Loose steering feels like it has play and drifts

[Kysport]

I have a Sahara but it came with the All Terrain tires. I would go to the tire store today if I thought a new set of Michelin All Season Highway tires would solve my problem. I'm running these at 34#

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[smuddy]

Do you guys think that maybe, just maybe, that this "play" in the steering is the new tires? The tires are really soft and could be the result of the swaying feel in the steering you are encountering. From what I'm seeing, it's mostly in the Rubicons, right? When we get new tires in our fleet of tractors, everyone at work feels the sway and floaty feel in the steering for about a week.

In the beginning I felt this floaty feel when I took delivery. I figured it was the tires because of my experience from work. It drives great now, no sway, no play, no drifting feel. Now my wife's JL Sport never had this problem. Her tires are not as meaty as mine. She has never complained about her steering. Ever

We've been on trips on my Rubi, once through a storm with lots of wind. Yeah, that was a little scary for her and a little intimidating for me because of the way the Jeep was all over the road. That was the very first trip and the Jeep only had around 600 miles at the time. Now I have about 2300 miles and I don't feel what I did in the beginning.

I'm not saying you guys don't have steering problems, but I am saying that the tires, especially new meaty ones, will make you feel floaty and drifty on the road. I'm not an expert, but I've logged around 4 million miles on the road....just from work.

Floaty and drifty can be somewhat attributed to new, overinflated tires but only to a point. Most of my issue and others that I read is the massive dead spot in the steering where you can turn the wheel in either direction and it doesn't turn the jeep. It actually tracks pretty darn straight for me, but look down at radio to tune or whatever and it EASILY veers off course! Those seem like 2 different problems to me. It doesn't seem like everyone has the massive play in the steering. For that, sure seems like faulty steering box. The other, could be tires, caster or toe but don't know as dealer told me numbers are all good. Waiting on the back ordered steering box replacement.

 

[JeepCares]

It's good to see that after telling me I was crazy for two months, the forum is finally acknowledging that this is a true problem with the JL that needs to be resolved.
On the way home from my dealership yesterday from getting the U62 safety recall done, my JL actually made me nauseous. I haven't been car sick since I was a kid. This thing is ridiculous.

Something is causing all of the excessive play in the steering. FCA needs to address this problem or this is my last Wrangler.

Hello everyone,
We appreciate you all sharing your experiences on this and would like to offer out assistance. If you have not already, please send our team a private message with additional details so we can look into this further for you. We hope to hear from everyone soon.
Julie
Jeep Social Care Specialist

 

[smuddy]

How can there be no recall for this?

 

[hubble]

I guess it's possible it could have something to do with the tires. I'm gonna put a couple thousand miles on mine and see if things get better. Maybe by then there might be some other solution found or TSB or recall. It would be interesting to go have new tires (different brand) put on and see if there was any change.

 

[Young04]

Do you guys think that maybe, just maybe, that this "play" in the steering is the new tires? The tires are really soft and could be the result of the swaying feel in the steering you are encountering. From what I'm seeing, it's mostly in the Rubicons, right? When we get new tires in our fleet of tractors, everyone at work feels the sway and floaty feel in the steering for about a week.

In the beginning I felt this floaty feel when I took delivery. I figured it was the tires because of my experience from work. It drives great now, no sway, no play, no drifting feel. Now my wife's JL Sport never had this problem. Her tires are not as meaty as mine. She has never complained about her steering. Ever

We've been on trips on my Rubi, once through a storm with lots of wind. Yeah, that was a little scary for her and a little intimidating for me because of the way the Jeep was all over the road. That was the very first trip and the Jeep only had around 600 miles at the time. Now I have about 2300 miles and I don't feel what I did in the beginning.

I'm not saying you guys don't have steering problems, but I am saying that the tires, especially new meaty ones, will make you feel floaty and drifty on the road. I'm not an expert, but I've logged around 4 million miles on the road....just from work.

I just picked up my Rubi yesterday. June 5 build. No steering issues for me. I drive a couple of sport sedans and this is my first Jeep so I would be sensitive to this. 37psi cold.

 

[WXman]

To reiterate, again, this issue has absolutely nothing to do with tires or tire pressures. I've driven JLUs on 4 different tires, all with varying pressures, and all of them exhibit the same "wondering all over the road" feel.

This is definitely mechanical or related to suspension geometry.

 

[smuddy]

I just picked up my Rubi yesterday. June 5 build. No steering issues for me. I drive a couple of sport sedans and this is my first Jeep so I would be sensitive to this. 37psi cold.

To be sure, on highway (55 plus mph) , you don't have any play in the steering wheel in the middle of the steering?

 

[Young04]

To be sure, on highway (55 plus mph) , you don't have any play in the steering wheel in the middle of the steering?

None I noticed. Ended up doing about 30 miles on the highway. Tracked straight and without an excessive dead spot. Of course not as sure footed as my Audi doing 80 but overall my Jeep was fine.

 

[smuddy]

To reiterate, again, this issue has absolutely nothing to do with tires or tire pressures. I've driven JLUs on 4 different tires, all with varying pressures, and all of them exhibit the same "wondering all over the road" feel.

This is definitely mechanical or related to suspension geometry.

Then how is it people like young04 above don't have any problems? I really need to find someone in the Atlanta area who say there are no problems at all to compare. I'm waiting on the back ordered steering box but while I'm hopeful, i'm not feeling good about it changing anything. If I can't get it fixed, it will be sold at a pretty hefty loss and I'll go find a used TJ and a used SUV for road trips. Wish I hadn't already put on new front bumper, winch and rock sliders. At least I can use the winch on the TJ.

 

[Young04]

Then how is it people like young04 above don't have any problems? I really need to find someone in the Atlanta area who say there are no problems at all to compare. I'm waiting on the back ordered steering box but while I'm hopeful, i'm not feeling good about it changing anything. If I can't get it fixed, it will be sold at a pretty hefty loss and I'll go find a used TJ and a used SUV for road trips. Wish I hadn't already put on new front bumper, winch and rock sliders.

Good luck. I have a late build so maybe they fixed it?

 

[kre62]

To reiterate, again, this issue has absolutely nothing to do with tires or tire pressures. I've driven JLUs on 4 different tires, all with varying pressures, and all of them exhibit the same "wondering all over the road" feel.

This is definitely mechanical or related to suspension geometry.

What was your jeep wondering about? Barbie jeeps?

The word is wAndering

 

[WXman]

What was your jeep wondering about? Barbie jeeps?

The word is wAndering

If I could have read its mind, it probably was thinking, "I'm brand new and expensive, so why don't I drive as well as all the old solid axle Jeeps?"

 

[kre62]

If I could have read its mind, it probably was thinking, "I'm brand new and expensive, so why don't I drive as well as all the old solid axle Jeeps?"

Don't worry, it'll get resolved. I think even with the small bit of play the handling overall is way better than old jeeps. The dead spot on center is annoying but I don't think it's supposed to be like that, and I think there are fixes already. TSB is coming I'm sure. And the adjustments others have suggested to the box make a difference.

 

[OldGuyNewJeep]

I just picked up my Rubi yesterday. June 5 build. No steering issues for me. I drive a couple of sport sedans and this is my first Jeep so I would be sensitive to this. 37psi cold.

+1. Mine is. 2 door, also built first week of June.

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