Tight steering after lift install

[hamrickac]

Just installed the zone 4.25 lift, zj tie rod, new drag link, steering stabilizer and jks track bar. The Jeep drives amazing and everything is good except the steering went from being a perfect weight to stiff (not unmanageable or ever truly bad but enough to irk me) does anyone know what would cause this? Maybe the steering linkage in a bind from the 1.25 body lift?

 

[dbbd1]

You probably need this-

https://www.quadratec.com/products/12590_042X_PG.htm

 

[twistedlv]

That kit comes with a bracket to raise the steering shaft. Try removing the stabilizer and see if that helps.

 

[Boinked]

Did you check your alignment after the lift? Might just be a issue with a bit much toe

 

[hamrickac]

Alignment is perfect but I never noticed a bracket to raise the steering shaft. Honestly I like the feel of the steering now after driving 4 hours today. I may not fix it

 

[Goatman]

If it got stiff then I would first find out why. Determine whether it is an unsafe condition. Then decide if you want to let it be. But find out what has caused it.

 

[Hound Dog]

If it got stiff then I would first find out why. Determine whether it is an unsafe condition. Then decide if you want to let it be. But find out what has caused it.

Too many little blue pills are supposed to cause an unsafe condition. Seek medical attention immediately. Regardless of what the wife or girlfriend says!

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Perhaps the stiffer steering is caused by the new stiffer steering stabilizer.

 

[jjvw]

You probably need this-

https://www.quadratec.com/products/12590_042X_PG.htm

Unlikely. You would never know mine has one now or didn't have one before.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Unlikely. You would never know mine has one now or didn't have one before.

Agreed. I don't believe they're necessarily for a 1-1.25" body lift. For a 2-3" BL? Yep.

 

[jjvw]

Agreed. I don't believe they're necessarily for a 1-1.25" body lift.

Somewhere I read that they are intended for the 3". Though they can't hurt for the shorter lifts, you just won't have any meaningful appreciation of it. I'm just happy I found mine to satisfy my curiosity on a good sale.

 

[Boinked]

Somewhere I read that they are intended for the 3". Though they can't hurt for the shorter lifts, you just won't have any meaningful appreciation of it. I'm just happy I found mine to satisfy my curiosity on a good sale.

I bought mine for the same reason. Just curious if it would make a difference.

It was the only change I made. I don't think I can say it made that much of a difference.

But looking at a angles before and after. I am confident that it will improve the wear and tear on the U joint in the shaft itself. But i have no empirical evidence of that.

 

[hamrickac]

I bought mine for the same reason. Just curious if it would make a difference.

It was the only change I made. I don't think I can say it made that much of a difference.

But looking at a angles before and after. I am confident that it will improve the wear and tear on the U joint in the shaft itself. But i have no empirical evidence of that.

I would think with the small amount of force and speed that these ujoints see the only thing that would hurt them is debris getting in

 

[jjvw]

I

would think with the small amount of force or speed that anything would hurt the ujoints other than debris

Just like a drive shaft, the lower the operating angles the longer the lifespan. In this case and to make up something, the riser could add another year of life to the steering shaft u joint. How long do these things normally last?

 

[Goatman]

About as long as the jeep does. With hydraulic power added after the joint there is negligible wear placed on them. That isn't to say that none have ever worn out, just that it is unlikely. Now a rag joint is a different ball of wax. Much weaker. Yet they can last decades and decades too.

 

[slundsk]

Agreed. I don't believe they're necessarily for a 1-1.25" body lift. For a 2-3" BL? Yep.

I’ve got a 1.25” BL and am curious if this will allow me to refit the rubber boot for the steering as it passes through firewall. Right now my steering is off center in that hole so I can’t get the grommet back in place. Anyone else have this problem?

 

[TheBoogieman]

I’ve got a 1.25” BL and am curious if this will allow me to refit the rubber boot for the steering as it passes through firewall. Right now my steering is off center in that hole so I can’t get the grommet back in place. Anyone else have this problem?

You could start a new thread since this one is from 2019.