracket. There are two different videos of Chrysler factory employees smoking weed and drinking beer at lunch on YouTube. Search YouTube and you will find the video evidence provided by a news station. This would explain the lack of quality on the factory line.You sure it wasnāt moved when the steering stabilizer swapped?
I canāt see it leaving the factory like this but that might just be giving FCA too much credit....
Hi Keeper,Lydia,
I've already been to the dealer.
1) The dealer said there's nothing they can do, because there's no service bulletin from FCA. They mentioned opening a case. The vehicle is still unsafe to drive on the highway, so that means nothing to me.
2) The service manager asked me where I bought my Wrangler! (Not there.)
Given both of the above, I won't be visiting my dealer unless I see some evidence that they have any clue and inclination on how to fix steering issues. I'll keep an eye on the boards for anything positive, and hope for the best for my wife when she's driving 70 MPH on a 2-lane freeway while overtaking a semi.