What’s your magic caster number?

[JMONEZ]

I currently have a 2.5 lift, front and rear track bars, HD drag link, adjustable LCAs and UCAs. My axles are centered and I still have wonder(bad at hwy speeds) and overall twitchy unstable feel, especially when braking. The Jeep holds and tracks straight on all roads but still feels unstable and flighty. My caster is at 6.1 and toe at .05

To me the numbers look good, but it just feels off. I measured the LCAs and they’re only set at 24”(factory setting, not the 24 1/4 suggested for 2.5” lift) the UCA’s are shortened less than factory at only 19 3/4 ( not the suggested 20 1/8- 20 7/16) not sure why the shop that installed lift set to these numbers.

I plan to make adjustments to get the UCA’s and LCAs to suggested lengths, do you think that’ll help or will that put caster way to high? Any thoughts or suggestions as to why this Jeep drives so sketchy, I feel like anyone driving behind must think I’m drunk! TIA

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[Roky]

I currently have a 2.5 lift, front and rear track bars, HD drag link, adjustable LCAs and UCAs. My axles are centered and I still have wonder(bad at hwy speeds) and overall twitchy unstable feel, especially when braking. The Jeep holds and tracks straight on all roads but still feels unstable and flighty. My caster is at 6.1 and toe at .05

To me the numbers look good, but it just feels off. I measured the LCAs and they’re only set at 24”(factory setting, not the 24 1/4 suggested for 2.5” lift) the UCA’s are shortened less than factory at only 19 3/4 ( not the suggested 20 1/8- 20 7/16) not sure why the shop that installed lift set to these numbers.

I plan to make adjustments to get the UCA’s and LCAs to suggested lengths, do you think that’ll help or will that put caster way to high? Any thoughts or suggestions as to why this Jeep drives so sketchy, I feel like anyone driving behind must think I’m drunk! TIA

What size tires and what is your psi, if you’re running to much air in the tires it will wander. I’m running 6.5 castor and mine tracks straight as an arrow. Try lowering your psi to around 30 warmed up. If you’re already running lower psi then go ahead and give it a little more castor, just keep in mind, your making your pinion angle off the higher you go, which will lead to a vibration in front driveshaft in 4 wd. I wouldn’t go more than 7 degrees. If nothing seems to be helping, you could try lowering your control arms with brackets but you’ll sacrifice some ground clearance. It’s really just trial error.

 

[JMONEZ]

What size tires and what is your psi, if you’re running to much air in the tires it will wander. I’m running 6.5 castor and mine tracks straight as an arrow. Try lowering your psi to around 30 warmed up. If you’re already running lower psi then go ahead and give it a little more castor, just keep in mind, your making your pinion angle off the higher you go, which will lead to a vibration in front driveshaft in 4 wd. I wouldn’t go more than 7 degrees. If nothing seems to be helping, you could try lowering your control arms with brackets but you’ll sacrifice some ground clearance. It’s really just trial error.

Thanks, yes I running 26-28 psi with 35” ridge grapplers, any higher and steering and handling is much worse. I wish I could run higher psi it I learned that on my last JL. Last JL I had a 2.5 lift also with not nearly as many components and it rode and handled great with caster at only 5.2. I guess I’ll try adding more by changing controls arms to suggested lengths, maybe adding .25” to arms could help?

 

[Roky]

Thanks, yes I running 26-28 psi with 35” ridge grapplers, any higher and steering and handling is much worse. I wish I could run higher psi it I learned that on my last JL. Last JL I had a 2.5 lift also with not nearly as many components and it rode and handled great with caster at only 5.2. I guess I’ll try adding more by changing controls arms to suggested lengths, maybe adding .25” to arms could help?

Yes it should help, are you running an aftermarket steering stabilizer, I’m convinced that the oem ss can’t handle bigger tires as well . I know a lot of people say you don’t even need one if your all your components are right, yet nearly everybody’s running the fox or falcon with lifted rigs, lol.

 

[JMONEZ]

Yes it should help, are you running an aftermarket steering stabilizer, I’m convinced that the oem ss can’t handle bigger tires as well . I know a lot of people say you don’t even need one if your all your components are right, yet nearly everybody’s running the fox or falcon with lifted rigs, lol.

Yes, sorry I also forgot to mention I’m running the falcon adjustable stabilizer (I prefer the softer setting but in order to have more stable steering I’m running on medium)

 

[Brosef]

2” lift, got all the adjustable arms and track bars from MC. Shop that did my lift really knows what they were doing. While I don’t have arm lengths for you, I can tell you that the lowers are longer than stock f&r (to Center the axle in the wheel well, and the uppers were adjusted to dial in the caster and pinion angle. I’m running 5.5 degrees of caster and .1 of toe. Tracks straight as an arrow (better than stock, which wandered a little). Hope that helps

 

[OffroadTreks]

I currently have a 2.5 lift, front and rear track bars, HD drag link, adjustable LCAs and UCAs. My axles are centered and I still have wonder(bad at hwy speeds) and overall twitchy unstable feel, especially when braking. The Jeep holds and tracks straight on all roads but still feels unstable and flighty. My caster is at 6.1 and toe at .05

To me the numbers look good, but it just feels off. I measured the LCAs and they’re only set at 24”(factory setting, not the 24 1/4 suggested for 2.5” lift) the UCA’s are shortened less than factory at only 19 3/4 ( not the suggested 20 1/8- 20 7/16) not sure why the shop that installed lift set to these numbers.

I plan to make adjustments to get the UCA’s and LCAs to suggested lengths, do you think that’ll help or will that put caster way to high? Any thoughts or suggestions as to why this Jeep drives so sketchy, I feel like anyone driving behind must think I’m drunk! TIA

UCA's at 19 3/4; that sounds like a Metal Cloak lift, mine is set that way too which sets caster to around 6, which from your post seems right.

 

[saltyaggie]

6.0 on mine and it solved all of my steering problems. After a 2.5" lift, I was at less than 3 degrees. Night and day improvement over stock.

 

[JMONEZ]

UCA's at 19 3/4; that sounds like a Metal Cloak lift, mine is set that way too which sets caster to around 6, which from your post seems right.

You’re right that’s MC specs for UCA, although it’s RK UCA and not sure why they decided to only adjust that in for caster as opposed to taking them both out. I hope taking UCA’s to 20 1/8 and LCAs to 24 1/4 will help, wonder if toe at .05 is good or should that be adjusted to help too

 

[rustyshakelford]

We adjust toe to positive .4-.5°. That seems unusual but it’s what steer smart recommends when installing their tie rod. So far we’ve had terrific luck. If you haven’t already it’s always a good idea to check the torque on everything when having these issues

Brett

 

[PaPasJP]

I am at 6.5 and 26 psi and rides/handles great.

 

[James Cole]

We adjust toe to positive .4-.5°. That seems unusual but it’s what steer smart recommends when installing their tie rod. So far we’ve had terrific luck. If you haven’t already it’s always a good idea to check the torque on everything when having these issues

Brett

Brett, did you notice a difference in handling with a toe-out setup?

Did it reduce the steering deadspot at all?

JC

 

[River City Offroad]

Put a wrench on your ball joints and see if they are tight.

It is not uncommon to set and leave the lowers and use the upper arms to adjust your caster, but I'd have the lowers at at least the starting point that RK recommends instead of shorter than.

Marcus

 

[JMONEZ]

Put a wrench on your ball joints and see if they are tight.

It is not uncommon to set and leave the lowers and use the upper arms to adjust your caster, but I'd have the lowers at at least the starting point that RK recommends instead of shorter than.

Marcus

Thanks Marcus, will do, and yes I’ve checked ball joints and they’re at 33/55 spec.

 

[OffroadTreks]

0 Toe and 6 degrees caster, run around 34 psi and have zero steering issues.

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