Steering / Tracking Issue

[mikehkk]

Hello,

I have a '99 TJ with 457,000 miles on it now. Last year I started experiencing a relatively dangerous steering and/or tracking problem. Sometimes when on the freeway - those kinds of speeds anyway - my car will hit a bump in the pavement in a certain way... As the car comes down from the slight lift involved, it seems something has "shifted" the car slightly: all of a sudden the car is swerving on the road and I have to very quickly correct to avoid rushing into the next lane.

Over this last year, I have basically replaced every steering and suspension component on the car: steering box, tie rods, drag link, ball joints, control arms + bushings, coil springs, shocks, etc. Even a new track bar with the Clayton Death Wobble Fix kit installed (axle connection drilled-out to larger 9/16" bolt and bushing). The problem still persists.

The REAR trackbar & anti-swaybar (and bushings) are still ALL ORIGINAL. Could the rear axle area be where this "shift" is occurring?**

Thanks for your thoughts & advice.

Mike

(**The rear coil springs & shocks are all new though)

 

[Goatman]

Do you have a stock pitman arm? Stock locations for the trackbars? How is your toe setting? Be sure it's around 1/16 to 1/8 inch in.jack up the front and check the wheel bearings. Double check all your steering linkage is tight. Do a 'dry test' on your steering to check.
What is your tire pressure? Have you rotated the tires to reduce this? Are they balanced well?

 

[Steel City 06]

Post some pictures of the steering and trackbar setup. Include the pitman arm, the axle side connections, and the steering box and frame side trackbar mount. Also a couple pictures of the rear trackbar.

Have you checked or replaced the steering shafts?

 

[mikehkk]

Everything has been replaced in the FRONT at this point, including new bearings. Tires are just two weeks old, at 33 psi. My car has always been a daily driver, and maintained all-OEM stock. Pitman arm is new too, Mopar OEM stock. I think what I'll do is finish-up installing all new parts in REAR and see if that has any impact. But am beginning to suspect it's just (continuing) BUMP STEER in the front. I did all that work myself. And the bump steering seems to have started particularly after I installed a new steering box, ties rods and drag link. I may have done something wrong. Is it possible the (new) steering box isn't adjusted correctly? Right, and that's still a possibility: some issue with the alignment, possibly TOE. Could uneven/excessive CAMBER be a cause of the problem? The last few years I've had a local Firestone do the tires and alignment, so another possibility might be something they're neglecting. Thanks for your input guys!

 

[Steel City 06]

They can wear out over time, especially the u-joints. Check for any play in the shaft, and also the carrier bearing in the middle of the lower shaft.

They’re also not cheap.

 

[mikehkk]

Will do, thanks.

 

[mikehkk]

The steering shafts are still original. Is that a possibility?

 

[Chris]

Post some pictures of the steering and trackbar setup.

X2 to this. It never hurts to post some photos, as sometimes someone else can spot something you might not.