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At the end of my rope of steering issues.***FIXED!****

Jeep’n Jay

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Had a chance to read the entire thread today. Thanks for keeping everyone updated. One question I have is when you replaced the track bar bolts with 9/16 how did you mount your steering stabilizer on the axle side? I may have missed it but I thought I read you were running a Synergy or another aftermarket tie rod, I currently run Synergy drag link and tie rod and I had to use the relocation bracket for the steering stabilizer which comes with that special bolt. TIA.

Thats the best part about doing training for a body shop group.......I drop them off at a shop in the morning, tell them what color I want and pick them up at the end of the day! Lol. I just checked and there was no tap with the rings. I got everything through Northridge if that matters. Guess I will be picking up a tap before I throw these on. I did see a few other posts about people snapping bolts, my guess is they didn’t chase the threads.
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Jeep&dogs

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Had a chance to read the entire thread today. Thanks for keeping everyone updated. One question I have is when you replaced the track bar bolts with 9/16 how did you mount your steering stabilizer on the axle side? I may have missed it but I thought I read you were running a Synergy or another aftermarket tie rod, I currently run Synergy drag link and tie rod and I had to use the relocation bracket for the steering stabilizer which comes with that special bolt. TIY.
I am running the Rusty’s steering and I use the RPM tie rod clamp. The stabilizer mounts in basically the OEM location.

Rusty’s makes the tie rods ends fir RPM and several others.
 

SmoothJeepOperator

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The other interesting thing I noticed during this was the new bolts that are required for the cast iron box. They actually have a second set of threads up by the shoulder. That’s quite a bit of extra machine work just for shits and giggles. So two things, they found something that was in the parts bins that just happened to work for this application or I’m wondering if the 2021 has a different boss that is in the frame the bolt goes through and it threads into the frame for more support. with as much as I have seen the box flex I would not put that past them to have modified that on the new frame and not tell anyone.
One thing I noticed was the bolts were slightly rusted when I installed my lift ( a week after the new steering box). I wonder if that could be causing my problems. Maybe the used the bolts from the old steering box? Also my paper work didn't say anything about am flashing it reprogramming anything.
 
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Jeep&dogs

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One thing I noticed was the bolts were slightly rusted when I installed my lift ( a week after the new steering box). I wonder if that could be causing my problems. Maybe the used the bolts from the old steering box? Also my paper work didn't say anything about am flashing it reprogramming anything.
The old bolts were a silver/grey color. If you look on the box side of the frame if you have two bolts sticking out of the box 1-2” they are the olde bolts. The Aluminum box has two short bolts and two longer bolts, the steer box has four short bolts. It should have listed a reprogram of the system or they would not get payed for doing it.
 

SmoothJeepOperator

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The old bolts were a silver/grey color. If you look on the box side of the frame if you have two bolts sticking out of the box 1-2” they are the olde bolts. The Aluminum box has two short bolts and two longer bolts, the steer box has four short bolts. It should have listed a reprogram of the system or they would not get payed for doing it.
This new one has 4 so maybe they used the right bolts. Definitely didn't say anything about a reprogram though. But I'd imagine if that need to get paid it was done and just not put on my documentation.
 

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Jeep&dogs

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This new one has 4 so maybe they used the right bolts. Definitely didn't say anything about a reprogram though. But I'd imagine if that need to get paid it was done and just not put on my documentation.
You have an 18 so they should have changed the sales code to 70F. You could run by the dealer and ask them to hook it up to the scanner and print you the options report, tell them you want to have it for your records for your service history. If it doesn’t show 70F they didn’t do it.
 

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So I figured I would update this thread because there were a few people following along with the saga. 😎

I finally had a chance to replace the “new cast iron box” that was installed back in September, 2 months prior to the lift and and when My drama started with another “new cast iron box”. I truly figured I was just throwing another $250.00 down the drain. This was the last attempt I was going to make and then the Jeep was going back to stock.

I pulled the box out of the Jeep on Thursday night and I measured the over center rotation torque on the box that came out of the Jeep and the new box getting ready to go in the Jeep. The box that came out was on the low side of the acceptable range at 2.1 in lbs. the new box going in was at the high side of 5.0. I installed the box and followed the FCA bleeding procedures which is top of the fluid, apply 20-25in of vacuum and hold for 3 minutes. Then release the vacuum, top off the fluid, start the Jeep, turn lock to lock 3 times, top off fluid and done.

In my opinion it didn’t take much fluid so I figured I would repeat the process, well 6 times later it finally stopped sucking in fluid. The last time I did it I pulled 25in of vacuum and let it sit over night.

Friday morning I buttoned everything up and was actually afraid to drive it thinking it could be worse and it could even be the last time I drove the damn thing. I pulled out of the shop and immediately noticed the steering was very different, it was actually very tight, pulled out on the road and was actually shocked how different the Jeep felt. I ran it down one of the main drags and actually ran it up to 90 before I really even realized I was going that fast, mind you we were also having 30+ mph winds yesterday. There was zero dead spot, zero wandering and at 80 in the wind I could 1 finger it down the road.

Next up my favorite bump......I hit it about 50, and the wheel barley moved, pretty much what I would expect a solid axel lifted Jeep with heavy 35’s would do. Holy shit I think I might have fixed it...... I drove it around for a few hours yesterday, and actually couldn’t wait to take it out today just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. Hit just about every crap road I could find and it drove the way I would expect it to drive. Actually I am going to go as far as to say out of all the Jeeps I have owned, and helped build, it’s probably the best driving and handling Jeep I have had to date, never in a million years would I have thought I would say that about this thing. But considering all the upgrades on this thing it actually should be.

So,2 sets of tires and rims,2 steering systems, 2 sets of ball joints, one set of steering knuckles,2 sets of springs, 2 sets of shocks, hundreds of alignment settings, balancing tires 10 times, 2 different track bars, the thing drives good. 😎

I really want to pull the box apart that came out of the Jeep to see if anything looks out of place, but I have reached out to a few contacts I have at FCA and am trying to get them to reimburse me for the cost of the new box at least, I don’t know if they will want it back or not.

So today she got a bath, next it’s time to start looking at some dates for my annual Ouray/Moab trip in the fall. 😎

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Thank God huh !?! , congrats man!
 

oceanblue2019

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The other interesting thing I noticed during this was the new bolts that are required for the cast iron box. They actually have a second set of threads up by the shoulder. That’s quite a bit of extra machine work just for shits and giggles. So two things, they found something that was in the parts bins that just happened to work for this application or I’m wondering if the 2021 has a different boss that is in the frame the bolt goes through and it threads into the frame for more support. with as much as I have seen the box flex I would not put that past them to have modified that on the new frame and not tell anyone.
If double threaded it would also be a nightmare to get properly torqued up would it not?
 
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Jeep&dogs

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If double threaded it would also be a nightmare to get properly torqued up would it not?
It could be done but after thinking about it it would take some decent machine work and a decent amount of engineering put into it to make it work. Neither of which I believe FCA is capable of, so I guess it is more likely they pulled something off the shelf that just happened to work. 😎
 

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stopped by the dealer today w the service bulletin and they are ordering the parts for mine. really hoping i get one of the tighter boxes and it solves this issue.
 

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Thanks for making the thread and bringing the bleeding procedure to our attention. I'm very excited to bleed mine as soon as my pump/plug arrives.
 

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So if I'm getting more bump steer after they replaced the aluminum box with the steel one...either the off center torque is low...or they didn't pull vacuum correctly/long enough when installing the box. I'm guessing they (the dealer) didn't follow all the procedures correctly since everything was under torqued when I got home.
 
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Jeep&dogs

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So if I'm getting more bump steer after they replaced the aluminum box with the steel one...either the off center torque is low...or they didn't pull vacuum correctly/long enough when installing the box. I'm guessing they (the dealer) didn't follow all the procedures correctly since everything was under torqued when I got home.
I would try to bleed the system more. I honestly don’t believe it will get all the air out just driving it. I pulled vacuum on mine 6 times, I thought it was good. Been droit for a week now and checked it again yesterday for shits and giggles, had to add more fluid again.
 

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I wonder if I took my Jeep back to the dealership and told them I started getting death wobble after the new steering box install if they'd give it another look. If they remembered my Jeep they'd probably complain about my aftermarket changes...
I'm going to at least get the ball joints in before I try that. If that doesn't work truthe that would be all I would really have left to try.
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