I’ll start with this is probably my first post on the internet but at complete loss. Jeep is 1999 tj new uppper and lower control arms rc front and rear. New Currie 4” springs front and rear. New Currie correctlync. new track bars jks front and rear. New used Currie anti rock front sway. 8.8 swap rear Dana 30 front with aussie lunch box. Mud terrain 35s. Jeep started with same 35s stock track bars and ridged lower control arms. Front end started almost 2” towards drivers side with rear also offset drives worse now. I’ve squared jeep front to rear within 1/8 depending where measured from. I’ve set caster as high as 8 degrees down to 0. I’ve tried toe front 0 to a 1/4. Drive shaft angles are within few degrees front and back depending on how I have front caster setup. I can setup anti rock tight loose doesn’t matter still drives down the road terrible. Tried different tire pressures from 20 psi what I ran before up too 35psi. Swapped tires every way possible. What am I missing read every forum I can find. Talked to every jeep guy I know and besides bring it to alignment shop I get no help. Any other opinion is worth a shot to me at this point. Thanks
Unsolvable TJ darting steering issue
- Thread starter Djd9532
- Start date
I’m not sure I know what you mean? Assuming you mean axles centered under the jeep, off tires to frame and off rotors with axles level using a level off the rotors to frame front and rear axles are centered under jeep within 3/16 which seems to be a full turn of track bars.
Start with the simple things first...
Verify all the steering tie rod ends are torqued to 55 ft/lbs.
Ensure the trac bar bolts are torqued to JKS recommendations and the body is centered on the front and rear drive assemblies.
Check the steering joint between the steering column shaft and the steering box for wear and tight on the shafts.
Have the alignment checked and with 4" of lift; the caster should be enough to allow the steering wheel to return to center after making a turn and driveshaft U join angle should not cause front driveshaft vibrations.
Verify all the steering tie rod ends are torqued to 55 ft/lbs.
Ensure the trac bar bolts are torqued to JKS recommendations and the body is centered on the front and rear drive assemblies.
Check the steering joint between the steering column shaft and the steering box for wear and tight on the shafts.
Have the alignment checked and with 4" of lift; the caster should be enough to allow the steering wheel to return to center after making a turn and driveshaft U join angle should not cause front driveshaft vibrations.
I did torque everything when installing. Most parts of correctlync are over torqued enough to get cotter pins in wouldn’t think this would cause an issue? So steering shaft to box I do have some play. This play was there before all recent upgrades. Could this new setup be causing that play to show itself more?
the wheels if they are too far apart because of the wrong back spacing will follow any low spots in the road causing wander...
Set your toe in to 3/16". Tighten up the jam nuts on the A/R rod ends. That Powerstop slotted and drilled shit isn't doing you any favors. Get a stock pitman arm back on there. When that is done, have someone help you with the power steering test. Rapidly turn the steering wheel back and forth a few inches until it bumps against resistance at each side. You get under there and make sure there is nothing loose. Check the rotation of the input shaft on the steering gear to make sure it has no slop relative to the output at the sector shaft. Report back.
There is your answer. Also, the problem is not unsolvable. May be by you or your shop, but not by this guy.
This is how I measure and adjust toe:
- Jack up front axle and place on stands
- screw in a short wood-screw (3/8” long max) directly into a tire sipe of each tire around the centre point of the tread
- with the screws facing forward measure the distance between the two screws
- rotate the tires until the screws are at the back just below the lower control arms and measure again.
- adjust the tie-rod length until the front measurement is 3/16 shorter than the back measurement.
- remove the screws and jack-stands and you’re finished
Easy-peasy.
The way I check the toe in after steering repairs is slightly more involved, but easily doable by most forum members.
-Jack up the front axle and place on jack stands
-Clamp a 3' piece of 1/2" aluminum square stock across the outer edge (manufacturers printed info) of each front tire
-Measure the distances between the front and rear inner edges of the two pieces of aluminum square stock
-Loosen the tie rod assembly adjuster clamp bolts and rotate the clamp CW or CCW depending upon whether you need to increase or decrease the distances to achieve the 3/16" less in the front measurement
-Tighten the tie rod assembly adjuster clamp bolts to 45 lbs/ft (IIRC)
-Unclamp the square stock and remove the jack stands
-Jack up the front axle and place on jack stands
-Clamp a 3' piece of 1/2" aluminum square stock across the outer edge (manufacturers printed info) of each front tire
-Measure the distances between the front and rear inner edges of the two pieces of aluminum square stock
-Loosen the tie rod assembly adjuster clamp bolts and rotate the clamp CW or CCW depending upon whether you need to increase or decrease the distances to achieve the 3/16" less in the front measurement
-Tighten the tie rod assembly adjuster clamp bolts to 45 lbs/ft (IIRC)
-Unclamp the square stock and remove the jack stands
So measuring toe I do the same. Make sure it’s level but ever since new springs are in the jeep sits nose down some so I have been setting frame at same degree as it is when sitting on tires on the ground. Also I’ve found throwing couple lug nuts back on rotors seems to help keep things more true. Also I center my straight edges and measure out 17 inches front and back to maybe get a little closer
Somewhere around 50” or so apart depending on what I use for straight edges.
So I’ve had toe at 3/16 apart at diff caster degrees. If you run 3/16 of tie what seems to work on caster. I’ll look more into the steering box stuff tonight. It is stock pitman arm? Power stop kits seem hard to beat for price have you guys had problems with them? Thanks
Somewhere around 50” or so apart depending on what I use for straight edges.
So I’ve had toe at 3/16 apart at diff caster degrees. If you run 3/16 of tie what seems to work on caster. I’ll look more into the steering box stuff tonight. It is stock pitman arm? Power stop kits seem hard to beat for price have you guys had problems with them? Thanks
That's all fine except the level the frame part, stop doing that. Makes no difference.
Most you can get before the pinion starts vibrating. Between 7 and 8 degrees of caster if you can get it.
Doesn't look like it from here.
Go see if you can lock up the fronts.
That's the super special powerstop anti-lock brake package. They charge extra for that!
I once knew a Jeep shop that would put an adjustable prop valve on the front brake circuit to stop the fronts from locking up. Not only that but they were very proud of their special solution that no one else had figured out.
Oh my...that is...something. My mom taught me that if I didn't have anything nice to say, not to say anything at all.
I was asked by Van to go to the shop to help them with an install issue with a big brake kit. After going through all the common errors and solutions during which I told them that a good way to test was to see if they could lock up the fronts. Then they dropped that little nugget of info on me. I didn't even slow down, I just nodded, said I had to go and walked out. Called Van and told him two things, don't ever ask me to go back to that place and stop selling them stuff right now.
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