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Test drove a JL with the wandering issue

Kytann

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Hello everyone. Prospective buyer here.
I've been to several dealership test driving different models. Really trying to decide if I should keep my truck, or trade it on a JL.
Anyway, I have owned 2 Jeeps in the past. A 1988 YJ (I think that's the year) that I owned in the mid 90s, and a 2007 JK that I owned in 2010. So I am familiar with Jeep solid axles.

I also test drove 4 total Jeeps so far. a 4-door sport manual, a 2-door Rubicon Automatic, a 2-door Rubicon Automatic with the 2.0, and now a 2.0 4-door Sahara.
All bone stock, all from dealership lots with a salesperson sitting right next to me.

The Sahara was really difficult to keep pointed straight down the road. It kept wandering all over the place. Obviously this isn't normal, as none of the other jeeps did it.

One thing I noticed when driving it with my hands off of the wheel, when accelerating it made the jeep steer to the left. When decelerating it made the jeep steer to the right.
Now this made me think it's a rear axle issue causing this wandering. Does this sound right?

It's got me a little worried about buying one. Are there any resources to read up about this?

I don't have to buy a jeep this year, I can certainly hold off another year or two until this problem is fully worked out. This wandering issue has me considering this.
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Arterius2

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Hello everyone. Prospective buyer here.
I've been to several dealership test driving different models. Really trying to decide if I should keep my truck, or trade it on a JL.
Anyway, I have owned 2 Jeeps in the past. A 1988 YJ (I think that's the year) that I owned in the mid 90s, and a 2007 JK that I owned in 2010. So I am familiar with Jeep solid axles.

I also test drove 4 total Jeeps so far. a 4-door sport manual, a 2-door Rubicon Automatic, a 2-door Rubicon Automatic with the 2.0, and now a 2.0 4-door Sahara.
All bone stock, all from dealership lots with a salesperson sitting right next to me.

The Sahara was really difficult to keep pointed straight down the road. It kept wandering all over the place. Obviously this isn't normal, as none of the other jeeps did it.

One thing I noticed when driving it with my hands off of the wheel, when accelerating it made the jeep steer to the left. When decelerating it made the jeep steer to the right.
Now this made me think it's a rear axle issue causing this wandering. Does this sound right?

It's got me a little worried about buying one. Are there any resources to read up about this?

I don't have to buy a jeep this year, I can certainly hold off another year or two until this problem is fully worked out. This wandering issue has me considering this.
That, and..

Apparently they also don’t do an alignment on these Jeeps as they roll out the factory. Almost all of them needs an alignment and deflate tires to correct psi right off the lot.
 
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Kytann

Kytann

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That, and..

Apparently they also don’t do an alignment on these Jeeps as they roll out the factory. Almost all of them needs an alignment and deflate tires to correct psi right off the lot.

Oh, forgot to mention. Tires were all at 41 psi. I remember checking.
That's .... too high?
 

Sean L

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Oh, forgot to mention. Tires were all at 41 psi. I remember checking.
That's .... too high?
They should be at 36. I've noticed that if my tires are overinflated the wandering gets worse. I Keep mine at 35-36 PSI cold and the wandering isn't bad and not worth complaining about. If you didn't have any wandering issues with the other Jeeps you tested, I'd probably go for one of those.
 

Arterius2

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Oh, forgot to mention. Tires were all at 41 psi. I remember checking.
That's .... too high?
Way too high, Like Sean L mentioned, wandering gets worse with higher psi, I actually keep mine even lower at 32psi cold (indicated via chalk test).
 

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Robs JL

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Oh, forgot to mention. Tires were all at 41 psi. I remember checking.
That's .... too high?
I test drove 5 different jeeps (sahara and rubicons) before choosing a sahara and honestly each jeep drove differently. No 2 alike. Our current JL sahara wandered the first hundred miles then settled in better but now I have a lift and alignment wasn't done right so got the wandering problem again. When driving I almost have to keep 2 hands on the wheel. I'm scheduled this week to get alignment taken care of. I also got the track bar replaced with a yeti and planning on changing out the tie rod and draglink later on as it seems to solve alot of issues with steering.
 

jlewissystem

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I hate that these are coming off the floor at ~41psi. The dealers should automatically lower them, so the test drivers get a better experience. That high of PSI causes harder/rounding of the tire and more susceptible to steering sensitivity issues. When I sold my sets of takeoffs, I warned the buyer to lower. Hopefully more people check forums to learn things like this and not just assume that’s how a Jeep should drive. It also made the drive WAY too firm. Just fix all of that with upgraded tires-lol
 

timn1984

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Hello everyone. Prospective buyer here.
I've been to several dealership test driving different models. Really trying to decide if I should keep my truck, or trade it on a JL.
Anyway, I have owned 2 Jeeps in the past. A 1988 YJ (I think that's the year) that I owned in the mid 90s, and a 2007 JK that I owned in 2010. So I am familiar with Jeep solid axles.

I also test drove 4 total Jeeps so far. a 4-door sport manual, a 2-door Rubicon Automatic, a 2-door Rubicon Automatic with the 2.0, and now a 2.0 4-door Sahara.
All bone stock, all from dealership lots with a salesperson sitting right next to me.

The Sahara was really difficult to keep pointed straight down the road. It kept wandering all over the place. Obviously this isn't normal, as none of the other jeeps did it.

One thing I noticed when driving it with my hands off of the wheel, when accelerating it made the jeep steer to the left. When decelerating it made the jeep steer to the right.
Now this made me think it's a rear axle issue causing this wandering. Does this sound right?

It's got me a little worried about buying one. Are there any resources to read up about this?

I don't have to buy a jeep this year, I can certainly hold off another year or two until this problem is fully worked out. This wandering issue has me considering this.
Probably the tires, too much air. PSI around 34 is optimal for driving.
 

Punkindave

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I hate that these are coming off the floor at ~41psi. The dealers should automatically lower them, so the test drivers get a better experience. That high of PSI causes harder/rounding of the tire and more susceptible to steering sensitivity issues. When I sold my sets of takeoffs, I warned the buyer to lower. Hopefully more people check forums to learn things like this and not just assume that’s how a Jeep should drive. It also made the drive WAY too firm. Just fix all of that with upgraded tires-lol
I recently got the USB shop manual, on the pre-delivery checklist it says to inflate tires to the sidewall listed pressure.. I'll double check and post, but this surprised me.
 

jlewissystem

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I recently got the USB shop manual, on the pre-delivery checklist it says to inflate tires to the sidewall listed pressure.. I'll double check and post, but this surprised me.
Ugh....that process sucks....Technically correct, but not practical. Again "just because we can, doesn't mean we should" lol
 

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#4Jeep 1st Wrangler

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It really comes down to "dealer prep" ..the tires are actually shipped over-inflated for a reason... to prevent flat spotting while parked in dealers lots.
( yes , new tires will actually still flat spot when parked for extended periods of time) When you purchase the vehicle , the dealer is SUPPOSE to
adjust the pressures to specs. However , if you are test driving vehicles only.... you're riding on over-inflated tires. They are supposed to set the
tire pressures to the door placard, not the sidewall of the tire.
 

Arterius2

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I recently got the USB shop manual, on the pre-delivery checklist it says to inflate tires to the sidewall listed pressure.. I'll double check and post, but this surprised me.
Load rating E tires that practically everyone is running is listing 80psi doesn’t mean we should be running them at that. That manual is incorrect since the sidewall pressure listed is the maximum allowed, not “optimal”.
 

Kluk Ztopolovky

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I've been driving my new JL 2dr. for few days now and I haven't experienced any steering issues. I lowered the psi to 31 in front and 33 rear. I may increase the front by 1 or 2 psi I will have to test it. I find somehow slightly difficult the manual shifting in this vehicle. The first is very but very short and if I would fully unwrap the first gear and then I would fully release the clutch I will get a metallic clinking sound from the clutch I assume. So what I do know is this. I just get moving few feet in the 1st and then as I am releasing the clutch won't let it go all the way but maybe at 70 - 80% of release I step on the clutch again and quickly shift into 2nd gear and the rest going up the shifting scale is just a standard process. In the city driving I seldom use 6th gear and I could easily sustain good driving style with the bottom 4 gears. Oh yes, when I put in in 3rd gear I have to make sure I move the stick at a certain angle it doesn't slip in as easy as the other gears . And finally it seems to me I have to increase the rpm bit too high when backing up but I think it is just a matter of getting used to the new way the Jeep operates. I have to say t I wish all cars shifted as easy as VW Golf : )but this Jeep is pretty easy hand work with the stick as well , the clutch needs more attention in my opinion.
 

garfieldtcat

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Mine wandered a little bit when I first got it, but it was never bad. Reducing the tire pressure helped a lot. After 6k miles it drives great now. I mean it drives like crap compared to my Audi, but for a Jeep it’s completely acceptable. On the flip side, I had a rental Ford transit van last weekend. The Jeep is a veritable sports car compared to that thing. It bounced all over the road and refused to drive in a straight line. I’ve rented box trucks that drove better.

If you worry about every horror story you read online, you would never buy anything. You know what the wander feels like now. Make sure you do a thorough test drive before buying something and I’m sure you’ll be fine.
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