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Trackbar installed incorrectly [Steering Issues]

Keeper

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My trackbar is installed correctly, but I still have loose steering.
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JeepCares

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My trackbar is installed correctly, but I still have loose steering.
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
 

wrangster

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I had changed my steering stabilizer just because I went up a tire size. When I took off the original I noticed it was holding gravel inside the piston cover. Not that this is important and I am not selling stabilizers however its not a good idea to cover the piston on a horizontal mount. This can cause early issues with the stabilizer since now it is grinding itself on gravel as it moves. I do travel gravel roads a few times a week!
 

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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.
  • 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.
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...

IMG_1008 copy.jpg

Jeep Wrangler JL Trackbar installed incorrectly [Steering Issues] {filename}


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.
FCA should have a service bulletin for this issue !
 

oceanblue2019

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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.
  • 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.
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...

Jeep Wrangler JL Trackbar installed incorrectly [Steering Issues] {filename}

Jeep Wrangler JL Trackbar installed incorrectly [Steering Issues] {filename}


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 wasnā€™t moved when the steering stabilizer swapped?

I canā€™t see it leaving the factory like this but that might just be giving FCA too much credit....
 

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TeeravX

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You sure it wasnā€™t moved when the steering stabilizer swapped?

I canā€™t see it leaving the factory like this but that might just be giving FCA too much credit....
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 doesnā€™t 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 didnā€™t give it the time of day.
 

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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.
  • 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.
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...

Jeep Wrangler JL Trackbar installed incorrectly [Steering Issues] {filename}

Jeep Wrangler JL Trackbar installed incorrectly [Steering Issues] {filename}


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.
Evidently the assembler that normally does the front steering components was obviously absent or on vacation and had fill in .
 

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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.
Normally the next assembler installing components checks previous installer work and so on .
 

oceanblue2019

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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 doesnā€™t 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 didnā€™t give it the time of day.
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?
 
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TeeravX

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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?
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.
 

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Keeper

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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
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.
 

californiajeeping

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You sure it wasnā€™t moved when the steering stabilizer swapped?

I canā€™t see it leaving the factory like this but that might just be giving FCA too much credit....
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.
 

Dkretden

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Wow! If this really did come from the factory in this condition, that is utterly disgraceful.

Every time I begin to think that FCA and their dealer network are actually trying to do things better, I see stuff like this that confirms that itā€™s all lipstick on pig.
 

JeepCares

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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.
Hi Keeper,
I certainly understand where you're coming from so I'd like to help you get this resolved with the help of your dealer. We are available via private message if have any questions.
Lydia
Jeep Social Care Specialist
 

Solidaxle

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Not an assembly line issue , somebody after the fact had their hands on it. Look closely at the bracket you could see that thereā€™s some paint missing like it had a track bar in there originally.
If that was a brand new painted axle housing that never had a track bar installed, how did it get those marks like it did have one in there ?
Look in the green circle, itā€™s obvious that there was an indentation made into the coating and possibly even the metal. Thatā€™s NOT virgin painted metal.


Jeep Wrangler JL Trackbar installed incorrectly [Steering Issues] {filename}
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