Exact Center is a steering stabilizer new for Jeeps

[ForzaNature]

Thanks for the update. I am willing to wait. I was a little confused about the supplier but now understand type are mfg for RM. I am willing to wait. The community seems to be very happy with theirs and am just anxious to join that group. No problems on the end.

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[Exact Center]

DOES HEAVY PRESSURE EXACT CENTER make steering hard or heavy
I have been asked many times about how Exact Center addition to the JL changes the feel of the steering. Does it make it truck like when you add pressure? The base unit is 66lbs, we have had 82 lbs, 110 lbs, 130 lbs, 140 lbs and even higher for the JL and up to 400 lbs for big trucks and RV's.`
In a single day in February we tested driver reaction to 5 different pressures on my 2021 Wrangler Rubicon 392 XR with 35's and 4" factory lift. We had 4 drivers we asked to give opinions. That day we did the 66, 82, 110, and 130. Just about all agreed as we went up in pressure the changes the steering feel was hard notice at all in a single pressure change and even when jumping from 82 to 130 the feel did not change much. I would say If you drove your car today with 82 lbs and overnight we changed your unit to 130 lbs and did not tell, you might not notice.
Roky who tested for us thought the 130 was sort of heavy when he first drove with it. He too did 66, 82, 110, and then 130. I have had my 130 for a full month now and as a test yesterday I took my wife's Lincoln Aviator out and drove it to work. I say took it out as it has not been driven since Oct /Nov 2021 as the wife does not like ice or snow. The Lincoln has every piece of tech known to man and it does ride as good as anything I have ever driven, and I have owned and driven a lot of nice cars. It is a SUV, but it is very sporty in handling and in power and steering.
OK it is a good test for my 130 lb EC to compare to. I drove it to work and did the parking lot pressure test and the on highway test and the curvy road test. State road 32 from state road 131 East to I-75 is a good curvy road with many reduced speed curves that you have to take at full 55-60 mph just to be cool.
In my opinion the on the road feel of the 130 and the Lincoln Aviator are the same, so close there is no where to find difference, if very critical you could say the Lincoln is lighter, I am not sure I found a on the road difference.
. The Lincoln is sporty and so is the 130 on my JLUR 392. The Lincoln gets extra boost in the parking lot and I almost think so does the JL, it is very easy to turn maybe a bit heavier, but not much.
Well I thought we would need more than my view, so the night before I asked Tony to drive my JL just so he was current on how it feels with 130. He did and the next day I asked him to take a nice long drive in the Lincoln and report back what he learned. Tony does a lot of testing for us and I consider him a better choice for a good honest objective review than most others I ask. He is a driver and he likes all types of vehicles including motorcycles, snowmobiles, trucks, Jeeps, sports cars and more. He is a gear head. Tony (I just called him to get the quote right) says in the parking lot the Lincoln is easier by a little, however on the road the difference was very small they were the same or maybe the Lincoln was not a hair lighter, but so similar it was easy to say they were near the same it feel of the weight on the road.
For me I would say if you like the Lincoln you will like my JLUR with the 130 EC.
Understand the Lincoln is a sporty driver, it is not like old fashion power steering that you can spin and it keeps spinning. It is firm and sporty and so is my 130, it is fun and it is not tiring I think if you like driving you will love your JL with EC in any weight.
There is a bonus advantage to higher pressure EC that you may not be aware of. As the hold at center pressure goes up the ability and help to keep things that try to change your direction also goes up, EC is a help, not a fix. These are wind (EC can help cancel the wind effect moving you around on the freeway), standing water (EC can help you maintain control when you hit standing water), help you keep control on snow-covered lanes when one tire is in deeper snow that tries to pull you off-road, help control during blowouts (EC with its hold can help maintain during a fast loss of tire pressure). EC tries to keep your wheels pointed straight ahead, in most cases this is a good thing that can help with control. Email [email protected] call Tony @ 1-989-448-2501 PIWcorp Gaylord Mi. Where Exact Center was invented.
Visit Save The Straight Axle on Facebook and see the 2 pages of Tony's TJ Build , See the night view of his steering knuckle lights in the snow. And while there say hi to Kilo Tony's Dog/son.

[email protected] has product and is taking new orders, Roadmaster will do exchange orders.
Watch https://photos.app.goo.gl/WVK4Mj1bC8MB9bbz5 EC will give you this control
If you do not have Exact Center and you want a new unit contact [email protected]
Your order can ship in days not weeks. 1-989-448-2501 Tony Shepherd
If you want an EC and do not already have one call, Tony
Johnd inventor of EC and Tony's grandad

 

[Roky]

I’ve had a bunch of guys ask me if the EC eliminates the dead spot. I don’t mind the questions, that’s why I tested it, so I could provide some information to help guys out that are contemplating getting one….but this seems to be the most asked question to me at the moment so I wanted to post it up here.

First I want to explain what I consider the dead spot… it’s the movement in the steering wheel when turning it left or right, before the wheels actually start to move. The EC does not fix this. It’s likely a lash issue within the steering box, aluminum or steel, doesn’t matter. Or the steering box is deflecting a little, etc…..

You might think it fixes it because the steering wheel is firmer turning off of center so it makes it feel like the wheels are turning sooner, but they’re not. If you have a half inch, an inch, or two inches of dead spot, then that’s how much you’ll have after installing the EC.

That all said, I’m over 2 months in using this unit, and couldn’t be happier with it……..

 

[Jarg1]

I’ve had a bunch of guys ask me if the EC eliminates the dead spot. I don’t mind the questions, that’s why I tested it, so I could provide some information to help guys out that are contemplating getting one….but this seems to be the most asked question to me at the moment so I wanted to post it up here.

First I want to explain what I consider the dead spot… it’s the movement in the steering wheel when turning it left or right, before the wheels actually start to move. The EC does not fix this. It’s likely a lash issue within the steering box, aluminum or steel, doesn’t matter. Or the steering box is deflecting a little, etc…..

You might think it fixes it because the steering wheel is firmer turning off of center so it makes it feel like the wheels are turning sooner, but they’re not. If you have a half inch, an inch, or two inches of dead spot, then that’s how much you’ll have after installing the EC.

That all said, I’m over 2 months in using this unit, and couldn’t be happier with it……..

I can confirm this. The dead spot remains. I think it is fair to say that the EC's main benefit for me is the stronger return to center. But in my experience with a 140 lb. unit, that same force has made highway driving tougher because you have to fight the higher force when making small directional corrections. I may try a lower force EC to see if it works better for my purposes.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

I have one of the earlier units I think #75. It took a while to get it tuned in. Nothing to do with EC just the roads around here suck. No 2 vehicles track the same.
But I am extremely happy with the end result and improved handling

 

[NickHatz]

Hi all, long time lurker, first time poster here. I’ve never joined a forum of any type, but I feel compelled to comment about my experience with Exact Center, so forgive the long post. I have learned a great deal reading comments and solutions from the very knowledgeable folks here. Thank you so much.

Let me start with a brief background:

I am a former ASE Certified Master Tech from back in the 80s and mid 90s so I tend to do all my own work, unless under warranty. I chased “loose” steering on my 2021 JLURD since the first day I received it (Aug 22 2021). Mostly, it wondered a lot all over the road and required constant correction and driver input to keep it one lane. Frankly it was exhausting driving this thing every day.

Most of the off-road time I spend is chasing trout and steelhead in the mountains around Lake Tahoe Mount Shasta, Trinity and all over Northern California and Northern Nevada. It includes some rock crawling when needed, snow and ice driving and a good bit of riding on undeveloped roads, etc. I spend a decent amount of time in the snow, skiing with my kids. The Jeep is also my daily driver.



I replaced all the usual suspension components, re-torqued ball joints at knuckles, etc. and made marginal gains tightening up the steering…. until I installed the Exact Enter steering stabilizer.



Here is my set up for reference:

2021 JLUR Diesel

35x11.5 Toyo Open Country ATIII tires on stock Rubicon wheels with a 1"spacer (To fit Alcon Big Brake kit}

Yeti XD Front Adjustable Track Bar Kit

Teraflex HD Forged Drag Link Kit - 0-6in lift

Teraflex Chromoly HD Tie Rod Kit – 0-6in lift

Synergy Track Bar and Sector Shaft Brace Kit

Warn Zeon 10S Platinum winch on Rubicon steel bumper

3/4" rear, 1" front spacer lift (leveling for winch and to account for 35" tires), Rake is neutral

Fox 2.0 Series Performance Shocks

Fox 2.0 Steering Stabilizer, mounted above tie rod with Synergy Relocation Bracket Kit

Updated steel steering box with control module update.



I bought one of the early 75lb units some months ago and installed it. It made a huge difference to the "wondering" I experienced at highway speeds and to the self-centering action of the wheels, but I did notice that I had more bump steer than I had with my previous stabilizer (Fox 2.0).



I then exchanged the 75lb for a 140lb unit. Since putting on the 140lb, I have put about 800 miles on it and the bump steer has gone away completely at all speeds...very happy about this! On the highway it tracks dead straight at speeds up to 85mph. I drove in high winds with gusts to 45mph and it never wavered. Just like John at Exact Center said, I felt the gusts and was ready to make corrections, but none were needed. Unbelievable difference! Off-road it performed flawlessly for my use.



I did notice that, at this pressure, the effort to overcome the centering action of the new stabilizer increased considerably. I did not feel this when making lower speed turns in parking lots, on city streets and off-road. Initially, I thought it might get a little tedious on long highway trips, especially when making minor corrections for gentle curves and to account for road crowning, etc. At the company’s suggestion, I drove it for another 2 weeks or so, including a 450 mile round trip to Tahoe and have become used to the heavier feel of the wheel. It compares in steering “weight” to my Lexus LX and that is good. It was not tiring at all and tracked beautifully all the way there and back. I will be staying with the 140lb for my use-case and set up.



I have to say, I am incredibly impressed with this simple, "genius invention" and truly believe that it is such a game-changer in this field that Jeep (and others) should include it on all solid axle suspensions. I am so happy I put this on my Jeep; it’s made it a pleasure to drive. I find myself looking for excuses to run errands just so I can drive this thing!



Congratulations Exact Center on a great product and thank you for saving my Jeep.

 

[treesmacker]

I’ve had a bunch of guys ask me if the EC eliminates the dead spot. I don’t mind the questions, that’s why I tested it, so I could provide some information to help guys out that are contemplating getting one….but this seems to be the most asked question to me at the moment so I wanted to post it up here.

First I want to explain what I consider the dead spot… it’s the movement in the steering wheel when turning it left or right, before the wheels actually start to move. The EC does not fix this. It’s likely a lash issue within the steering box, aluminum or steel, doesn’t matter. Or the steering box is deflecting a little, etc…..

I did test this with 110 PSI EC on the freeway at 70MPH and found about an inch maximum off center in either direction, BUT this doesn't annoy me; I really wouldn't want to have none of this at all. Really, it is not noticeable for me unless I'm looking for it. That said, I really didn't compare it to before EC except to say I think it was worse without.

 

[treesmacker]

Hi all, long time lurker, first time poster here. I’ve never joined a forum of any type, but I feel compelled to comment about my experience with Exact Center, so forgive the long post...

...Congratulations Exact Center on a great product and thank you for saving my Jeep.

Very complete and informative. Thanks for taking the time to share!

 

[Red Willy]

I have to echo previous comments as to dead spot and drivability. Roky nailed it with his assessment of the dead spot and effect of the EC. The dead spot is still there, just not as much of a problem keeping the Jeep in line. Thanks to @NickHatz for his input.

 

[KansasJL]

I have been following this thread since it started. I am very interested in this product and it seems to be the "perfect" steering stabilizer. I am running 37's on a ragtag mix of suspension parts that is a 2.5 lift. Living in south central Kansas wind is a major factor driving. On the rare days the wind isn't blowing my JLUR drives like a dream and I couldn't be happier. On the windy days (30+ mph for Kansas) the cross wind makes driving the 30 mile commute a living hell. Has anybody ran the EC stabilizer is this type of stupid cross wind?
An example of the typical driving experience in this type of wind is wondering when you drive past a tree row and the wind hits you:... Am I going to roll the Jeep and can I stay on the road and out of the ditch.....

 

[JP29]

Following this thread as well. I reached out to Tony last night and he got back to me today, unfortunately manufacturing is down. Once it's back up though I'm planning to pick up the 140 lb.

 

[Exact Center]

HOW CAN EXACT CENTER cancel the wind?
Today my son Todd took me to Grand Rapids so I could pick up my RV that has been in heated storage. I have a new 2021 Dynamax Isatta 5 28SS Explorer 4WD on a Ram 5500 Chassis a smaller Super C at 20000 GVWR . I waited 10 months for it to be built so I had less than 30 days before it went into storage. It has 800 watt solar 400 amps lithium, heated bays and claims to be 4 season. at 31'-2" it is one of my smaller coaches and much smaller than the two other 39 foot Freightliner based Super C's I had at GVWR 's of 33000 lbs each. The smaller Dynamax has the same 6.7 Cummins the other two had so this at 10000 less pounds is almost fast. My last big Super C was a Renegade on that one the first EC was 175 lbs it did steer good, but high winds moved it so I went up in pressure several times and finished at 330 lb EC which was very good, and in 15000 miles the wind I found never moved me.
In the past getting higher pressure units took weeks or months, soon it may only be a few days.
My Dynamax has a old stock EC that tests at 220 lbs on my 20000 GVWR that is not bad but I want a lot more. My RV is very good and today in very high winds it moved a little at 300 lbs I think it will fully cancel the wind 100%. Soon RM will be able to make the unit I need and want.
WE CAN CANCEL THE WIND, at least that is what you will feel with the higher pressure units.
This has never been possible before Exact Center became a product. I have been testing the Idea for 22 years, and until recently higher pressure was a dream and a want and today it is real and we are making the high pressure units. The best part even on a JL and for sure on a big truck or RV the power steering does make the pressure near invisible.
The secret is just drive and soon the pressure is not anything different than a sporty SUV and not even noticed on the JL and on the bigger trucks, and RVs it is not even a second thought.

 

[Exact Center]

I have been following this thread since it started. I am very interested in this product and it seems to be the "perfect" steering stabilizer. I am running 37's on a ragtag mix of suspension parts that is a 2.5 lift. Living in south central Kansas wind is a major factor driving. On the rare days the wind isn't blowing my JLUR drives like a dream and I couldn't be happier. On the windy days (30+ mph for Kansas) the cross wind makes driving the 30 mile commute a living hell. Has anybody ran the EC stabilizer is this type of stupid cross wind?
An example of the typical driving experience in this type of wind is wondering when you drive past a tree row and the wind hits you:... Am I going to roll the Jeep and can I stay on the road and out of the ditch.....

NickHatz said this about his EC back a few threads
I then exchanged the 75lb for a 140lb unit. Since putting on the 140lb, I have put about 800 miles on it and the bump steer has gone away completely at all speeds...very happy about this! On the highway it tracks dead straight at speeds up to 85mph. I drove in high winds with gusts to 45mph and it never wavered. Just like John at Exact Center said, I felt the gusts and was ready to make corrections, but none were needed. Unbelievable difference! Off-road it performed flawlessly for my use.

 

[Exact Center]

HOW CAN EXACT CENTER cancel the wind?
Today my son Todd took me to Grand Rapids so I could pick up my RV that has been in heated storage. I have a new 2021 Dynamax Isatta 5 28SS Explorer 4WD on a Ram 5500 Chassis a smaller Super C at 20000 GVWR . I waited 10 months for it to be built so I had less than 30 days before it went into storage. It has 800 watt solar 400 amps lithium, heated bays and claims to be 4 season. at 31'-2" it is one of my smaller coaches and much smaller than the two other 39 foot Freightliner based Super C's I had at GVWR 's of 33000 lbs each. The smaller Dynamax has the same 6.7 Cummins the other two had so this at 10000 less pounds is almost fast. My last big Super C was a Renegade on that one the first EC was 175 lbs it did steer good, but high winds moved it so I went up in pressure several times and finished at 330 lb EC which was very good, and in 15000 miles the wind I found never moved me.
In the past getting higher pressure units took weeks or months, soon it may only be a few days.
My Dynamax has a old stock EC that tests at 220 lbs on my 20000 GVWR that is not bad but I want a lot more. My RV is very good and today in very high winds it moved a little at 300 lbs I think it will fully cancel the wind 100%. Soon RM will be able to make the unit I need and want.
WE CAN CANCEL THE WIND, at least that is what you will feel with the higher pressure units.
This has never been possible before Exact Center became a product. I have been testing the Idea for 22 years, and until recently higher pressure was a dream and a want and today it is real and we are making the high pressure units. The best part even on a JL and for sure on a big truck or RV the power steering does make the pressure near invisible.
The secret is just drive and soon the pressure is not anything different than a sporty SUV and not even noticed on the JL and on the bigger trucks, and RVs it is not even a second thought.

I say just drive and NickHatz did and this is what he found with his new 140 EC
I did notice that, at this pressure, the effort to overcome the centering action of the new stabilizer increased considerably. I did not feel this when making lower speed turns in parking lots, on city streets and off-road. Initially, I thought it might get a little tedious on long highway trips, especially when making minor corrections for gentle curves and to account for road crowning, etc. At the company’s suggestion, I drove it for another 2 weeks or so, including a 450 mile round trip to Tahoe and have become used to the heavier feel of the wheel. It compares in steering “weight” to my Lexus LX and that is good. It was not tiring at all and tracked beautifully all the way there and back. I will be staying with the 140lb for my use-case and set up.

 

[Buddy Lee]

I have been following this thread since it started. I am very interested in this product and it seems to be the "perfect" steering stabilizer. I am running 37's on a ragtag mix of suspension parts that is a 2.5 lift. Living in south central Kansas wind is a major factor driving. On the rare days the wind isn't blowing my JLUR drives like a dream and I couldn't be happier. On the windy days (30+ mph for Kansas) the cross wind makes driving the 30 mile commute a living hell. Has anybody ran the EC stabilizer is this type of stupid cross wind?
An example of the typical driving experience in this type of wind is wondering when you drive past a tree row and the wind hits you:... Am I going to roll the Jeep and can I stay on the road and out of the ditch.....

I recently took a trip to Death Valley in my 2021 JLU Ruby which is running 35" tires and a 3.5" Metalcloak lift, so a very similar set up as you. I have driven through the desert on other trips with 40 plus wind speeds and my jeep was all over the place. On this trip we hit some similar winds and with the Exact Center installed it definitely made a positive difference. I am not going to tell you it's perfect because with the short wheel base of our jeeps there is always going to be some wondering across the road. I found by having the EC installed the jeep required a lot less input to keep it going in a straight line vs when I was using the factory stabilizer. It also reduced the fatigue associated with driving the vehicle on long road trips. As a bonus I really appreciated it off-road on the ruff, rocky and rutted roads in Death Valley. It also works well with your tires air down. I hope this helps.

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