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Newbie - is this normal for a Jeep questions

Rdmitch

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The Fixer

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Nor is a 99 Cherokee. With modern technology a jeep should drive properly.
@Revolution_322 's point was that the JL does not have a modern tech suspension - Jeep has been using upper/lower control arms with a track bar and steering stabilizer for decades.The JL drives much nicer than a ZJ, WJ, XJ, TJ, or JK even though the suspension setup is the same, so Jeep has been making improvements to the design.
 

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Rdmitch

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It does drive properly, it just doesnt drive like the bmw 5 series you traded in to buy a JL.
Not going down this path again, the topic has been argued into the ground. The facts speak for themselves
 

Revolution_322

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Not going down this path again, the topic has been argued into the ground. The facts speak for themselves
not trying to argue rathe i feel people just need perspective. On top of it all there are 3 trims with 3 different tire and rim sizes, different weights from engine selections different ride heights. Heck even different caster degrees. And yes jeep tried to go light weight on the wrong components but the majority of people who aren't happy with ride quality/steering wont just find “ the one sitting in a lot somewhere. In the case of a rubicon your driving a solid axle on 33” s! 20 years ago you had to lift a tj 6 inches to fit them. And now its standard issue. Y'all need a dose of perspective. I daily a well maintained wj and i can move the steering wheel probably 3 inches before anything happens to the wheels. I don't complain. Thats how it was built and i adapt to it. My moms volvo you move the steering wheel 1 mm and the front responds, actually pretty insane. yea its a comfy ride but not my cup of tea.
 
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Interesting. When I drive my stock JL, I move the steering wheel a millimeter and the steering instantly responds, now that I’m aired-up to 36 PSI. A properly inflated tire responds quicker to steering correction because there’s not as much flex in the sidewall of the tire.

I think a lot of the problem is folks over-correct when not used to the different feel of a Jeep. I found that’s what I was doing, initially. I drive predominantly on bumpy country roads. In an IFS vehicle with electronic steering I corrected by seat-of-the-pants feel, anticipating a correction when hitting a bump because I knew how my IFS vehicle would respond. You cannot take that same anticipatory feeling of steering to a Jeep without over-correcting.
 

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PLEASE HELP THE NEWBIE :)


SHAKING STEERING:
Since I am new to jeeps and solid axle vehicles can anyone comment if your steering wheel/axle should shake for a second or two when you hit a bump like on an overpass bridge? It has done it a few times. I wouldn’t say it was dangerous, but coming from inexperience it felt weird and want to know If this is normal? If not, what should I have them address before purchasing?
I also experience the shaking steering when hitting bumps. Kind of fees like the shaking you would feel when driving a used Toyota with about 150k miles on it and the ball joints or control arm bushings are bad. Its only for a couple of seconds, but I have to admit I don't like feeling this in a vehicle with 10k miles. Would really be helpful to know if this is a common characteristic or do I need to take it in to be looked at.
 

Revolution_322

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I also experience the shaking steering when hitting bumps. Kind of fees like the shaking you would feel when driving a used Toyota with about 150k miles on it and the ball joints or control arm bushings are bad. Its only for a couple of seconds, but I have to admit I don't like feeling this in a vehicle with 10k miles. Would really be helpful to know if this is a common characteristic or do I need to take it in to be looked at.
What trim level , and tire /rim size. Do you have any Mods? What engine ? Hard or soft top?
 

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Spearmin

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What trim level , and tire /rim size. Do you have any Mods? What engine ? Hard or soft top?
Sport S
245/75/17(Stock).
Stock 7.5 rims,
Regular Gasoline engine (not the turbo)
Automatic Trans
2.5 Teraflex space lift
 

Rdmitch

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not trying to argue rathe i feel people just need perspective. On top of it all there are 3 trims with 3 different tire and rim sizes, different weights from engine selections different ride heights. Heck even different caster degrees. And yes jeep tried to go light weight on the wrong components but the majority of people who aren't happy with ride quality/steering wont just find “ the one sitting in a lot somewhere. In the case of a rubicon your driving a solid axle on 33” s! 20 years ago you had to lift a tj 6 inches to fit them. And now its standard issue. Y'all need a dose of perspective. I daily a well maintained wj and i can move the steering wheel probably 3 inches before anything happens to the wheels. I don't complain. Thats how it was built and i adapt to it. My moms volvo you move the steering wheel 1 mm and the front responds, actually pretty insane. yea its a comfy ride but not my cup of tea.
Yes, I agree with that and since there are so many variables finding a solution is problematic. But a vehicle pulling a driver into the adjacent lane (or wall....or vehicle) is just not right no matter how you spin it. A Jeep should track straight.
I have a stock 2020 JL Rubicon and a stock 2018 Sahara, they drive totally different. The Rub drives straight with minimal drift...totally acceptable.
The Sahara has a mind of its own and requires constant driver correction...not acceptable by any standard
 

DrBob

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Maybe I'm crazy, but my '18 seems to handle much better now at 19K miles than when it was new. Took it to the dealer, and they gave me the usual BS, "they all handle like that.". I did have the steering stabilizer recall done a few months back. That definitely corrected the slight wobble when I hit ruts at speed. I played around with tire pressure, thinking that a few pounds lower would help the handling. I'm back to factory pressure now, and all seems ok.

Tons of posts in this forum if the OP would like to do more research.
Lol. I thought I was crazy and didn't mention this to anyone, but my '18 JL Sport handling improved considerably with mileage. It started improving even before the stabilizer upgrade. I'm not sure if there's science behind this or not. All I know is the improvement is too great to be attributed to "getting used to it." Right off the dealer lot decreasing PSI from 42 to 36 improved things considerably. Sounds like our OP could be fine with new stabilizer and air pressure check.
 

Buzz11

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My 2019 un-modified JLR will drive straight down the road at any speed. That's great, but I can move the steering wheel left/right, a total of 1 1/2" and no hint of turning. That's a lot of play for a new vehicle of any sort. (and I have all the recalls/fixes applied) Many others have mentioned this on several other threads too.

I have been told by 2 different dealerships in 2 different states that everything is tight and working as designed... and that's after FCA got involved.

So, that's pretty much how some will drive.


On a side note, the only reason FCA got involved is because someone in Detroit actually reads comments in the various surveys that I've been sent. I put the steering it too loose in at least 2 questionnaires, and 2 weeks ago got a call from Jeep Customer Care asking me specifics. 2 days later I got a call from a dealership to bring in my Jeep and they'd look at the steering for me.
 

Revolution_322

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Yes, I agree with that and since there are so many variables finding a solution is problematic. But a vehicle pulling a driver into the adjacent lane (or wall....or vehicle) is just not right no matter how you spin it. A Jeep should track straight.
I have a stock 2020 JL Rubicon and a stock 2018 Sahara, they drive totally different. The Rub drives straight with minimal drift...totally acceptable.
The Sahara has a mind of its own and requires constant driver correction...not acceptable by any standard
Thats because they both have different caster numbers. A difference of 1-2 degrees and steering can feel flighty at highway speeds.
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