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

[TxJeepers]

Looks like u have the aev pintler jl +25mm ? Those are hubcentric too. I'm frustrated for ya. Would be nice just to try another set of wheels and tires to rule that out. Im not a fan of BFG anymore. I've heard of too many issues. Not saying that's ya issue, but hell, u have rebuilt that front end.

I'm similar boat as OP. Mine started while running JL AEV Pintler and KM3. Running Mopar Off-Road wheels and Ridge Grapplers now. Still same. Not tires and wheels.
I'm getting the new steering box hopefully in the next 30-60 days. Apparently my dealership doesn't get them very fast and trying to escalate with Jeep Cares.
After that and if I still have this issue I am going to try one last thing which will be Teraflex's axle side raised track bar bracket and the new Steer Smarts frame side and sector shaft brace bracket.
Then, if I still have the issue, I am going to be with OP on looking to sell the damn thing.
I too have replaced most of the front end and have ruled out countless things.
This is my 8th Wrangler in 20 years and have never had a steering issue like this before.
I hope it does work out and if not, I hope Jeep releases Tank green again.

Sponsored

 

[TxJeepers]

And this my friend is why I had Jeep buy back my Rubicon instead of going through the NJ Lemon Law. I loved my 18 JL and everything about it and if you look at all of the parts that I have sold in the classifieds you will see that I too had tried everything except going with the PSC Pump and Steering box.. And I I did not go for wa ride in one that was the same as mine before and just like driving a JKUR after it was installed I would never have believed it my self. But why should I have to spend $2500. on a aftermarket steering box to make it right, and have to change it back if there were any warranty issues that involved the front end later in life. My Jeep service manager just plain sucked as a person let alone as a service manager. When I came in wearing my ASE Certified shirt his comment was that anyone could buy one of those. He was a total ass and knew everything and every wobble, knock, bang, etc was "A Jeep Thing" according to him. I admit I may not everything about a Jeep but I do know what is right from wrong. And starting off with telling me it was because I put 35" BGF KO2`S that it was the cause of my problems and thar a Rubicon was not designed to handle 35"s while there was a poster inside the saleroom showing that 35's will fit without any lift needed. When I put the stock 33's or 285/70r/17 back on it still drove as bad as it did from day one.
I can tell you that OK4WD here in NJ has been around for a long time and when it comes to balancing tires tey are the best at it. They use Road Force Balancing and they try to get it down to the least amount of weight needed by rotating the tire on the rim and rebalancing it over and over to it was down to the minimum weight needed. There is so much more to the story that I feel like I could write a book about it. If you sit back and look at all of the parts that you have changed and it didn't help. and all you did was lift your Jeep if I understand correctly just think of how many thousands of Sports, Willys, Rubicons that are out there with the same problem, and LOOK at how many there are without any issues at all. They are not on this forum, they are out there enjoying their Jeeps like you and I should have been. So now you are left with a electric/Hydraulic steering pump a computer with software and a actual steering box that can be an issue. I just got tired of fighting with Jeep and their less than knowledgeable Service Manager (who is no longer working there) So did you try the latest TSB 08-003-21 and have the latest cast iron steering box installed along with the software update
I am not trying to knock Jeep but to have a vehicle purchased in 2018 and it now being 2021 and still having the same problem is absurd to say the least. That is why I walked away from my JLUR Rubicon and went with a Ford Raptor , believe me they have their problems too but it seems like they address them in a more timely fashion and don't simply state that "it's a Raptor thing" like I have heard so many times that "it's a Jeep thing" but you wouldn't even allow one or your service managers kids of legal driving age take the vehicle for a week and let me know what he thought about it after having it for a free one week trial vehicle

Each their own. I still love my Jeep and wheel it every chance I get. Where I wheel a Raptor cannot follow.

 

[ValB]

Did you Synergy come with the sector shaft brace?

 

[richk225]

Did you Synergy come with the sector shaft brace?

Yes I did and EVO upper and lower control brackets to get it at 6.5 on both sides

 

[Jeep&dogs]

Did you Synergy come with the sector shaft brace?

Yes, I have the brace on it. And I have the new box.
To be clear there are two separate issues that these things seem to have.

1. A wander and a dead spot with a lot of play in the wheel.
2.A wobble or shimmy or worse case full on death wobble

The dead spot and wander is related to the gear box and is typically fixed with the new cast iron box which I have. My Jeep really doesn’t have this issue.

The wobble/shimmy is usually track bar or something warn or loose that is causing it. The gear box and the pump really doesn’t have anything to do with this. This is the issue I am having. The wobble/shimmy.

 

[DuRsT]

Yes, I have the brace on it. And I have the new box.
To be clear there are two separate issues that these things seem to have.

1. A wander and a dead spot with a lot of play in the wheel.
2.A wobble or shimmy or worse case full on death wobble

The dead spot and wander is related to the gear box and is typically fixed with the new cast iron box which I have. My Jeep really doesn’t have this issue.

The wobble/shimmy is usually track bar or something warn or loose that is causing it. The gear box and the pump really doesn’t have anything to do with this. This is the issue I am having. The wobble/shimmy.

I have to admit our Jeep does seem to wobble/shimmy some with the new 315's on there, stock suspension.

 

[TxJeepers]

Im about done with this thing, I don’t even know where to go from here. From the day I bought this thing the steering was never quite right. Everything I did made it a little better each time. It honestly had a better steering “feel” before I did the knuckles, with the exception of the wobble it had it tracked pretty good, now it feels like it darts around a lot. The wheel feels very light, almost like it did when it was brand new and the dealer had 42lbs of air in the tires.

Man, I was hoping the knuckles and Dynatrac ball joints would do it. I was really interested if it was knuckle related.

 

[TxJeepers]

Yes, I have the brace on it. And I have the new box.

Just the brace or did you also do the sector shaft brace. The offroad shop I had double check things on mine said they could see deflection at the steering box. Which is why after I get the new black one on, I might do the Steer Smarts version of the sector shaft brace to further tighten it up.

 

[Jeep&dogs]

Just the brace or did you also do the sector shaft brace. The offroad shop I had double check things on mine said they could see deflection at the steering box. Which is why after I get the new black one on, I might do the Steer Smarts version of the sector shaft brace to further tighten it up.

It has both,for about 10 seconds last night I had the new steer smart brace in my cart at Northridge. But I literally have dumped close to 4K in the front of this thing over the last few months trying to fix it. That doesn’t included any of the non related upgrades I have done. I joke about needing a divorce lawyer but I’m thinking if I buy that new brace my wifey will throw me out when she sees the UPS truck pull up!
I’m actually sitting at the dealer right now with it and they are going to try updating the software for the power steering. They did it when they did the box but they were willing to see if it made any difference.

To quote a line from the movie War games.....” I would piss on the spark plugs if I thought it would help”!

I just don’t know what else it could be, I actually think it drives worse after the Knuckles and Dynatrac ball joints if that even possible.

 

[MntsRcalln]

I read back though all this.

So, after lift and Clayton arms, this all started. Nothing you have done since has made a different (I think I got that right).

Suggestion was made to put the stock stabilizer back on. You could tell a difference, but I did not see if you got the shimmy with the stock stabilizer back on? You put the Fox back on and dialed it back. Things seemed good until you hit a bump and it was in the teens (cold).

We all know what stabilizers do. If it were me, and everything I typed above is correct, I would put the stock stabilizer back on (if it wasn’t giving you a shimmy) and run it a while to see. That costs nothing but time.

It’s a shot in the dark.

 

[Jeep&dogs]

I read back though all this.

So, after lift and Clayton arms, this all started. Nothing you have done since has made a different (I think I got that right).

Suggestion was made to put the stock stabilizer back on. You could tell a difference, but I did not see if you got the shimmy with the stock stabilizer back on? You put the Fox back on and dialed it back. Things seemed good until you hit a bump and it was in the teens (cold).

We all know what stabilizers do. If it were me, and everything I typed above is correct, I would put the stock stabilizer back on (if it wasn’t giving you a shimmy) and run it a while to see. That costs nothing but time.

It’s a shot in the dark.

I cut a tire just before I did the lift. I had the tire replaced and all 5 balanced, drove it home, installed the lift. Drove it a few days, starting getting a wobble when hitting bumps. Brought it back re balance the tires, one road force was high. They replaced THAT tire so now 2 new tires. Drove it a few days, still had the wobble, brought it back thinking tire related, re balance all five again with their other road force machine and different tech. One more tire road force balance high (36) they replaced a THIRD tire. Drove it. Had the wobble, brought it back. Balanced them all again, all came back 0. Still had wobble. Had another tire shop check balance and they said all were good.

Then put in Dana HD ball joints. No change. Pulled FOX stabilizer off and put on factory, 90% better, slight wobble. Put Fox back on and re adjust it, roughly the same as factory 90%.

Brought it in for an alignment just to make sure it was where I thought it was. Lt camber was off. Jacked it up and could move the wheel in and out 1/16 at least at 6-12. Could see movement in the lower ball joint. (New joint less than a few hundred miles)

Figured screw it and did the Reid cast iron knuckles and Dynatrac ball joints. Wobble still there. Definitely worse when it’s cold. It’s in the teens here the last few days and it drives worse than it has ever.

 

[MntsRcalln]

So you had the wheels, tires(35s) and Fox stabilizer before the lift and no wobble?

 

[Jeep&dogs]

So you had the wheels, tires(35s) and Fox stabilizer before the lift and no wobble?

Yes, 10,000 miles. Drove it to South Dakota no issues drove perfect.

The replacement tire and balancing the other 4 pretty much happened the same day as the lift was installed. Been chasing it since

 

[MntsRcalln]

Yes, 10,000 miles. Drove it to South Dakota no issues drove perfect.

The replacement tire and balancing the other 4 pretty much happened the same day as the lift was installed. Been chasing it since

What else was put on during the lift? Just that or the LCAs as well?

 

[Jeep&dogs]

What else was put on during the lift? Just that or the LCAs as well?

I did the lift and the front upper and lower arms.Prior to the lift I had the Mopar lift lower arms on it so I would estimate my caster was around 6 ish. When I did the lift I set the caster to 6.5 the lower arms were set to the same length as the Mopar arms which is basically the same that Clayton recommended. The uppers I made a few turns shorter than stock to get the caster where I wanted it. It takes less of an adjustment to the length of the upper than to the lower to get the caster change. When I put it on the alignment rack a week or so ago the caster was verified at 6.6.

Sponsored