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Goosed

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That list doesn’t include control arms. I would get your caster checked—I bet it’s too low. Mine is at around 7* and it’s great.

However, correct caster will help with wandering and overall feel but not dead spot (at least in my experience).
With all you went through and threw into your Jeep to try and correct your steering issues I fully trust your feedback.

Honestly think it’s in the steering box itself and really nothing else we do will correct the dead spot. Seen the videos of people who did adjust their box and the dead spots go away. Just don’t want to be the guy that does this and gets too tight then boom, can’t steer a corner and crash.
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rickinAZ

rickinAZ

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With all you went through and threw into your Jeep to try and correct your steering issues I fully trust your feedback.

Honestly think it’s in the steering box itself and really nothing else we do will correct the dead spot. Seen the videos of people who did adjust their box and the dead spots go away. Just don’t want to be the guy that does this and gets too tight then boom, can’t steer a corner and crash.
But, if it was in the steering box itself wouldn't it have impacted the Jeep prior to the lift install? My impression is that the dead spot was first noticed right after the lift. In any case, if it's so noticeable that it's scary to drive, the dealer should have no problem replicating the issue, and since they both warranty the entire vehicle and installed a Mopar lift, there should be no warranty denial.
 

Obi.Wan.Shawnobi

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I’m not the expert here but I believe it does. It notes it came with the following:
  • Front & Rear Coil Springs
  • Front & Rear Shocks
  • Front Control Arms with Flex Style Bushings
  • Sway Bar End Links
  • Extended Bump Stops
  • Installation Hardware
It does not appear that the kit has adjustable control arms (lower only). a good thing though, is that you can buy adjustable uppers and that will be what you need to adjust the caster. you want the top knuckle joints slightly further back than the bottom ones. it doesn't have to be a science, just be willing to keep adjusting them to find a drive-ability that you are happy with. no two Wranglers are alike.
 

RagTopDeluxe

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With all you went through and threw into your Jeep to try and correct your steering issues I fully trust your feedback.

Honestly think it’s in the steering box itself and really nothing else we do will correct the dead spot. Seen the videos of people who did adjust their box and the dead spots go away. Just don’t want to be the guy that does this and gets too tight then boom, can’t steer a corner and crash.
I’m certainly not an expert, just sharing my experience. Ah! I missed front control arms. Sorry.

I didn’t adjust my box for the same reason. I didn’t want any issues on 50 on the way to Tahoe in the winter.

Good point above that if it was worse after they installed the kit that they should look at it. Good luck!
 

Nole_Dynasty

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That list doesn’t include control arms. I would get your caster checked—I bet it’s too low. Mine is at around 7* and it’s great.

However, correct caster will help with wandering and overall feel but not dead spot (at least in my experience).
Where should I be?
 

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In case you haven't seen the newest issue of Motor Trend, they have positive news on the steering issues:

"I dedicated our previous 2019 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon update to discussing the pros and cons of owning and driving a Wrangler every day. Having spent some time recently in a 2020 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon EcoDiesel, it appears that one of my chief complaints about our Jeep's steering has been addressed.​
One of my biggest issues with our Wrangler has been its steering feel. Its heavy steering has a tendency to​
wander ever so slightly back and forth while driving in a straight line,​
which means the​
driver has to make constant little corrections to the steering wheel.​
In small doses, it's not much of an issue, but if you're spending more than an hour behind the wheel per day—as I do sitting in Los Angeles' traffic going back and forth to MotorTrend HQ—it gets tiring. It gets even more exhausting on long road trips.​
And then, a bright yellow 2020 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon EcoDiesel showed up to our offices for a test, with my name on it. I could tell something was different by the time I'd exited the parking lot—its steering feel was significantly lighter and lower-effort while still retaining feel of the road. After an hourlong drive home (an hour in which I wasn't constantly chasing the Jeep's steering), I fired off a quick email to Jeep's PR reps to see if there was something mechanically different between our 2019 Wrangler's steering and this newer 2020 one, or if I was just going crazy and clearly needed to find a new career path.​
Unlucky for you, I was right—Jeep's reps helpfully confirmed that Wrangler engineers had made both steering gear valve tuning and pump calibration changes that would result in​
lighter, lower-effort steering.
The change definitely made it harder for me to get back into my 2019 long-termer."​
rickinZA

Thanks for this post.
The Rubi clearly had the steering issue some of us have with our Wranglers. Wandering.

The explanation from Jeep PR talks only about lighter lower-effort steering.

Yet the wandering was corrected according to the MT article.
While that's good news, I've never complained about and don't need "lighter, lower-effort steering."

But how does it help those of us with a Wrangler JLU that wanders?

That's what we need.
 
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RagTopDeluxe

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Where should I be?
When I was still having wandering issues with my ‘19 after having the PSC kit I called them to ask for help. I spoke to the owner of PSC and his suggestion was to increase the caster until you’re happy with how it drives. He said his JL was at 7* and his wife’s was at 7.5*.

As I mentioned, my ‘20 steers great but it had the slightest flightiness at speed. Sure enough the stock caster was 4.7* (stock suspension and tires). I put adjustable LCAs and the installer estimated that my caster is between 7 and 7.2*.

It feels great now and I’m loving it.

So, to answer your question (and I’m not an expert), the advice I was given worked for me.

I hope you’re able to get yours sorted out.
 
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MYAMIA

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In case you haven't seen the newest issue of Motor Trend, they have positive news on the steering issues:

"I dedicated our previous 2019 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon update to discussing the pros and cons of owning and driving a Wrangler every day. Having spent some time recently in a 2020 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon EcoDiesel, it appears that one of my chief complaints about our Jeep's steering has been addressed.​
One of my biggest issues with our Wrangler has been its steering feel. Its heavy steering has a tendency to wander ever so slightly back and forth while driving in a straight line, which means the driver has to make constant little corrections to the steering wheel. In small doses, it's not much of an issue, but if you're spending more than an hour behind the wheel per day—as I do sitting in Los Angeles' traffic going back and forth to MotorTrend HQ—it gets tiring. It gets even more exhausting on long road trips.​
And then, a bright yellow 2020 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon EcoDiesel showed up to our offices for a test, with my name on it. I could tell something was different by the time I'd exited the parking lot—its steering feel was significantly lighter and lower-effort while still retaining feel of the road. After an hourlong drive home (an hour in which I wasn't constantly chasing the Jeep's steering), I fired off a quick email to Jeep's PR reps to see if there was something mechanically different between our 2019 Wrangler's steering and this newer 2020 one, or if I was just going crazy and clearly needed to find a new career path.​
Unlucky for you, I was right—Jeep's reps helpfully confirmed that Wrangler engineers had made both steering gear valve tuning and pump calibration changes that would result in lighter, lower-effort steering. The change definitely made it harder for me to get back into my 2019 long-termer."​
I hope they may recall the 2018 too. Mine it's really bad
 

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Had a 2019 2Dr JL and it wandered. I got used to it. Traded it on a 2020 JLU diesel, it is perfect.
We test drove the Pentastar and my wife pointed out that it seemed light and felt like it wandered. I liked that because I wanted the diesel all along...her analysis made it an easier sell to her. Score!
 

roaniecowpony

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Like many of you, I had seriously bad steering in my 18 JL. It was so bad, my wife refused to drive it after fighting it on the way home from the dealer.

I read every thread about it, on every forum I could find, and after about half a year, eventually started buying parts like some of you. The first part I installed was the SteerSmarts front trackbar with poly bushings. That took out what was a few inches of dead steering wheel movement in both directions and made it about an inch and some. I drove it that way for maybe half a year so, thinking this was sooooo much better than before.

Then I started getting more critical because I was driving it more. So, I changed the tierod and draglink to SteerSmarts parts. No change, but they are mucho heavy duty compared to stock stuff. I drove it that way for a few more months and after selling my daily driver Camaro, I was DD my JLUR. It just seemed like it could be better. I finally took the plunge and adjusted the steering box and got the dead spot in the steering down to maybe 1/2". I tried adjusting down til it was binding and it still had a dead spot. There's a thread where a member bench tested/measured a JL box before and after adjusting and he also could not eliminate all play, no matter how tight he adjusted the sector gear. 1/2" of steering play might not seem like much, but it's a bit of a fatiguing thing to deal with, constantly chasing keeping it in the lane on the highway. A motorcycle rider flipped me off after passing me, when my cycle of wandering back and forth a couple feet appeared like I swerved toward him as he passed me in my lane. Don't get me wrong, it's not terrible now, and I'd drive it on any winding mountain road, but it's just not great for long highway trips.

So, I'm waiting to hear from those that have gotten the new cast iron box, to see if that has improvements.
 
 



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