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2018 JL Loose Steering Daily Journal

Chewbacca2264

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The stabilizer seems to be more of a solution for the DW, not what I experience yet. It seems like a great idea for that problem and I think I’m going to push for that to be done at the same time other repairs are done as a preventative measure. I really got,very minimal response until I got a little firmer in my stance with FCA and said this drifting is totally unacceptable and starting talking buy backs and legal action since I recently came within 1 inch of a semi as I drifted into his space. Fortunately the tech at the dealership with 20 yrs of Jeep experience substantiated that there is a real issue here.
I’m hoping to get a steering box and whatever a track bar is. If I can also convince them the yeti stabilizer would be a benefit itsmthe perfect time to do it.
They have done alignment, realignment and whatever else they could.

Update....I just looked online at what a “track bar” is, and it appears to be exactly the same item as the YETI stabilizer so maybe that’s what they plan to install anyway. It would be nice.

Sorry guys I have been gone since I swapped the JL for a JKUR, stopped by today to see what is going on and found this thread has grown a bit! Just to follow up a bit on Rdmitch, I will try to keep this short as I don't want to come off as a crusty Jeep guy......but listen our problems are not stabilizer based. There is no way in hell a stabilizer is causing the gear to go bad, can run without one....at least on a JK. Also it is not the trackbar, put a Yeti on and helped about 2%....maybe. I also got a new steering box put on, felt better for about 150 miles and then ended up looser than the first one. Bottom line is that I added caster, adjusted toe so many times it was ridiculous, added a stabilizer, went with the beefiest trackbar on the market, changed shocks, changed coils, changed tires......all to no avail. This is not a design flaw, it is not a run of bad parts causing some Jeeps to handle poorly. There are good Jeeps out there and if it was a run of bad parts it would have been identified. For FCA to keep dangling the line "there are parts coming" is a real smack in the face to those of us who have already spent our hard earned money to replace the very parts they are claiming are causing the problem. Honestly for them to claim that it is a poor trackbar and poor stabilizer seems awfully convenient, seeing as they are amongst the least expensive of the steering components. I have simply come to the conclusion that somewhere in manufacture there is a serious QC issue that FCA has not tracked down. To shut down production would cost money so it continues as now there are 19's with steering issues. I have given up on the idea of driving a JL and am perfectly happy back in a JK. Not as refined but on the way home after purchase it handled better on stock KM's the dealer inflated to 46psi then my JL ever did. Lowered the air to 32psi and been smiling ever since. As a die hard Wrangler guy I sincerely hope that FCA gets this figured out and to all of you guys I wish you the best in your efforts to have a safe vehicle that handles properly. Unfortunately I have a feeling that it is going to be awfully elusive as I have come to the belief that there is a significant geometry issue due to poor QC during manufacture and if I am correct in that belief it is possible that some of the worst handling of these Jeeps may not be fixable. Good luck guys, hope I am wrong.
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Rdmitch

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Thanks Chewbacca, we can use more “crusty Jeep guys” like you. Your past knowledge and experience is greatly appreciated and valuable and your insight is eagerly sought.
While most us are just average drivers without the ability to tear a suspension apart (oh hell, I didn’t even know what a pitman arm was until I started reading these threads) so to some degree we are subject to the mercy of FCA and our local dealers. I think the local service dealers are as much in the blind as we are.

So being a brand new Jeep I’m trying to go thru the process that FCA steers (no pun intended) me to. I wish I would have been aware of this issue at purchase time and could have driven a few to see if one was better than the rest. On the initial test drive I didn’t notice anything or just felt it was a new driving experience and I was not used to it. As I got more drive time in I really started noticing the drifting and wandering from the lane I was in.

I hope they can help us resolve these issues so us JL guys can be as pleased as you JKers.
Please keep reading and advising, I like your to the point common sense approach.
 

Chewbacca2264

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Thanks Chewbacca, we can use more “crusty Jeep guys” like you. Your past knowledge and experience is greatly appreciated and valuable and your insight is eagerly sought.
While most us are just average drivers without the ability to tear a suspension apart (oh hell, I didn’t even know what a pitman arm was until I started reading these threads) so to some degree we are subject to the mercy of FCA and our local dealers. I think the local service dealers are as much in the blind as we are.

So being a brand new Jeep I’m trying to go thru the process that FCA steers (no pun intended) me to. I wish I would have been aware of this issue at purchase time and could have driven a few to see if one was better than the rest. On the initial test drive I didn’t notice anything or just felt it was a new driving experience and I was not used to it. As I got more drive time in I really started noticing the drifting and wandering from the lane I was in.

I hope they can help us resolve these issues so us JL guys can be as pleased as you JKers.
Please keep reading and advising, I like your to the point common sense approach.
Well buddy you and I made the same mistake, difference is I have owned numerous Jeeps and put over 100k on two JK's prior to purchasing the JL, one quick test drive and fell in love with the 2.0T and bought the Jeep. Damn impulse buy that I now regret. Unfortunately the wife told me to buy a JKUR on discount...….man I hate it when she is right! Should have driven every Jeep on the lot! I guess my continued interest in this is that I am a die hard Wrangler guy and it kills me that so many of us are having this problem. For the record I am not, nor have I ever claimed to be a Jeep expert. I am just a farm kid with moderate mechanical skills that began playing with Jeeps many years ago. I still seek out old timers who have more Jeep knowledge than I ever will and have had two mechanics that helped me with the JL. To be honest my suspension knowledge of Jeeps was really not that good, the first Jeep I lifted must have been luck cause it worked out great. This one not so much, I am still studying and getting opinions from folks on these issues. I am planning to keep the JKUR for a long time because the JL experience was so poor that I have no interest in going back, damn shame really cause the machine is really awesome! The engine was ridiculous and everything about the Jeep is over the top good...….except the steering issue. I really am hoping that this can be figured out as too many first time Jeep owners are either turned off to never return or are driving crappy unsafe vehicles thinking that it is just a Jeep thing, sorry but no this is not a Jeep thing, it is very real.
 

Chewbacca2264

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Just a quick follow up on my last post, the JKUR is far from perfect and there are handling characteristics that I am not fond off. That said it is a safe vehicle and with a bit of work and a small expense I am convinced that I can make it drive the way I want. I have been in contact with an old timer who gave me some very sage advice on plans to modify it. I think I will listen to him and not get carried away. I only wish that the JL I purchased was a solid enough vehicle that I could have done the same.
 
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millerb7

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Any recommendations on how to get the dealer/fca to do your remedies? I've gone to the dealer and they just told me to upgrade the steering stabilizer
I suggest calling and asking directly for the folks I dealt with. They were helpful. Other than that, I'm not really sure. I'm pretty forceful and my Jeep falls directly into Lemon Law for my state... so maybe that helped push things along. But the 3 folks I dealt with via phone or email were very pleasant to me and truly seemed to believe me.
 

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DeVoTee

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Thanks to Millerb7 and Chewy for their input.

I agree with Chewy that a stabilizer DID NOT ruin a steering box. I've had a SB replaced on my daughters 18 Moab with 400 miles on it and the new SB was a HUGE improvement (as perfect a I could expect). Now I'm dealing with a 2dr 19 JLR 1200 miles with same issues... loose steering continually correcting to stay in lane.

I do believe 100% the cause of this issue is the SB. I say Total BullShit of a stabilizer causing the box to go bad. SB Design, materials in conjunction with design.... The Steering Box is the main issue with lighter, weakened supporting steering parts attached to a bad steering box.
 

Rdmitch

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Yep...I believe the SB is the main offender. They played with stabilizers, dampeners, alignment
and all the other items with no improvement for me. When the SB and track bar were done earlier this week, it was I rate a 60% plus improvement. Still need to get out and drive more before I can say it was a total success.
“Guide them” toward the SB replacement. Don’t demand it because if it doesn’t help your issue your will feel and look like a total ass when they do the I told you so dance.
 

Rdmitch

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I'm sticking with a 60% improvement. Still some wandering issues but much more responsive and easier to control.
Not 100%...but probably as good as you will get until a final solution is achieved.
 

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Rdmitch

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Wish I could answer that, but no clue. I have minimal skills on cars and would never even think a messing with alignment. It’s whatever the dealer set it to last week. I go in for oil change soon and will ask them to check it again. I saw a post earlier today with some recommendations that I will give them. I am also going to drop the tire pressure by 2 lbs. since it reads 36 lbs hot/35 cold
 

HiJinx69

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Hey guys, I know many of you are on others threads related to the loose steering, but I just wanted to share some info here just in case. I have a failed upper drag link. This explains the worsening looseness that has been happening. At center, the bushing post wiggles back and forth, before the wheels move. Have your dealer check this along with the track bar. There is a new improved upper link.

You can easily check it by placing your thumb across the drag link bushing and the pitman arm and feel for uneven movement as someone else moves the steering wheel back and forth with the engine running. In my case, you can see it wiggle with the naked eye.
 

californiajeeping

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Hey guys, I know many of you are on others threads related to the loose steering, but I just wanted to share some info here just in case. I have a failed upper drag link. This explains the worsening looseness that has been happening. At center, the bushing post wiggles back and forth, before the wheels move. Have your dealer check this along with the track bar. There is a new improved upper link.

You can easily check it by placing your thumb across the drag link bushing and the pitman arm and feel for uneven movement as someone else moves the steering wheel back and forth with the engine running. In my case, you can see it wiggle with the naked eye.
Here is a video that demonstrates how to check it on a JL. The new part number is 68258760AD.

 

Ameza

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Yep...I believe the SB is the main offender. They played with stabilizers, dampeners, alignment
and all the other items with no improvement for me. When the SB and track bar were done earlier this week, it was I rate a 60% plus improvement. Still need to get out and drive more before I can say it was a total success.
“Guide them” toward the SB replacement. Don’t demand it because if it doesn’t help your issue your will feel and look like a total ass when they do the I told you so dance.
Sorry for my ignorance guys, but by SB you're talking about the steering box, is that right?
 
 



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