TJ riding rough: could it be my steering column shaft bushing?

1Blacktj

1Blacktj

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
May 29, 2018
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225
Location
Blowing Rock, NC, USA
So recently, my Jeep has been riding really rough. I have had other people in the car say that it feels fine so my thoughts is something is a little off in the steering shaft. I read that you can replace the steering shaft bushing and that helps but I am wondering what else could be going wrong. Any help is appreciated! I am leaving t=for a 5 hour drive next week and just checking over a few things!
 
Probably a slightly out of balance issue in the front wheels. Enough to send some vibration to the steering wheel but not enough to set off your passengers’ butt gauges.
 
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mde8965 said:
Probably a slightly out of balance issue in the front wheels. Enough to send some vibration to the steering wheel but not enough to set off your passengers’ butt gauges.
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I am going to have my Jeep aligned and balanced next week before I go so hopefully that fixes the issue.
 
mde8965 said:
Probably a slightly out of balance issue in the front wheels. Enough to send some vibration to the steering wheel but not enough to set off your passengers’ butt gauges.
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I would just like to clarify.. that in the Jeep world, "butt gauge" is a technical term, and is also a tool used for jeep diagnosis. :)
 
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1Blacktj said:
So recently, my Jeep has been riding really rough. I have had other people in the car say that it feels fine so my thoughts is something is a little off in the steering shaft. I read that you can replace the steering shaft bushing and that helps but I am wondering what else could be going wrong. Any help is appreciated! I am leaving t=for a 5 hour drive next week and just checking over a few things!
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Can you give more description of what you mean by "really rough"? Since you're the driver you are most in tune with how your Jeep normally drives, so passengers aren't going to be a good indicator. Is it something you only feel in the steering wheel itself? Is it something you feel in your shifter? Is it a vibration? Is it a bumpy ride? What are you experiencing that you weren't experiencing before? Have you made any changes to the Jeep recently? Then we can give some good ideas.
 
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JMT said:
Can you give more description of what you mean by "really rough"? Since you're the driver you are most in tune with how your Jeep normally drives, so passengers aren't going to be a good indicator. Is it something you only feel in the steering wheel itself? Is it something you feel in your shifter? Is it a vibration? Is it a bumpy ride? What are you experiencing that you weren't experiencing before? Have you made any changes to the Jeep recently? Then we can give some good ideas.
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Well I can feel it in my steering wheel and in the floorboard. I just feel every little bump and crack in the road. If I hold the steering wheel firmly it makes it feel a world better.
 
My first inclination is to say shocks. I'd check them first, make sure you haven't lost a seal and one's leaking. What shocks are you running? Shocks are the number one thing that makes a Jeep ride horrible.
 
JMT said:
My first inclination is to say shocks. I'd check them first, make sure you haven't lost a seal and one's leaking. What shocks are you running? Shocks are the number one thing that makes a Jeep ride horrible.
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Sadly I am still running the shocks that came with my RC lift. I am holding out as long as I can before I order the RS5000 shocks.
 
When you do, make sure you get the RS5000X shock, not the RS5000. You may know that, but the RS5000 are terrible, it's the X on the end makes all the difference. I'd imagine that's why your Jeep rides crappy.

On the steering issue, does the steering wheel feel loose? There is often a dead spot in the middle as you steer, so that kind of thing is normal.
 
JMT said:
When you do, make sure you get the RS5000X shock, not the RS5000. You may know that, but the RS5000 are terrible, it's the X on the end makes all the difference. I'd imagine that's why your Jeep rides crappy.

On the steering issue, does the steering wheel feel loose? There is often a dead spot in the middle as you steer, so that kind of thing is normal.
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Yea the dead spot came up when I put my lift on but this is totally different.
 
When you say you feel every little bump and crack in the road I immediately think shocks.

I see you're running 33's, what's your tire pressure at? Lower it to 26psi if it's not there already, and go take a spin.
 
JMT said:
When you say you feel every little bump and crack in the road I immediately think shocks.

I see you're running 33's, what's your tire pressure at?
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I did just break down and order the RS5000X and around 26 when they are cold. Now just gotta pray they'll hopefully be in before next Tuesday so i can install them! When I get back, I am going to have to paint them though!
 
1Blacktj said:
I did just break down and order the RS5000X and around 26 when they are cold. Now just gotta pray they'll hopefully be in before next Tuesday so i can install them! When I get back, I am going to have to paint them though!
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I know, I painted mine. That white is just horrid, and the factory paint job was crap. Made my own stickers with some 5ml automotive tape.
IMG_8760.JPG
 
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If you're feeling it in the floor board as well as the steering wheel it might be a good idea to check all of your ujoints. A ujoint going south could cause a drive line vibe. If it gets bad enough, you'll feel it in your seat at higher speeds.
 
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bobthetj03 said:
If you're feeling it in the floor board as well as the steering wheel it might be a good idea to check all of your ujoints. A ujoint going south could cause a drive line vibe. If it gets bad enough, you'll feel it in your seat at higher speeds.
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I dont believe it is that because the faster I go, it almost doesnt do it as bad as when im going around 25-40
 
Ok so amazon says it should come in on Wednesday but I need some help deciding to install them or not. I leave Thursday and I would have time to put them in but i'm not sure I want to put them in with that white and when I get back, Ill have to take them back off and clean them. Is it really that much of a difference between RC shocks that it would be worth it to have to do that?
 
1Blacktj said:
Now im just hoping it gets here in time! I have bar pin eliminator kits to install too.
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Careful with the bar pin eliminators. They will very likely require additional bump stop extension to prevent over compression of the shock. This will result in s loss of travel. Is there a reason you need them?
 
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