Sponsored

Steering off-center, ESC alert after trail

First Name
Curtis
Joined
Jul 22, 2019
Threads
2
Messages
8
Reaction score
6
Location
Alabama
Vehicle(s)
2019 JLUS 2.0
20191222_072615.jpg
20191222_072556.jpg
2019 JLU Sahara, I4, 2.5" Skyjacker lift, Toyo 35s A/T. Dropping her off at the shop this morning. Yesterday's crawl was muddier than expected and quickly went brutal; got a little excited and slammed the right side pretty hard down into a rut. (Will be a little less enthusiastic next time.)

Now steering wheel is cocked to about 10:00, front axle looks off a half-inch or so toward the driver. There's a lot of vibration and steering shimmy starting around 40mph -- not death wobble, but pretty pronounced, shakes the whole front end a bit. By 60mph it's hard to control. Alignment is insanely off, seems like.

Computer is throwing electronic stability control alert and seems to be 'limping' with max around 2k rpm, probably because it thinks I'm constantly in a turn when I'm not. It's showing codes for bad data from brake and acceleration sensors (0418, 0432), and then also the 0010 code for CAN comm bus, which seems weird.

I'm not familiar enough with the geometry and components to really know what I'm looking at. Fortunate to have a great shop, so I'm sure they'll figure it out quickly -- just wondering if anyone has experience with this sort of problem and any advice about what to expect, any extra stuff to check or to be aware of. Thanks for your input, and I'll post once the mechanic diagnoses!
20191222_070938.jpg
20191222_071053.jpg
20191222_071004.jpg
20191222_071105.jpg
Sponsored

 
Last edited:

MarkY3130

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Mar 27, 2018
Threads
19
Messages
1,136
Reaction score
1,329
Location
Denver
Vehicle(s)
2019 JLUR
Vehicle Showcase
1
Lift installed recently? Likely the suspension got more abuse than it had on road, and settled a bit. Looks like the trackbar, tierod, and drag link are stock. Which is fine, I only point it out to suggest all you need is to adjust the drag link to re-center the steering wheel. You can do this yourself in about 5 minutes. Simple explanation- If the ride height of the Jeep changes then the steering wheel needs to be re-centered.

Regarding the axle being shifted, this is adjusted via an adjustable trackbar (aftermarket). If you don’t have one of those, then it must have been a 1/2” off before you took the hit.

Of course, it’s possible to bend something too, but that’s unlikely it.
 
OP
OP
cantseetheforest
First Name
Curtis
Joined
Jul 22, 2019
Threads
2
Messages
8
Reaction score
6
Location
Alabama
Vehicle(s)
2019 JLUS 2.0
Thanks! Lift was done about two and a half months ago; haven't had any issues until yesterday's abuse, by far the worst it has taken. It's possible that the axle was already shifted driver-ward before then, but I don't think so...

I know the steering can be recentered with the drag link, but I'm gonna let these guys adjust it and give it the once over. Question is, would off-center itself cause all that vibration and shimmy? You can feel vibration even at very low speed, and then the steering wheel will start shimmying back and forth pretty hard at 45mph+. Nothing looks obviously bent to me, but I don't look at this stuff enough to really know, so I'm about to get an education. [:

The steering wheel shift and other problems were very sudden, *immediately* after the mud, not gradual. Steering was centered and solid before -- nothing was off about it, post-lift.

I appreciate the advice!


Lift installed recently? Likely the suspension got more abuse than it had on road, and settled a bit. Looks like the trackbar, tierod, and drag link are stock. Which is fine, I only point it out to suggest all you need is to adjust the drag link to re-center the steering wheel. You can do this yourself in about 5 minutes. Simple explanation- If the ride height of the Jeep changes then the steering wheel needs to be re-centered.

Regarding the axle being shifted, this is adjusted via an adjustable trackbar (aftermarket). If you don’t have one of those, then it must have been a 1/2” off before you took the hit.

Of course, it’s possible to bend something too, but that’s unlikely it.
 

sourdough

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2017
Threads
175
Messages
1,560
Reaction score
3,315
Location
left coast
Vehicle(s)
JL
Sounds like you have a good handle on what’s going on. From my experience, front tires wanting to follow ruts and counter steering input really put a lot of leverage force on the steering links. Your steering wheel being off-center will cause that code and loose adj. clamps on drag link might have allowed the change. Wheel shimmy could be due to weak or loose steering link and weak steering stabilizer. Track bar mount could also be loose due to weld issues that have been documented.
Informed by all the steering issue reports I've read on the forum. I replaced my Tie-Rod, Drag-link and Track Bar, T.B. mount brace and S.S. with H.D. units. Even with 37” tires my rig steers pretty good and I’ve put it through some big rock trails.
 

MarkY3130

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Mar 27, 2018
Threads
19
Messages
1,136
Reaction score
1,329
Location
Denver
Vehicle(s)
2019 JLUR
Vehicle Showcase
1
Another cause of shimmy that is common after ‘mudding’ is the wheels being caked with mud on the inside. Can really put them out of balance until cleaned.

I too have the full Steersmarts setup and will install the trackbar frame side mount brace whenever it arrives.
 

Sponsored

MarkY3130

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Mar 27, 2018
Threads
19
Messages
1,136
Reaction score
1,329
Location
Denver
Vehicle(s)
2019 JLUR
Vehicle Showcase
1
Regarding axle off center, take a look at how everything connects. The trackbar is a simple fixed length arm (stock one) and as the suspension height changes it must travel in its radius. On the front this pulls the axle to the drivers side as you lift the vehicle. In the rear it pulls it to the passenger side.

As it’s a fixed length arm, it’s impossible for the axle to be centered after a lift, even if it’s an imperceptible amount, it had to shift. There is no adjustability that an alignment can do to fix this unless you have an adjustable trackbar, or an aftermarket correction bracket. (Other possibility is your axle was off-center the other way before the lift and the lift moved it to a more centered position)

Complete lift kits include provisions for axle recentering, many other kits do not and you have to decide to live with the result, or buy additional components.
 
OP
OP
cantseetheforest
First Name
Curtis
Joined
Jul 22, 2019
Threads
2
Messages
8
Reaction score
6
Location
Alabama
Vehicle(s)
2019 JLUS 2.0
Thank you. Definitely gonna look at some HD parts...

Sounds like you have a good handle on what’s going on. From my experience, front tires wanting to follow ruts and counter steering input really put a lot of leverage force on the steering links. Your steering wheel being off-center will cause that code and loose adj. clamps on drag link might have allowed the change. Wheel shimmy could be due to weak or loose steering link and weak steering stabilizer. Track bar mount could also be loose due to weld issues that have been documented.
Informed by all the steering issue reports I've read on the forum. I replaced my Tie-Rod, Drag-link and Track Bar, T.B. mount brace and S.S. with H.D. units. Even with 37” tires my rig steers pretty good and I’ve put it through some big rock trails.
 
OP
OP
cantseetheforest
First Name
Curtis
Joined
Jul 22, 2019
Threads
2
Messages
8
Reaction score
6
Location
Alabama
Vehicle(s)
2019 JLUS 2.0
After a spray-off and then a night of rain, shimmy seems to be gone even on rough pavement at a good clip -- it may have been mudcake. Being new to this, I didn't even know that could happen!

Dropped her off this afternoon. *Maybe* it's just a link adjust, but I'd like them to look it over anyway. We'll see what they say, thanks again.

Another cause of shimmy that is common after ‘mudding’ is the wheels being caked with mud on the inside. Can really put them out of balance until cleaned.

I too have the full Steersmarts setup and will install the trackbar frame side mount brace whenever it arrives.
Another cause of shimmy that is common after ‘mudding’ is the wheels being caked with mud on the inside. Can really put them out of balance until cleaned.

I too have the full Steersmarts setup and will install the trackbar frame side mount brace whenever it arrives.
 

MarkY3130

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Mar 27, 2018
Threads
19
Messages
1,136
Reaction score
1,329
Location
Denver
Vehicle(s)
2019 JLUR
Vehicle Showcase
1
After a spray-off and then a night of rain, shimmy seems to be gone even on rough pavement at a good clip -- it may have been mudcake. Being new to this, I didn't even know that could happen!

Dropped her off this afternoon. *Maybe* it's just a link adjust, but I'd like them to look it over anyway. We'll see what they say, thanks again.
I would always support a 3rd party professional review when anyone is in doubt. Not worth messing with your own safety, or others
 
 



Top