Is this normal? Steering wandering all over the place. Brand new 2021 Rubicon 2 Door

[dshark1]

I took my jeep to the dealership on Monday and they got back to me by noon saying, the alignment is spot on and everything checked out, it is a jeep thing.

I sent them the video below saying it drifts heavily to the right asked to be tested at a higher speed. No manager wanted to drive it on a highway and it sat there for two days and today, I got a text saying it drives like a 2 doors wrangler, please come and pick it up. This is ridiculous for a $50k vehicle. I

Amazing, What a excuse for a $50k + vehicle ( It’s a Jeep thing ) that is just ridiculous! From watching your video, IDE have to say, Mine does not drift as bad to the right. Only when the road is pitched in that direction. Think u should really consider the LCA”s … I am.

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[rickinAZ]

It’s the lift height. Standard Rubi 1.5” taller than sport so less caster. Now add additional height to Diesel, 4XE and 392 and caster is really getting low. I see folks adding the extended Mopar LCAs from mopar lift kit. To be honest, not sure that is enough for Diesel, 4XE or 392. IMO they should be adding adjustable LCAs. I am one of the lucky ones, my Jeep drives great at all speeds with 37s and mopar lift. My caster is around 5.1 . I have a set of adj LCAs sitting in garage waiting to be put on but I hate to mess with it since it drives well.

edit: actually, My caster may be a little less than that now that I added a 3/4” spacer in front to take rake out.

I agree with your point about adjustable LCAs. Mine needed an extra 1/8” over the LCAs that come with the Mopar lift kit. Doesn’t sound like much, but it is.

 

[hoag4147]

I agree with your point about adjustable LCAs. Mine needed an extra 1/8” over the LCAs that come with the Mopar lift kit. Doesn’t sound like much, but it is.

What did 24 3/8 give you for caster number?

 

[richk225]

It’s the lift height. Standard Rubi 1.5” taller than sport so less caster. Now add additional height to Diesel, 4XE and 392 and caster is really getting low. I see folks adding the extended Mopar LCAs from mopar lift kit. To be honest, not sure that is enough for Diesel, 4XE or 392. IMO they should be adding adjustable LCAs. I am one of the lucky ones, my Jeep drives great at all speeds with 37s and mopar lift. My caster is around 5.1 . I have a set of adj LCAs sitting in garage waiting to be put on but I hate to mess with it since it drives well.

edit: actually, My caster may be a little less than that now that I added a 3/4” spacer in front to take rake out.

Great information and very much appreciated! Can I ask what spacer did you go with and did you just do the front?

 

[zrickety]

Hi All! The wife and I just purchased our 2021 Rubicon 2 Door and I warned her it would drive like a Jeep, but when I started driving on the freeway coming home from the dealership I could hardly keep it in a straight line and requires constant correction. I need to verify the tire pressure (pretty sure I saw 39psi on the dash) and I think I need to take it in for them to show me the alignment numbers. Have others had this issue and was it able to be resolved? Without the ability to adjust caster, the only thing they could possibly change is toe in.

Thanks and this is my first post here on JL.

(edited the above for year and model

Welcome to the JL.
There are 3 things you should do, as others have already mentioned.
-Lower your tire pressure (I run about 36 on the dash)
-Get the longer control arms, they are actually cheaper than the originals.
-Try the steering reset seen in this thread, it worked for me:
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...els-like-it-has-play-and-drifts.3691/page-452

californiajeeping said:

Updated Power Steering Reset Fuse Technique

Some have reported this fixed a few different steering issues such as the dead spot, loose steering, pulling, etc.

Note: It might not be a good idea to try this procedure if you have already made other modifications to tighten steering like adjusting the steering box lash screw. Keep in mind that this same reset occurs if you have a dead battery or replaced the battery so if you have made other steering tightening modifications you may have over tight steering.

1. With the JL off, remove F34 power steering fuse.

2. Start the JL, notice no power steering by turning the steering wheel and dash message error appears. Do not drive it.

3. Turn off engine. Open driver door and close it so it completely turns off all dash lights. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes so all electronics fully discharge.

4. Reinsert F34 fuse, start engine, immediately turn steering wheel full left, full right, turn to center, turn engine off. Restart and take for a test drive.

There are several reports of success. Some say no difference. If the steering box is bad, loose steering or suspension components, then this reset won’t make a difference. Check out this success story - https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...like-it-has-play-and-drifts.3691/post-1187994

 

[hoag4147]

Great information and very much appreciated! Can I ask what spacer did you go with and did you just do the front?

Daystar 3/4”. In front only.

 

[rickinAZ]

What did 24 3/8 give you for caster number?

The low 6s, but I had a 1.5"/2.0" leveling kit that needed compensation as well. On stock Rubicon suspension (only) 24.25" would have worked for me.

 

[kkarnage]

That was on his 1st JL, a 2018, and happened before the cast iron box existed.

I just misread that post: thank you for clarifying it for me.

 

[OldGuyNewJeep]

I have a 2018 2dr Rubicon with the original steering box. It steers as I would expect it to for a solid axle vehicle. That said, I can keep straight enough with one finger and do not feel like I’m “wandering all over the road.”

I’m either very lucky, or there are a whole lot of people on this forum who expect their Wrangler to track like a sports car.

FWIW I keep my pressure at 34.

 

[blnewt]

I have a 2018 2dr Rubicon with the original steering box. It steers as I would expect it to for a solid axle vehicle. That said, I can keep straight enough with one finger and do not feel like I’m “wandering all over the road.”

I’m either very lucky, or there are a whole lot of people on this forum who expect their Wrangler to track like a sports car.

FWIW I keep my pressure at 34.

Nice to hear, I think I'd still get the Mopar lift LCAs (unless you plan to lift your Rubi further), that extra 1.5 degrees in caster really makes it that much better IME.

 

[EJWF11]

I have a 2018 2dr Rubicon with the original steering box. It steers as I would expect it to for a solid axle vehicle. That said, I can keep straight enough with one finger and do not feel like I’m “wandering all over the road.”

I’m either very lucky, or there are a whole lot of people on this forum who expect their Wrangler to track like a sports car.

FWIW I keep my pressure at 34.

No two frames and welds will ever be the same… nor will two sets of bums or hands!!

 

[Headbarcode]

I just misread that post: thank you for clarifying it for me.

 

[zrickety]

Nice to hear, I think I'd still get the Mopar lift LCAs (unless you plan to lift your Rubi further), that extra 1.5 degrees in caster really makes it that much better IME.

Do the longer LCAs require a wheel alignment? I'm guessing yes. Mine are still in the box.

 

[Roky]

Do the longer LCAs require a wheel alignment? I'm guessing yes. Mine are still in the box.

No alignment needed.

 

[richk225]

I have a 2018 2dr Rubicon with the original steering box. It steers as I would expect it to for a solid axle vehicle. That said, I can keep straight enough with one finger and do not feel like I’m “wandering all over the road.”

I’m either very lucky, or there are a whole lot of people on this forum who expect their Wrangler to track like a sports car.

FWIW I keep my pressure at 34.

I would say that you are lucky, there are a lot of people on this forum and other forums that have supported the 2018 to 2021 Jeep wandering problem. I would imagine you would be right up here with the rest of us if you had the steering issues. No my 392 is not a sports car but that being said how would you feel if you spent $40k plus on a vehicle that wandered, required constant steering correction, dead spot, death wobble. I have owned just about every Wrangler starting out with a 1975 CJ-5 up to my current 392 Rubicon, and I have had them lifted with 40" tires, small block chevy LS powered and a whole slew of pickups and a few sports cars too, and never had an issue like this and having the manufacture acknowledge there is an issue and calling it A Jeep Thing is absurd

My 18 (2800 miles)JLUR Rubicon was a disaster, 4 steering stabilizers,new track arm, 2 steering box`s and and several alignments from well respected 4 wheel drive repair specialists and changing out just about everything possible in the steering with high end components only to still have it wander all over the road.
My stock JK Rubicon was a pleasure to drive, from stock all the way up to lifted and 37`s it still tracked straight and did not wander or have a dead spot, and you could drive it on any surface road and not need to have a death grip on the steering wheel.

Talk to the guys over at PSC about their JLUR replacement steering kits and ask them about the steering issues with any JL or JLUR. Synergy and SteerSmarts are involved with manufacturing OEM steering components for other manufactures and they had both bid on the contract to design and build the steering assemblies for JL Wranglers but they were beat out by foreign competition, on a good note they both are some of the top shelf replacement parts suppliers for Jeeps with steering issues.
This should not be an issue with a new vehicle, Jeep or not. I don't expect my Harley Flat tracker to ride like my Harley Wide Glide bike but they both can still go in a straight line without any issues

So I guess you and a lot of others are lucky but 460 plus pages of complaints on this site along with other Jeep sites with many dealer buy backs (myself included )

It just becomes very frustrating when you keep hearing that it is a Jeep thing or "well you traded in a Raptor and a Jeep isn't going to ride like one" Um I know that but don't insult my intelligence by saying such idiotic responses. And give me a real explanation why the new Rubicon that we just test drove goes down the road straight as an arrow and when we get in my 392 you are constantly correcting the steering wheel

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