AEV Steering Stabilizer Review - Completely Solved My Wobble

[KNN]

Not only had it rubbed the crap out of the stabilizer, the little synergy button head had worked itself finger loose, yes it was torqued.

MC is close on my track bar pinch bolts, but just a little more room on the tie rod (lol). Nice bonus, you can rotate the rubbed off section to hide it.

Does that angle present any problems? I’ve got a modified Clayton bracket that angles a bit less than yours but enough to make things rotate a little less freely.

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[GATORB8]

Does that angle present any problems? I’ve got a modified Clayton bracket that angles a bit less than yours but enough to make things rotate a little less freely.

Bushing seems to be taking it fine, has to be better than the compound way with the synergy where the axle is horizontal and the tie rod is vertical.

I’ll probably swap to the MC TR mount at some point,looks like they tap the stabilizer bolt at an angle to neutralize the difference.

EDIT: Just thinking out loud, but the Synergy loosening itself does make sense. As the Jeep articulates, the tie rod mount moves up and down, rotating the bushing at the axle mount, and the button head is only torqued to like 20 ftlbs per their spec. Lock tite isthe obvious answer, but after stripping the first one, I’d worry about getting it back off.

 

[gato]

I've tried a few combinations of relocation brackets and stabilizers. To be honest, none of them is really good. They all have bind in the steering action. Some push the tierod down as you cicle the steering, some put load on the mounts and bushings and some do both.

The option that worked the best with the Synergy tierod bracket was the Rockjock axle side relocation - it moved the mount up enough to clear the tierod but not as far up as the MC or SteerSmarts to have wierd angles:

https://www.rockjock4x4.com/RJ-441102-101-JL-JT-Steering-Stabilizer-High-Mount-Relocation-Bracket

I'm currently running the Fox TS with the Fox tierod mount and the Synergy trackbar bolt. It works OK, but there is a lot of side load on the bolt as you steer full passenger. But it works OK.

 

[Col_Sanders]

What was your mileage when you replaced ball joints? Did they show signs of failure before you upgraded to Dynatrac?

Somewhere around 17k give or take 500 miles.

I did not have any symptoms that would directly correlate to ball joints. I saw no movement while jacking the Jeep up and prying on the bottom of the tire or turning the wheel back and forth. BUT I had death wobble after hitting bumps and had heard some minor popping when turning every now and then. This was with stock and Synergy steering and with both steering boxes. Since all my Metalcloak stuff looked good and tight, I went ahead and replaced the ball joints. The old ones were not sloppy or really loose but I could move them around by hand. The Dynatracs were much stiffer and I could not budge them by hand.

Death wobble is gone but bumps still make the steering wheel move. I have significantly more bump steer off road now but not really more on road. Not sure if its because the toe out (1/8 out now vs the 5/16 in prior) or something else. Only been off road once since the new ball joints were installed.

 

[KNN]

Somewhere around 17k give or take 500 miles.

I did not have any symptoms that would directly correlate to ball joints. I saw no movement while jacking the Jeep up and prying on the bottom of the tire or turning the wheel back and forth. BUT I had death wobble after hitting bumps and had heard some minor popping when turning every now and then. This was with stock and Synergy steering and with both steering boxes. Since all my Metalcloak stuff looked good and tight, I went ahead and replaced the ball joints. The old ones were not sloppy or really loose but I could move them around by hand. The Dynatracs were much stiffer and I could not budge them by hand.

Death wobble is gone but bumps still make the steering wheel move. I have significantly more bump steer off road now but not really more on road. Not sure if its because the toe out (1/8 out now vs the 5/16 in prior) or something else. Only been off road once since the new ball joints were installed.

Such a frustrating experience. I’m trying to get rid of bump steer before installing my Reid Knuckles and Dynatrac BJs.

 

[gato]

Such a frustrating experience. I’m trying to get rid of bump steer before installing my Reid Knuckles and Dynatrac BJs.

I tried many things for months. Nothing really made a marked improvement in bump-steer and occasional shimmy/oscillation after hitting bumps.

I put this AEV stabilizer on and my steering went straight to perfect. (and I am a race car driver and picky as hell about steering ).

If you told me what I am telling you a few months back, I would not have believe it either. Not waying that will solve your problems, but I think it will make the oscillations/shimmy go away. It's worth the $100 to try it.

 

[KNN]

I’m extra confused because my bump steer is visible. I can bounce on the front bumper to cycle the suspension and SEE my steering wheel move side to side. I installed a track bar bracket to even out the angles and there is less than a degree diff between track bar and drag link. I have a good adjustable stabilizer too so I’m not sure how it’ll help me.

I’m not even sure the exact center would work either but it sounds promising.

 

[gato]

I’m extra confused because my bump steer is visible. I can bounce on the front bumper to cycle the suspension and SEE my steering wheel move side to side. I installed a track bar bracket to even out the angles and there is less than a degree diff between track bar and drag link. I have a good adjustable stabilizer too so I’m not sure how it’ll help me.

I’m not even sure the exact center would work either but it sounds promising.

Oh - if you have a good adjustable one and have played with the settings, then yes, I agree the AEV stabilizer likely won't help you.

If you want to PM me your set up and what you have tried, I'll take a look to see if I have any ideas. Do you have wheels that are too far pushed out (neg offset)? That increase in scrub radius can cause lot of bump steer.

 

[Col_Sanders]

Such a frustrating experience. I’m trying to get rid of bump steer before installing my Reid Knuckles and Dynatrac BJs.

It is frustrating. When I put the long arm 3 link on my XJ, I just half assed the alignment with a tape measure and did adjustments by eyeballing it. It has no bump steer, tracks straight, and no goofy tire wear but this thing I took my time on, had professionally aligned (twice) and threw higher end parts at and here we are.

 

[gato]

It is frustrating. When I put the long arm 3 link on my XJ, I just half assed the alignment with a tape measure and did adjustments by eyeballing it. It has no bump steer, tracks straight, and no goofy tire wear but this thing I took my time on, had professionally aligned (twice) and threw higher end parts at and here we are.

I'd suggest torquing the lower ball joints to the 59 ftlbs in the latest ball joint service bulletin, torquing draglink and tierod (if stock) to 10% above recommended values, and putting in a pressurized steering stabilizer, with an alignment as close to neutral (measuring tape is totally fine).

My experience is that with the aluminum knuckles the factory torque specs cause all linkages to loosen with time. You need to hit them often.

 

[GATORB8]

I'd suggest torquing the lower ball joints to the 59 ftlbs in the latest ball joint service bulletin, torquing draglink and tierod (if stock) to 10% above recommended values, and putting in a pressurized steering stabilizer, with an alignment as close to neutral (measuring tape is totally fine).

My experience is that with the aluminum knuckles the factory torque specs cause all linkages to loosen with time. You need to hit them often.

You have that TSB number handy?

 

[gato]

You have that TSB number handy?

 

[GATORB8]

Thanks!

 

[Col_Sanders]

I'd suggest torquing the lower ball joints to the 59 ftlbs in the latest ball joint service bulletin, torquing draglink and tierod (if stock) to 10% above recommended values, and putting in a pressurized steering stabilizer, with an alignment as close to neutral (measuring tape is totally fine).

My experience is that with the aluminum knuckles the factory torque specs cause all linkages to loosen with time. You need to hit them often.

My steering is Synergy and I'll have to check what the ball joints are torqued to. Toe was originally 1/4" in from the factory. Had them 0 it out first alignment. After putting on the steering, I had it set at 5/16" in. Second alignment they did 1/8" out. It feels different at each setting but cant say any are any better than the others for the bump steer /shimmy.

Might look into ditching the aluminum knuckles soon. Looking to buy a house within the next few months so I'm trying to not modify the Jeep any more for now.

 

[Exact Center]

JT owner with DW finds answers
Taken from a different thread in full with no edits

tmgarmon
First NameTomJoinedFeb 19, 2022Messages5Reaction score8LocationArizonaVehicle(s)2020 Jeep Gladiator Overland



Just a little history and update on my observations of the factory steering assembly and the Exact Center. As you may have read in my earlier posts, I have a 2020 JT. I was thoroughly disgusted with the way the Jeep handled stock, let alone the Death Wobble that started once I put a 2-1/2" leveling kit on it (@8,000mi). Bear in mind that I've driven Jeeps as a daily for 10+ years (TJ & modified JK). So I bit the bullet and started doing some research. First step was to get the TSB done for the steering gear, with no real improvement except for peace of mind. Thinking, so I've already sunk $40+k into this thing, what's $1.5k more.....Purchased the Synergy Tie rod and Drag Link kit, longer shocks for the Leveling and some odds and ends to move the stabilizer along with an Exact Center set at 87# (Thanks John).

I put all of this on last weekend, including the 2-1/4" (shaved from 2-1/2") leveling kit spacers I had previously removed, and took it up to my son's shop for an alignment yesterday.

The settings:
Set Total Toe to 0.3 degrees (Factory is 0.2 +/-0.2)
Caster is at 5 degrees (Factory 2" lift LCA's put it there)
Didn't bother to measure camber, can't do anything anyway.

After a little driving around to set the Exact Center and steering wheel to where they need to be, I proceeded to go out on a 120 mile journey around the greater Phoenix freeway system at 70-80mph looking for every bump and crappy section of road I could find, and we have alot right now with all of the freeway construction going on.

Observations:
I couldn't get the steering to even shimmey......at all. (FYI, Before I did this and had just the leveling kit on, I had DW 3 times over the same roads in one drive)
The steering feel was centered and very responsive, one finger driving.

Preliminary conclusions:
Jeep really screwed up with the design of the steering gear components. Too lightweight and relying on crimp joints between dissimilar metals is the perfect recipe to create harmonic vibration, AKA Death Wobble.
Why hasn't anyone approached Jeep with the idea of the Exact Center Stabilizer? It provides responsive steering with a return-to-center feel that an IFS system has. I had a similar Synergy setup on my old JK that I wheeled here alot. Never had an issue even while slapping it hard on rocks, but it never had the stable, return-to-center feel that this JT now has.

John, I'm going to run the 87# setup for at least a month, just to get fully used to it and see if I can find a situation where more would # be better. After all, I'm still on stock tires.

BTY, anyone out there want a stock tie rod, drag link, front shocks and stabilizer? Free.......Time to get them out of my garage.

Edit: Forgot to add the factory Track bar in there too............Free.

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