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2020 JLUR steering issue

2020 JL steering wheel issue


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yardsale

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My 2020 JLUR seemed to wander and drift around when I got it, way more than my old JK. SUprised I did not get pulled over by a cop who thought I might be drunk. Anyhow, I put a Yeti track bar on it. Then I centered the steering wheel a bit more precisely than it came from the factory. With these two small mods I feel the steering and drifting is 100 times better. It is still not perfect, but it is acceptable enough that I am not going to worry about my steering anymore, I am just going to drive it!

For those that don't know, the stock track bar (even the most updated one) is hollow and weak. I could envision it flexing. Even a little flex will cause big problems. For reference, the JK track bar was solid and heavy.
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RagTopDeluxe

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It’s not the roads (but driving the crowned roads downtown is a challenge to keep it straight), it’s the Jeep.

I put the Falcon 2.2 SS, Mopar lift LCAs to fix caster, Yeti track bar, tightened the sway links (check those!!), and the dealer (on the 4th attempt to fix the steering) put in a new AD steering box, all to no avail. Someone on the main steering thread said it perfectly, “feel like you're sitting in a wagon holding that handle trying to steer it down a steep hill.”

I’ve been holding off on doing more mods to see if FCA comes out with a new steering box or a proper fix, but I’m seriously considering lemon law/buy-back and try another.
 

oasisblue8

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It’s not the roads (but driving the crowned roads downtown is a challenge to keep it straight), it’s the Jeep.

I put the Falcon 2.2 SS, Mopar lift LCAs to fix caster, Yeti track bar, tightened the sway links (check those!!), and the dealer (on the 4th attempt to fix the steering) put in a new AD steering box, all to no avail. Someone on the main steering thread said it perfectly, “feel like you're sitting in a wagon holding that handle trying to steer it down a steep hill.”

I’ve been holding off on doing more mods to see if FCA comes out with a new steering box or a proper fix, but I’m seriously considering lemon law/buy-back and try another.
Good lord, I'm so sorry to read about your experience. I guess I'll look into lemon laws too...
 

sportsguy

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Steering stabilizers will not improve the side to side tracking. They will soften the impact of bump and help alleviate a wobble. There is no definitive fix for the tracking issue.
You either get a good jeep or a bad one. Past surveys show about 25% have problems.
Quick follow on here: is this an issue that exists from the test drive forward, or is it an issue that "grows" a bit over time, after you take it home?

I recently had a 2018 Unlimited for a couple weeks while my EcoDiesel was in for some work...and it had a dead spot, which i didn't consider to be an issue. Do I wish it wasn't there, sure...but nothing unsafe, IMO. And I've built Jeeps in the past, so things do change when you alter suspension components and such.

Just trying to understand if this is something I should look for on a test drive (to you point - roughly 25% have issues), or if it really just manifests after a few miles are added.

(I have had, and currently have, motorcycles so I'm intimately familiar with buying a new item and needing to adjust it to be just right. ;) )
 

M0ondogy

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Quick follow on here: is this an issue that exists from the test drive forward, or is it an issue that "grows" a bit over time, after you take it home?

I recently had a 2018 Unlimited for a couple weeks while my EcoDiesel was in for some work...and it had a dead spot, which i didn't consider to be an issue. Do I wish it wasn't there, sure...but nothing unsafe, IMO. And I've built Jeeps in the past, so things do change when you alter suspension components and such.

Just trying to understand if this is something I should look for on a test drive (to you point - roughly 25% have issues), or if it really just manifests after a few miles are added.

(I have had, and currently have, motorcycles so I'm intimately familiar with buying a new item and needing to adjust it to be just right. ;) )
It seems like the problem is kind of all over the place. Which adds to the problem and frustration for people. Reading the thread on the steering issue you'll see that it's not one problem with one fix. It's problem A for one and Problem B for another. With Problem A and B for yet another while another has C and A. All Contribute to the wandering, but don't have the same solution.

Mine has a large dead spot in the wheel. Larger than any other car or Jeep I've had. It's not the end of the world, but it's something I dislike and contribute to a poor design.

The Jeep also wanders a bit. It requires constant input to keep strait. The dead spot amplifies the problem. Those micro-inputs to keep it strait don't work because the dead spot is so large. It results in moving the wheel side to side just to aim it down the road.

Once it finally settled down and the wheel is kept still, the Jeep will wander again. It's a cycle that never ends. I've tried a hand full of the fixes listed in the forum, but they only treat the symptom and not the problem. It still wanders and the wheel is still loose.

My white knuckle drive to work (20 miles) was somewhere between scary and dangerous. With the fixes, it's just scary. Dangerous only when an 18 wheeler pushes me around with it's wind.

It's a problem. Not all of us have it, but it's big enough that it has rocked my faith in FCA and the Jeep brand.

I suggest you do the "rollo" test drive. Get a pack of rollos, get in the highway and get up to speed, try to open those rollos and eat one. If you can do that without clinching your butt so tight that it takes a bite out of the seat, you have a good one.

I cannot do that. Changing the radio station puts me in another lane without consulting me first.
 

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oasisblue8

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It seems like the problem is kind of all over the place. Which adds to the problem and frustration for people. Reading the thread on the steering issue you'll see that it's not one problem with one fix. It's problem A for one and Problem B for another. With Problem A and B for yet another while another has C and A. All Contribute to the wandering, but don't have the same solution.

Mine has a large dead spot in the wheel. Larger than any other car or Jeep I've had. It's not the end of the world, but it's something I dislike and contribute to a poor design.

The Jeep also wanders a bit. It requires constant input to keep strait. The dead spot amplifies the problem. Those micro-inputs to keep it strait don't work because the dead spot is so large. It results in moving the wheel side to side just to aim it down the road.

Once it finally settled down and the wheel is kept still, the Jeep will wander again. It's a cycle that never ends. I've tried a hand full of the fixes listed in the forum, but they only treat the symptom and not the problem. It still wanders and the wheel is still loose.

My white knuckle drive to work (20 miles) was somewhere between scary and dangerous. With the fixes, it's just scary. Dangerous only when an 18 wheeler pushes me around with it's wind.

It's a problem. Not all of us have it, but it's big enough that it has rocked my faith in FCA and the Jeep brand.

I suggest you do the "rollo" test drive. Get a pack of rollos, get in the highway and get up to speed, try to open those rollos and eat one. If you can do that without clinching your butt so tight that it takes a bite out of the seat, you have a good one.

I cannot do that. Changing the radio station puts me in another lane without consulting me first.
This sucks to read (but thanks for sharing, seriously). I haven't ordered mine yet, but it's like this huge and expensive gamble where you might get lucky or unlucky. If unlucky, you MAY get some relief with all of these mods and add-ons but you might not. And despite mounting evidence, FCA doesn't seem to be handling this right.
 

yardsale

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This sucks to read (but thanks for sharing, seriously). I haven't ordered mine yet, but it's like this huge and expensive gamble where you might get lucky or unlucky. If unlucky, you MAY get some relief with all of these mods and add-ons but you might not. And despite mounting evidence, FCA doesn't seem to be handling this right.
Don't be scared to order one. My 20 has no "dead spot." The steering is fine. The Jeep just drifts all over the place. It is a solid axle with mud tires. It won't track like a BMW. With the new track bar it is much better. And probably could be improved upon with an aftermarket stabilizer. But I don't see the need. Its fine now.

I was going to put on the longer Mopar lower control arms. Again, no need to so I canceled my order for them.

Half of the people who have a "bad" one and want to Lemon Law it want to do what? That's right, get a new Jeep and try again. That's because Jeeps are cool cars and they make you happy when they drive them.
 

oasisblue8

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Don't be scared to order one. My 20 has no "dead spot." The steering is fine. The Jeep just drifts all over the place. It is a solid axle with mud tires. It won't track like a BMW. With the new track bar it is much better. And probably could be improved upon with an aftermarket stabilizer. But I don't see the need. Its fine now.

I was going to put on the longer Mopar lower control arms. Again, no need to so I canceled my order for them.

Half of the people who have a "bad" one and want to Lemon Law it want to do what? That's right, get a new Jeep and try again. That's because Jeeps are cool cars and they make you happy when they drive them.
Thanks. I still really want one.

Did you get an aftermarket track bar?
 

M0ondogy

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Don't be scared to order one. My 20 has no "dead spot." The steering is fine. The Jeep just drifts all over the place. It is a solid axle with mud tires. It won't track like a BMW. With the new track bar it is much better. And probably could be improved upon with an aftermarket stabilizer. But I don't see the need. Its fine now.

I was going to put on the longer Mopar lower control arms. Again, no need to so I canceled my order for them.

Half of the people who have a "bad" one and want to Lemon Law it want to do what? That's right, get a new Jeep and try again. That's because Jeeps are cool cars and they make you happy when they drive them.
Agreed. No need to be scared off.

The number of people with the problem is far smaller than those with a perfectly fine Jeep.

It sucks to deal wit, but as someone with the problem. I'll just replace it with another Jeep after a good test drive.

It's worth the hassle, imo.
 

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RagTopDeluxe

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Don't be scared to order one. My 20 has no "dead spot." The steering is fine. The Jeep just drifts all over the place. It is a solid axle with mud tires. It won't track like a BMW. With the new track bar it is much better. And probably could be improved upon with an aftermarket stabilizer. But I don't see the need. Its fine now.

I was going to put on the longer Mopar lower control arms. Again, no need to so I canceled my order for them.

Half of the people who have a "bad" one and want to Lemon Law it want to do what? That's right, get a new Jeep and try again. That's because Jeeps are cool cars and they make you happy when they drive them.
I would recommend checking your caster angle. My JLR came with a caster of 4.3 and the Mopar lift LCAs got it to 6, which was much better. I regret not getting the Metal Cloak adjustable LCAs because I’ve read this those with more caster (up to 7) have better success with the wandering/tracking. I’m going to get those next time for sure (either this Jeep if it’s fixed or a replacement).
 

Durango

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Don't be scared to order one. My 20 has no "dead spot." The steering is fine. The Jeep just drifts all over the place. It is a solid axle with mud tires. It won't track like a BMW. With the new track bar it is much better. And probably could be improved upon with an aftermarket stabilizer. But I don't see the need. Its fine now.

I was going to put on the longer Mopar lower control arms. Again, no need to so I canceled my order for them.

Half of the people who have a "bad" one and want to Lemon Law it want to do what? That's right, get a new Jeep and try again. That's because Jeeps are cool cars and they make you happy when they drive them.
My 2020 JLUR also has no "dead spot", but does drift around intermittently. Not so much I think it's a danger, but enough to where I have to pay a little more attention in it than I do in my other vehicles (which might not be a bad thing). I read the posts about these issues, and the posts are more all over the place than the Jeep is!
I kept my tires at the 42 PSI they were at when I took delivery, because I got to thinking the taller sidewall tires might tend more towards helping it drift a little - more so if there's less air in them. I can let go of the steering wheel up to 65 MPH and it will track pretty darn good at times, but at other times even as "slow" as 45 MPH I have to do more correcting to keep on the straight than I do with other vehicles. Since it's intermittent it's hard to know what to do - but it's not so bad I feel any less enthusiastic about it. (and I have lots of other vehicles I can drive, so it's not out of need)
I do recall many years ago getting rid of drift in a vehicle by getting tires that had more belts (stiffer) in the sidewall - I suppose if I get to bothered by the drift I'll try changing out the tires since it worked for me once before. And maybe I'l try a new track bar...
 

RagTopDeluxe

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My 2020 JLUR also has no "dead spot", but does drift around intermittently. Not so much I think it's a danger, but enough to where I have to pay a little more attention in it than I do in my other vehicles (which might not be a bad thing). I read the posts about these issues, and the posts are more all over the place than the Jeep is!
I kept my tires at the 42 PSI they were at when I took delivery, because I got to thinking the taller sidewall tires might tend more towards helping it drift a little - more so if there's less air in them. I can let go of the steering wheel up to 65 MPH and it will track pretty darn good at times, but at other times even as "slow" as 45 MPH I have to do more correcting to keep on the straight than I do with other vehicles. Since it's intermittent it's hard to know what to do - but it's not so bad I feel any less enthusiastic about it. (and I have lots of other vehicles I can drive, so it's not out of need)
I do recall many years ago getting rid of drift in a vehicle by getting tires that had more belts (stiffer) in the sidewall - I suppose if I get to bothered by the drift I'll try changing out the tires since it worked for me once before. And maybe I'l try a new track bar...
The Rubicons are higher than the Sports and Saharas, but have the same LCAs, which means the Rubicons have a lower caster angle. As I mentioned above, increasing my caster to 6 helped my steering a lot by reducing the wandering. It’s too bad that the 2020 Rubicons still have the shorter LCAs.
 

yardsale

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I actually did check my caster angle, both with my iPhone and with one of those yellow plastic angle finders.

Both gave me readings of about 6 degrees. I have never checked it on a proper alignment rack.
 

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Mine does it and it drives me crazy. I feel like I'm constantly correcting just to go in a straight line. The dead spot on-center feels like it's 3 or 4 inches of play, thus making it worse.
Sorry, but that's a "Jeep Thing".

You'll be alright...buy yourself a quality adjustable steering stabilizer. I.e. tereflex adj. or the Fox ATS.

will change how you feel about your rigs steering, greatly improves this Jeep characteristic.
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