Help with steering identification & issues

[Submarine]

So I picked up another 2003 Rubicon to go with my 2004. I has some nice mods, lots of miles, but the OO had lifetime oil changes and they were pretty religious about it so for at least 150k it had regular oil changes. Anyway, I was looking at the steering and it's definitely aftermarket but it's not Currie and I'm wondering what steering this is. The steering link is way too much of an angle I'm thinking. It's very twitchy on the road and it feels like the steering box has had someone work on it as it turns the 35's way too easy for anything I'm used to. There's a rigged cooler too. I replaced the steering stabilizer, which was mounted a little funky, but it still is twitchy. Is this XJ steering? Suggestions & ideas please! It also had the wrong linkage for the Antirock, and I replaced it but it's still angled more than my other Jeep. The dirty one is my 2004 with Currie for reference.

 

[TheBoogieman]

That dropped pitman arm isn't helping anything either.

 

[Submarine]

That dropped pitman arm isn't helping anything either.

It's not, is it? I'm stumped.

 

[Duck Doctor]

It's not, is it? I'm stumped.

Yeah it’s a dropped pitman arm. Bet your handling materially improves if you install a stock pitman arm.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

It's not, is it? I'm stumped.

X2 that dropped Pitman arm is definitely causing bump steer. It screws up the geometry with the non-dropped driver's side track bar mount. Replace it with a factory type Pitman arm and your bump steer will go away. Also check your toe-in and caster angles. They can also cause significant steering issues.

 

[dla]

 

[Submarine]

I'm just going to junk that whole steering and order Currie.

 

[Submarine]

Junked that old steering and installed a Currectlync. Found that the steering stabilizer mount was a little tacoed as well as that passenger side Antirock linkage, so I heated and beat both back into submission. Currie recommends the drop pitman with +4" lift and I'm at 5.5" so kept that and seems to be much better, almost as solid at my 2004 Rubicon with 37's.

 

[Tob]

That dropped pitman arm isn't helping anything either.

Yeah it’s a dropped pitman arm. Bet your handling materially improves if you install a stock pitman arm.

Put your pitchforks down. Depends on if it lines the drag link up with the trackbar better or not after all that PO tomfoolery. If it does, it is helping, not hurting.

 

[alittleoff]

Lower sway bar links to the outboard position maybe...

 

[Rickyd]

Put your pitchforks down. Depends on if it lines the drag link up with the trackbar better or not after all that PO tomfoolery. If it does, it is helping, not hurting.

Not necessarily. The drop needs to match the track bar drop.they aren't quite equal stock. Guessing off that welded trackbar bracket the drop pitman is still too much.

O.P. what do the front coils measure with the weight of the jeep on it?

 

[Submarine]

Lower sway bar links to the outboard position maybe...

I was debating that, I might put them that way, doesn't seem like it could hurt anything. I don't plan on doing anything crazy in this Jeep like I do in my other Rubicon.

 

[Submarine]

Not necessarily. The drop needs to match the track bar drop.they aren't quite equal stock. Guessing off that welded trackbar bracket the drop pitman is still too much.

O.P. what do the front coils measure with the weight of the jeep on it?

roughly 18". It drives much better now.

 

[Rickyd]

roughly 18". It drives much better now.

12" spring(not including the rubber isolators) is stock. 6" lift is where you start getting into needing drop pitman arms and track bars. There aren't a lot of options but equal drop is what your aiming for on trackbar and pitman. A stock jeep would help you get a reference there

 

[Submarine]

12" spring(not including the rubber isolators) is stock. 6" lift is where you start getting into needing drop pitman arms and track bars. There aren't a lot of options but equal drop is what your aiming for on trackbar and pitman. A stock jeep would help you get a reference there

Yes, Currie says anything over 4.5" needs a drop pitman. My other Jeep also has a drop pitman.