Steering upgrade recommendations?

[gato]

I’m not trying to lie I’m a pavement princess haha. I just off-road from time to time. But it’s my daily.

it wonders to the right. I’ve had the front end checked and tires balanced. Pitman arm was crap so that got replaced but it’s consistently got play in the wheel from 12oclock to 1oclock. Then pulls right just a hair. 55mph+ is where the most happens. Under that it’s just play in wheel. Then if I hit a large bump I get shaking that I can drive out of but the rarely happens since I bought the new set of wheels and tires.

So I wouldn't bother with replacing trackbar, tierod and stuff. Just get the iron steering box and make sure all steering/suspension components are tight and not bent and your steering is centered. Then put in a thru-shaft steering stabilizer. The Fox TS is the best bang for the buck and will suit you just fine.

If you don't change that steering box, you will still have excessive play.

Good luck.

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[4a4c55]

If you don't change that steering box, you will still have excessive play.

When I bought my Jeep, I was pretty freaked-out about the TSB for the steering box not having been done. The selling dealer refused to do it.

I don't have a lift, though sometimes I think of a modest cosmetic lift. I don't think there's a dead spot, not much of anyone anyhow. And I've had a death wobble exactly twice -- on the highway after taking a bump or expansion joint just right and getting a hop for a couple hundred feet.

Do people think the steering TSB is important without a lift? Maybe I'll do it one day, just for peace of mind.

 

[Adv_aw8s]

I would definitely give apex chassis steering a look. But before you go down that road I would definitely make sure your ball joints are good. The stock ones can wear out as soon 15k miles with a lift and tires. I would honestly look at the AEV steering stabilizer. It is super affordable and made a world of difference in steering. I had other buddies looking at the more expensive alternatives and ended up pulling the trigger on the AEV one. For the price you can replace 3 times if you slam it into something. The most common place I've seen play is the track bar at the axle mount but id make sure everything is right and there is zero play.

 

[Duckee]

I too replaced the stock steering stabilizer with AEV and it feels much better. A bit tighter so you may need to help it back to center but overall a great upgrade for not much $!

 

[gato]

When I bought my Jeep, I was pretty freaked-out about the TSB for the steering box not having been done. The selling dealer refused to do it.

I don't have a lift, though sometimes I think of a modest cosmetic lift. I don't think there's a dead spot, not much of anyone anyhow. And I've had a death wobble exactly twice -- on the highway after taking a bump or expansion joint just right and getting a hop for a couple hundred feet.

Do people think the steering TSB is important without a lift? Maybe I'll do it one day, just for peace of mind.

I think the new steering box is a meaningful improvement in steering feel, regardless of being lifted or not. But there are hundreds of thousands of JLs with the aluminum box on the road - it's not like they are undrivable.

Did you say you took a hop of "a couple hundred feet" as in you jumped your Jeep 200 feet?! That is rad.

 

[4a4c55]

Did you say you took a hop of "a couple hundred feet" as in you jumped your Jeep 200 feet?! That is rad.

LOL, no. The death wobble lasted for a couple hundred feet.

Thanks for the notes, tho ... maybe I'll upgrade the box for longevity or peace of mind, someday.

 

[1996cc]

Don’t want to tell you how to spend (or not to spend) your money, but it seems like you are throwing it away without an actual plan or knowledge of what‘s wrong. The factory tie rod and drag link are actually fairly stout, ESPECIALLY for your usage. Nothing wrong with the factory track bar either. Whereas the Yeti is F-ing gigantic overkill with hardware big enough to bolt down a windmill. It’s so big it’s hard to make sure it clearances everything.

Ditch the aluminum box and buy a Synergy steering box brace and take your wife to a nice dinner with the money you saved.

And if you insist on replacing the other parts, I’d give Synergy a hard look. My Synergy track bars are on their 3rd JL and still kicking ass with the original bushings. Their drag link and tie rod are also legit. Only heat treated chromoly tie rod in the industry, way better than all the trendy aluminum rods out there.

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