Road crown sensitivity

[Frustr8ed]

Does it pull to the left on a left leaning road to the same degree that it pulls to the right on a right leaning road?

Great question. Tested that extensively by driving on the other side of an empty road. Answer is NO it doesn’t.

Sponsored

 

[Mike630]

Great question. Tested that extensively by driving on the other side of an empty road. Answer is NO it doesn’t.

I wonder if your steering wheel is not centered. Try adjusting the drag link.

I had the same issue, Jeep pulled right when the wheel was centered, so I had to adjust.

The Jeep still pulls depending on the road crown, but at least it pulls equally in both directions. Makes me feel better about it

 

[Frustr8ed]

I've owned more Jeep Wranglers than most people have owned vehicles in their lives. Every single one pulls on a sloped road. It sounds like you haven't owned a jeep before and bought the wrong vehicle for you. I've had a 2019 and 2020 JLUR both do it.

Sounds like you are a company man. If this was true, then why would a 29 year veteran mechanic of a Jeep dealer who aligns them all week long along with other Ram trucks say the geometry is off and he can’t fix it. Not only that but I drove a different one and it was fine. I agree there will always be some eventual wander in the direction of heavy crown. But what I am talking about is an immediate deviation that even with counter steer will revert back to the same pull quickly. Even on multi lane freeways. The Service Center personnel all agree it is not acceptable.

 

[Frustr8ed]

By way of update: FCA bought mine back.

 

[Mangoman]

 

[roaniecowpony]

This subject has to do with tire slip angle. The tire construction, size, profile, tread pattern and deflection and other factors, influence the slip angle. https://books.google.com/books?id=dQGQDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA1182&lpg=PA1182&dq=road+crown+tire+slip+angle&source=bl&ots=0GacUwjyW1&sig=ACfU3U0jUBHV29pZXRiTgX5cuGWX3-Xggw&hl=en&ppis=_c&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjb4ZqnsuPnAhUFSq0KHdTABI4Q6AEwGnoECA0QAQ#v=onepage&q=road crown tire slip angle&f=false

I don't think this "...is a Jeep thing..." or has anything to do with solid axle front ends. The data in the study linked above supports that has to do with tires. My 4x4 IFS GMC truck requires a lot of counter steer on crowned roads. It has large (33") tires and the slip angle is pretty large compared to, say, my 2014 SS Camaro that had low profile tires and tread that was shallow and did not deflect much.

Also, I don't agree with comments that more caster helps. Greater amounts of caster will allow things like road crown and wind to have a steering input to the vehicle, since the moment arm from the contact patch of the tire to the steering axis is longer. Push a shopping cart along an angled parking lot and it will turn downhill if you let it. There's a lot of caster in the front wheels of a shopping cart. If it had no caster, there would be no or little tendency for the cart to turn downhill. Some of the "Jeep lore" would have you believe more caster cures everything from loose steering to a toothache...or was it eyestrain?

Sponsored