Loose steering / bump steer?

[Mickerification]

I have a 98 TJ that I just put the OME kit on - supposed to be a 2" lift but I think my shocks/springs were so worn that the end result was 3". I still have the stock tires on, have not replaced with larger tires - and I have the exact same issues as you do. Any bump or even dip/rise in the road seems to cause it to just feel like I'm on ice. ( this kit also came with the steering stabilizer )

As Jerry mentioned above, this clearly could be b/c of being " built/modified by someone who didn't know what they were doing " - but I did take my time and double/triple check everything I changed.

i was actually thinking of alignment, but when I let go of the steering wheel (as long as I don't go over anything) it _does_ stay straight, but that's probably not an accurate test.

p.s. I also added a .75 coil spacer to just the front

Yeah it's exactly that. If the road is just paved it's nice and straight. Any bump and it's like "hang on for the ride fellas".

I just messed with my toe in and out. And still nothing.

I did tighten my steering box like a quarter turn and that helped with slack.

I then noticed my track bar isn't adjustable and my axle is about an inch and half or so not centered. So I'm replacing front and back track bar with stronger adjustable ones.

Baby steps yanno.

 

[dimension12]

Yeah it's exactly that. If the road is just paved it's nice and straight. Any bump and it's like "hang on for the ride fellas".

I just messed with my toe in and out. And still nothing.

I did tighten my steering box like a quarter turn and that helped with slack.

I then noticed my track bar isn't adjustable and my axle is about an inch and half or so not centered. So I'm replacing front and back track bar with stronger adjustable ones.

Baby steps yanno.

Just a dumb question, but, did you adjust the toe with the wheels off the ground and use a tape measure?
Toe does not cause a pull. Camber and caster would cause a pull. The toe should be around 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch in.
Also with a 2” lift you could get away with trac bar relocation brackets for less $.

 

[Mickerification]

Just a dumb question, but, did you adjust the toe with the wheels off the ground and use a tape measure?
Toe does not cause a pull. Camber and caster would cause a pull. The toe should be around 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch in.
Also with a 2” lift you could get away with trac bar relocation brackets for less $.

I did the adjustment with the tires on ground and yes measured.
I found that for me personally having the toe as perfectly even as I could, helps with dancing.

The only reason I was thinking toe was maybe that I lose traction on a wheel and so the toe in or out makes me pull really hard, that probably makes no sense but it was my train of thought.

I already bought an adjustable Trac bar for the front first, from rough country, if the axle not being centered doesn't help I'll move to other suspension parts. But something is up in that department.

I checked everything over again making sure no ball joints were bad and stuff. And it's all solid. So something is wrong else where

 

[AndyG]

Basically , you are describing oversteer .

Generally , the older the TJ , the worse the lift geometry - why? The first lifted TJ's were new territory due to the new coil spring design .

The reality is it is rarely one single thing (though it can be ) that makes a Jeep handle poorly ...it most often is 5-6 things out of say 30 or so that are contributing in varying degrees.

Start with -

Alignment
Tire pressure
Front end component condition (tie rod ends, etc )
Unit bearings (front hubs)


I know I will sound like a broke record , but never , ever rule out control arm bushings ...they aren't obvious , but can have a huge affect on handling . huge.

There are a lot of connections under a jeep , and a Jeep is short ...so it will move dramatically if things are a loose or mis aligned .

A Jeep TJ , lifted , can drive fantastic . I'm talking safe , predictable and enjoyable. If it's right.

 

[Akitadog]

Here is a print out from my last alignment. I have a 4" lift so they try to keep the caster near stock. Some other numbers like rear alignment which I don't think really applies to solid axles rears?

 

[Mickerification]

Here is a print out from my last alignment. I have a 4" lift so they try to keep the caster near stock. Some other numbers like rear alignment which I don't think really applies to solid axles rears?View attachment 66420

View attachment 66420

Yeah I'm not ruling anything in particular out I figure it's a mixture of a couple things even if I end up replacing every suspension part it'll work out cause I'll have brand new, and adjustable.

How about camber though. Is there a way to adjust camber on these, cause I don't see a way. Or do I need like adjustable ball joints of some sort?

 

[AndyG]

My Jeep had bump steer after the 4" lift and we added adjustable track bars front and rear. It is super stable.

 

[Richard Brust]

Just for me (again, was fine before OME 2" lift) - did an alignment yesterday and it's back to normal/pre-lift. Re-reading the thread it seem you might have a bit more going on - I guess I got lucky :beer-toast1:

 

[billiebob]

Lifting changes the geometry and the bigger the tire the more sensitive the result. What might pass on a stock tire/suspension will end up being "undriveable" with bigger tires.

All the above comments are relative but 33s, 35s, 37s make them even more important.

 

[Akitadog]

Yeah I'm not ruling anything in particular out I figure it's a mixture of a couple things even if I end up replacing every suspension part it'll work out cause I'll have brand new, and adjustable.

How about camber though. Is there a way to adjust camber on these, cause I don't see a way. Or do I need like adjustable ball joints of some sort?

Camber can be adjusted with a special offset ball joint. I elected not to go that route, because I don't know how this type of ball joint would hold up with larger than stock tires.