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My update to 2020 JLUR after upgrades in attempt to fix loose steering

Woodbridge

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Hi all,

So I bought a 2020 Rubicon Unlimited 3.6 on Sept 21st. This is my 5th jeep, and they date all the way back to the first CJ5 Renegade I bought new in 1979.

I of course test drove this 2020 Rubicon on about a 4 mile drive and felt the loose steering issue but attributed it to the poor curvy road and the possibility that the tire pressure was too high....

Fast forward to today, Nov 9th.....

I have a total of 285 miles on my Rubicon. It is NOT lifted.

1. I have played with multiple tire pressures, I have the Falken Wildpeak MT 285's. Started with factory 37 PSI cold, now at 33 PSI cold.

2. Have had the entire suspension system checked over visually and had ALL fasteners checked for proper torque.

3. After reading much in these forums, many have said to upgrade to adjustable LCA's, a better steering stabilizer and a better heavy duty track bar.

4. I bought and installed the Fox 2.0 ATS Steering Stabilizer with firmness adjustability.

5. I bought and had installed the Teraflex Alpine IR series front lower control arms.

6. I bought and had installed the Teraflex front track bar.

7. I had a 38 year veteran that has done nothing but truck and off-road alignments and set-ups do an alignment, he also installed my LCA's and track bar...

The alignment specs are now:

Left Caster 6.6Âș
Right Caster 6.7Âș

Left Camber 0.3Âș
Right camber -0.2Âș

L & R Toe is at 1/16"

According to the Jeep dealer, my 2020 Rubicon has no recalls, no TSB's and has ALL the latest revised software and parts like the "AE" steering box, NOT the AD version.

I have spent $1,835. I have driven a total of 285 miles since buying it on Sept. 21st. I am frustrated, it STILL has a very loose feeling in the steering wheel between the 11 o'clock to 1 o'clock position with constant left/right corrections to keep my Rubicon "between the lines".

Any other ideas guys?

Thanks much

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Renegade

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Hi all,

So I bought a 2020 Rubicon Unlimited 3.6 on Sept 21st. This is my 5th jeep, and they date all the way back to the first CJ5 Renegade I bought new in 1979.

I of course test drove this 2020 Rubicon on about a 4 mile drive and felt the steering issue but attributed it to the poor curvy road and the possibility that the tire pressure was too high....

Fast forward to today, Nov 9th.....

I have a total of 285 miles on my Rubicon. It is NOT lifted.

1. I have played with multiple tire pressures, I have the Falken Wildpeak MT 285's. Started with factory 37 PSI cold, now at 33 PSI cold.

2. Have had the entire suspension system checked over visually and had ALL fasteners checked for proper torque.

3. After reading much in these forums, many have said to upgrade to adjustable LCA's, a better steering stabilizer and a better heavy duty track bar.

4. I bought and installed the Fox 2.0 ATS Steering Stabilizer with firmness adjustability.

5. I bought and had installed the Teraflex Alpine IR series front lower control arms.

6. I bought and had installed the Teraflex front track bar.

7. I had a 38 year veteran that has done nothing but truck and off-road alignments and set-ups do an alignment, he also installed my LCA's and track bar...

The alignment specs are now:

Left Caster 6.6Âș
Right Caster 6.7Âș

Left Camber 0.3Âș
Right camber -0.2Âș

L & R Toe is at 1/16"

According to the Jeep dealer, my 2020 Rubicon has no recalls, no TSB's and has ALL the latest revised software and parts like the "AE" steering box, NOT the AD version.

I have spent $1,835. I have driven a total of 285 miles since buying it on Sept. 21st. I am frustrated, it STILL has a very loose feeling in the steering wheel between the 11 o'clock to 1 o'clock position with constant left/right corrections to keep my Rubicon "between the lines".

Any other ideas guys?

Thanks much

6681830B-7EEA-4AC2-82C2-2F82E7522C72.jpeg


59658E2A-289F-4FF7-929C-78DBC55DE6B2.jpeg


1A8AD579-DA4D-4E2E-894D-BDA40FC50C9D.jpeg
have you adjusted the steering preload at the box? It’s in post #65.
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...sues-have-been-fixed.12843/page-5#post-314134
 
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Woodbridge

Woodbridge

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Hi Zac,

All the videos pertaining to adjustment screw on top of the steering box in the link you sent above are not viewable for some reason. Without watching detailed how-to videos making this adjustment with the results being successful I am not going to mess with it.

Thanks for replying though.
 

ChimpanZed

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Sorry, friend. I have an October 2019 build 2020 JLUR and it tracks perfectly. I’ve done 300 miles on the highway since I bought it on Thursday and I can steer it with one finger at 80mph. I do have to give it a little input to the left (~11:30) to compensate for the crown of the road*, but otherwise it just tracks straight down the highway: at 42psi, at 35psi, it doesn’t matter.

* I did put it through Eisenhower Tunnel which has no crown and the steering wheel was dead in the middle.
 

Oletimer

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Ive done all the same things to get mine right. And its good now, but it still drives best at 27 psi cold.
Even at 27 , the little rubber tits are still on tread edge at over 4000 miles.
Stock narrow wheels are not the problem, but possibly make it worse i think.
 

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Woodbridge

Woodbridge

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Hi Aaron,

Mines an August 2019 build 2020 JLUR. I am beginning to believe FCA still has an intermittent build quality issue with either the adjustment/calibration of the steering boxes AND/OR totally defective machining of the internal gears in some of the steering boxes. I say this because by process of elimination I have ruled out everything else to the best of my knowledge, the dealers knowledge, a top notch master alignment specialist, and those here at the forum.

Glad yours is great, wished mine was. It's essentially parked now.
 

Oletimer

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Hi Aaron,

Mines an August 2019 build 2020 JLUR. I am beginning to believe FCA still has an intermittent build quality issue with either the adjustment/calibration of the steering boxes AND/OR totally defective machining of the internal gears in some of the steering boxes. I say this because by process of elimination I have ruled out everything else to the best of my knowledge, the dealers knowledge, a top notch master alignment specialist, and those here at the forum.

Glad yours is great, wished mine was. It's essentially parked now.
I think your right, my jeep is in shop with rear end out, just made first payment. Point is they gave me a ram rebel to drive. Its the loosest pickup ive ever drove. I bet they have same supplier.
 

ChimpanZed

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Glad yours is great, wished mine was. It's essentially parked now.
I drove a 2020 2.0T at the dealer I ordered my 3.6/manual from and the steering was awful. I think you’re right. After reading thousands of posts on this topic it seems that there are probably several compounding factors; play in the tie rod and track bar bushing, and slop in the steering box.

At a dead stop do your tires move when you move the steering while a tad? Mine do; even a tiny wiggle of the steering wheel moves the front tires. The same tiny wiggle has a small affect at highway speeds, but it doesn’t feel like a dead spot at all. It just feels like a solid axle SUV.
 
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Woodbridge

Woodbridge

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Hi Aaron,

At a dead stop parked when I wiggle the steering wheel from the 11 o'clock am to 1 o'clock pm position the tires don't move whatsoever, not a hint of movement. All of my steering components are torqued to exact FCA spec, nothing worn out (only 285 miles on my jeep total), alignment dialed in. I say this almost positively HAS to be the steering box!! And mine is the "newest latest greatest revised AE version".....My selling dealer and another Jeep dealer have told me there is nothing else that can be done until FCA releases more information on a proven fix. It might be time to retain legal counsel.
 

ChimpanZed

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At a dead stop parked when I wiggle the steering wheel from the 11 o'clock am to 1 o'clock pm position the tires don't move whatsoever, not a hint of movement. All of my steering components are torqued to exact FCA spec, nothing worn out (only 285 miles on my jeep total), alignment dialed in. I say this almost positively HAS to be the steering box!! And mine is the "newest latest greatest revised AE version".....My selling dealer and another Jeep dealer have told me there is nothing else that can be done until FCA releases more information on a proven fix. It might be time to retain legal counsel.
I have a whopping 350 miles on mine, with ~200 done today. It’s got to be your steering box. I suspect that the manufacturer of the steering box (3rd party?) isn’t adjusting the lash correctly on all boxes. I’d bet money that a slight tightening of your lash will cure your issues.
 

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Woodbridge

Woodbridge

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I'm researching this now. Can't find definitive details on if the jam nut or hex set screw is turned, and in what direction, clockwise or counter clockwise? All I have seen so far is that it's only turned 1/8 to 1/4 rotation.
 

HoundDude

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keep in mind that FCA applies red loctite to the lock nut on the adjuster when it is assembled. you will need to apply heat (heat gun or micro butane torch) to the nut or you will simply strip the hex head of the adjuster.
 
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Woodbridge

Woodbridge

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Thanks so much HoundDude,

I saw that mentioned in another thread. I have a two stage heat gun and torches. I'll use the heat guns as they are safer. Based on what I've read tonight all over the internet I will make small 1/16 incremental turns of the set screw in the clockwise direction and see how it drives each time. I'm going to put a piece of colored tape at the 12 o'clock position on the steering and a tongue depressor on the dash as a pointer and take visual readings or call them "data points" so I can kinda measure the change.
 
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Woodbridge

Woodbridge

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Oh... is the red loctite on the jam nut or the set screw threads? Or both?

Thanks
 
 



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