hello I have a jeep tj 2006 two doors with a kit rc 4. " full kit 33 'tires. I just installed it and the car goes straight and fine but it has a dead center in the steering wheel that makes 50 70 miles very sensitive and as soon as I touch the steering wheel it goes to the right and when I move to return to the left. until it returns to the center. the steering wheel is very sensitive. or when I accelerate it, the front goes to the right and when I release the throttle it returns to the left in a very slight movement. It is a very slight movement at those speeds that does not give me security. balljoints are new. and all bartracks also all the components of the kit are new. some ideal that can be and solution?
Dead spot on steering wheel
- Thread starter iviscus
- Start date
When was the last time you had an alignment ?
How many degrees of caster are you running in the front steering ?
There is a rule of thumb for caster and inches of lift, but one of our more knowledgeable members can provide this caster amount.
How many degrees of caster are you running in the front steering ?
There is a rule of thumb for caster and inches of lift, but one of our more knowledgeable members can provide this caster amount.
Posting up the before/after print from the alignment shop would help.
Since you have a 4" lift there is a fine line between sufficient caster for the steering wheel to return to center (not drift on the highway) and the front driveshaft and pinion angles at the proper amount of degrees to preclude any driveshaft vibrations.
You stated you have the full RC kit; did this kit include upper and lower adjustable control arms that would allow you to dial in the proper caster and driveshaft to pinion angles ?
Last edited:
The alignment numbers will identify what caster the front has which will assist in troubleshooting his problems.
I guess I assumed if there weren’t driveline vibes then the castor/pinion angle weren’t that big of a deal for steering.
Load based steering is normally caused by loose or worn suspension parts on the rear. Nothing really changes in the front as you transition on and off power. The thrust angle might be changing. I'd at least give a once over to make sure nothing is loose back there. It can also cause the steering to stick like you are suggesting as the rear shifts a bit into different positions you have to adjust with the steering.
Mazepam
TJ Enthusiast
I'm gonna say i have have these same exact symptoms with a 3.5 inch lift and 33 tires and i literally have just learned to live with it, Everything under the jeep is new all 8 control arms both track bars, ball joints, zj tie rod upgrade, balances tires, all 4 ball joints and it still does this. It has been aligned and check 3 different times a 4x4 shops and everything seems fine numbers wise.
For me I just figure its tramlining due to the larger tires.
I'm certain there is a solution to it but for me I'm ok with how it is now because i love driving my jeep. So i will have to let other members on here chime in on this.
Mazepam
TJ Enthusiast
So for me I was able to make it slightly better by loosening all the bolts on pretty much everything everything letting the jeep settle, jump on the bumpers drive it back and forth so none of the bushings are binding and then torturing them.
Really at first it bothered me, but I'm around 6 months in now and i daily drive this about 50 miles a day and I'm so used to it that I hardly notice. Like I can 1 finger drive now going 70. It seems like i have adapted to it
Mazepam
TJ Enthusiast
Everything is adjustable and new and dialed in, caster is at 6-7 degrees although the return to center is perfect. Really I've realized it just doesn't track perfectly on uneven and curved roads.
My dad has been working on cars for 60 years he used to build chevys from the frame up and drag race them. His opinion Is that it's just what happens when you put larger tires on a car because of the road surfaces. He drove it and he said it just feels like it has larger tires so it tramlines. and also he has a 97 dodge ram, it drives the same cause the PO put larger tires on it.
It's also my first lifted TJ so really i just figure it's how lifted jeeps drive and now that I'm accustomed to it, it doesn't bother me anymore. I hardly even notice it anymore.
I have 33s on a 2.5” suspension/1.25” BOdy lift and it drives great, I guess I’m lucky. One of the reasons I’m weary of going higher
Mazepam
TJ Enthusiast
I have 33s on a 2.5” suspension/1.25” BOdy lift and it drives great, I guess I’m lucky. One of the reasons I’m weary of going higher
Yeah I mean in all honesty mine is probably fine too and if you drove it you would most likely think so. I think I just overthought it at first because this is the first car I've daily driven besides a 2018 Honda civic and a 2021 JL and a 2000 chevy cavalier for a few months. So really its the first "older 4x4" I've ever driven.
Really though when I first got this jeep and it was stock it drove like a race car haha rhe steering was super nice and tight.
The joy at get from driving it now though outweighs the really minor incovience of the handling though so I don't mind it.
But like I said before I'm sure there is a solution to it if like a Blane or Jerry lived next to me haha.
Last edited:
Similar threads
