I'm sure someone has addressed this before but I could use a little help. My 01 TJ had a 4.5" lift on it when I bought it. When driving and you press the clutch to change gears the steering wheel slightly jerks right. I think I've narrowed the problem down. The previous owner put both an adjustable track bar and a drop bracket on the front. I recently found that the front axle is sitting almost an inch to the right. I've seen several people say that the drop bracket can cause bump steer and other adverse effects from poor geometry. Should I adjust then track bar to center the axle or should I go ahead and remove the bracket then adjust the track bar to see if it fixes my problem?
Bump steer questions
- Thread starter Djobe478
- Start date
a few pics would help...and yes, center the axle. The bracket depends on if the tie rod and track bar is parallel
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Definitely plan on centering but didnt know if I should save myself some time and do away with the bracket at the same time
check for parallel, that is the mounting points are parallel, not the bends in the tie rod and track bar.
It's dark but I tried to get a few more pics...with the drop bracket on everything looks parallel to me...but I'm definitely not an expert lol
If it is parallel, then you are having a problem with torque steering, that is where the back axle is moving as you apply power, push in clutch, power is removed and it moves back. Bump steering is the front only and the steering wheel wants to shift if you hit a bump. Different problem.
That dropped passenger-side bracket has take the drag link and track bar out of their parallel relationship which will cause bump steer. If there also a dropped Pitman arm? If so that's making it even worse, replace it with the OE factory Pitman arm.
Once the drop bracket has been removed the axle will likely have mostly self-centered itself but help it by standing on the front bumper and using your weight to jounce the front of the Jeep up & down. The springs and the control arms will work together to pretty well center the body over the axle. Then adjust the front trackbar's length so it bolts into place and you're done.
And it's very tough to look at the track bar and drag link to see if their operating plane is parallel. The track bar has enough factory bend in it that make that nearly impossible. The below illustration shows the best way of determining if they're parallel or not. Connecting a pair of strings to their respective mounting points. That shows their operating planes very plainly and easily.
But so long as your Pitman arm is stock (your above photos don't show your Pitman arm from the side) and you remove the drop bracket, the drag link and track bar will be parallel. Enough to cure the bump steer.
Once the drop bracket has been removed the axle will likely have mostly self-centered itself but help it by standing on the front bumper and using your weight to jounce the front of the Jeep up & down. The springs and the control arms will work together to pretty well center the body over the axle. Then adjust the front trackbar's length so it bolts into place and you're done.
And it's very tough to look at the track bar and drag link to see if their operating plane is parallel. The track bar has enough factory bend in it that make that nearly impossible. The below illustration shows the best way of determining if they're parallel or not. Connecting a pair of strings to their respective mounting points. That shows their operating planes very plainly and easily.
But so long as your Pitman arm is stock (your above photos don't show your Pitman arm from the side) and you remove the drop bracket, the drag link and track bar will be parallel. Enough to cure the bump steer.
Jerry as far as I know it does have the drop pitman arm as well...but astjp2 makes a very valid point...I may be chasing the wrong problem...the TJ drives straight as an arrow down the road...my only complaint is when changing gears it darts slightly right (my front axle is about and inch right of center) so that's where I came up with my earlier diagnosis...definitely going to get the axle centered up but is it possible that I'm experiencing torque steer and if so any most likely culprits?
Loose bushing is the most likely cause, if one side of the axle can move forward and aft with a load change will get the vehicle to sway side to side as you add or remove power.
Being that I have absolutely zero clue what brand the lift is (if I had to guess rough country) I'm guessing finding new bushings without having to replace the whole control arm isnt very likely
Also when adjusting the track bar, I don't have a pickle fork and dont want to damage the boot or the threads when taking it loose...is it possible to remove the axle side and break the jam nut loose and adjust it and bolt everything back up or does the ball joint end the only way
Rubicon express uses standard bushings for the rubbers, their flex joints you can order right from them. Do you have a press and an air chisel? If so you can change them.
It can drive straight as an arrow down the highway and still have bump steer. Bump steer only manifests itself when driving over bumps or dips in the road or doing anything that makes the front-end rise or fall like shifting gears/accelerating/decelerating. The combination of a dropped Pitman arm combined with a dropped passenger-side track bar mounting bracket aggravates bump steer making it even worse if just a dropped Pitman arm or a dropped track bar was installed by itself.
Bump steer is when the steering is bumped left/right when driving over bumps/dips in the road or doing anything to make the front axle move up & down.
Remove that passenger-side dropped track bar mounting bracket and replace the dropped Pitman arm with the OE factory Pitman arm.
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That's definitely a dropped Pitman arm.
Here's a photo that shows both side-by-side...
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