What actually _is_ normal steering?

[YerMaun]

My JLU drives just like a normal car. I can swap from my Grand Cherokee to the Wrangler and don't have to think about it at all, it steers just the same with no stress or extra effort, no noticeable wandering or other silliness.
Obviously there are plenty of people with steering issues, but I'd still describe those as 'not normal'.

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[jeepingib]

Part of me thinks that there may be something to that, but the JK had fully manual/hydraulic until 2011. And honestly the electric pump should make steering easier at low speed and low throttle where a engine powered pump suffers the most. I really can't come up with a good reason for the factory caster being so incredibly low.

 

[BRuby]

Yeah quite unfortunate that many still are have steering problems. We just got back from driving on 50 miles of mountain FSRs at 18 PSI, then on a highway back home at 37 PSI. Rubi stock on OEM BFGs literally floated over the rutted gravel and rocks and potholes like nothing. Was probs going 30 mph ave. whereas other vehicles maybe 20 or much less. One Rav4 had a completely shredded tire they were replacing. Is really not advisable to take most AWD vehicles on these back roads.

Rubi steered like a champ with no wander on or off pavement. Tracks just like our other vehicles we have. Hopefully you can get yours sorted as the real pleasure in our JL is the journey to the destination. Our JL has been a super fun comfortable machine with no problems up and down really quite harsh steep back roads. Same on paved roadways.

Here we were going about 40 mph easy.

 

[emptyminded42]

Now that I've had more seat time on some higher speed county roads - 45 to 55 mph - it's clear that my JLU has a pretty noticeable wandering issue. Every time the road crown changes slightly or I hit a frost heave/pot hole, I need to put in a correction. Which is sort of expected, but the trouble is that the amount of steering correction is inconsistent due to the seemingly varied deadzone in the middle of the steering wheel.

This means the Jeep requires very attentive driving nearly all the time which is not the case for my 2 other vehicles on the same roads in the same conditions.

I'm hoping it's due to neutral or toe-out alignment and perhaps too little caster as well and an alignment would fix.

If it's deemed "normal" by the dealer I'm going to be upset because it is downright dangerous to drive at night on unknown country roads when you're tired or distracted with a screaming toddler in the backseat. Really hope it's alignment problem and not a steering box issue or just deemed "normal".

I need to schedule that oil change and clutch recall soon...

 

[jeepingib]

Engine powered pumps do have access to plenty of power, but struggle at idle. And while increasing caster does increase steering effort at low speeds, or stopped, it is not a substantial increase when going from 4.5 as found on many factory Rubicons, to 6.5 which is a proper caster setting in my opinion. I think that we are in agreement with this.

I think that a possible solution for the overheating would be for Jeep to use a larger reservoir. Preferably even an aluminum one that could have fins on it for additional cooling. The additional steering coolers that people are adding are a great idea for people running large tires in the rocks.

 

[Halstem1]

Just for comparison... This is how my JLUR drove 10K miles prior. I would call this "normal" for a Jeep Wrangler. (hopefully this doesn't get flagged because I had the radio on)

 

[Mikester86]

Just for comparison... This is how my JLUR drove 10K miles prior. I would call this "normal" for a Jeep Wrangler. (hopefully this doesn't get flagged because I had the radio on)

Basically how my 2020 JLUR drives. Hope it stays that way. Thanks for posting.

 

[Halstem1]

Basically how my 2020 JLUR drives. Hope it stays that way. Thanks for posting.

Keep an eye on it. May even want to document it. I have no idea what changed in mine but its night and day difference. I should have posted the 2 videos together so people know its the same jeep.

 

[JavaRunner]

Just for comparison... This is how my JLUR drove 10K miles prior. I would call this "normal" for a Jeep Wrangler. (hopefully this doesn't get flagged because I had the radio on)

So, what changed btw your two videos? Mine certainly drives closer to the first.

 

[Halstem1]

So, what changed btw your two videos? Mine certainly drives closer to the first.

I have no idea to be honest. In February I got death wobble and then since it’s happened several more times. I’m starting to think the stress on the steering box from the DW? Or just extra miles? Or maybe this caused the DW?

 

[entropy]

just getting some opinions... Normal or not normal?

NOT normal. There is something wrong with that jeep, if I did that on mine i'd be on the ditch. My sport S tracked really well first year of ownership, then I installed a rubi suspension WITH longer LCA's and it was fine, it started feeling a bit funny (not like your video). I took it for an alignment. Caster is at 5.8 degrees, toe was a bit off they corrected it. It tracks perfectly fine.

I run my tires at 36 cold. As it states on the side of the door... no problems. Have you checked the caster?

 

[Halstem1]

NOT normal. There is something wrong with that jeep, if I did that on mine i'd be on the ditch. My sport S tracked really well first year of ownership, then I installed a rubi suspension WITH longer LCA's and it was fine, it started feeling a bit funny (not like your video). I took it for an alignment. Caster is at 5.8 degrees, toe was a bit off they corrected it. It tracks perfectly fine.

I run my tires at 36 cold. As it states on the side of the door... no problems. Have you checked the caster?

I’ve check caster. I’ve checked EVERYTHING. haha. I think something broke or got stretched out in the steering box.

 

[hoag4147]

just getting some opinions... Normal or not normal?

My normal. Just switched to Fox ATS

 

[Halstem1]

My normal. Just switched to Fox ATS

That looks like more what I expect. How do you have your Fox ATS set? I talked to a few people with the ATS or the falcon adjustable and everyone leaves it on medium. So I just ordered the fox TS without the adjuster.

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