Boostbyu06

Thanks for putting this together a lot of good information

Sbercaw

This is great info! Thanks for all who shared info. Some of this we have checked with mine, some I haven't. I'm excited to get after it.

cptnmurff

A friend was starting to have issues with his Jeep. This post helped him repair his Jeep before it grew into a major problem. THANKS GUYS...

chitown35

If @planman or anyone is still subscribed to this thread..how harsh should the post check/fix ride be, without the stabilizer? Should you hit some rough rr tracks at 50mph to try to induce wobble after you think it's fixed but before putting the stabilizer back on?

resharp001

I hit stuff (potholes, bumps, etc) intentionally all the time just to check, double check, or reassure there is no issue. I don't run a SS at all. If you're running a basic SS like the factory or Teraflex 9550 VSS, they're not going to mask a bad joint or loose bolt much, you'll still feel it. If you're running some gas charged SS, that would mask it a little more so you might test things out without the SS on. You really shouldn't have a gas charged unit there though....your SS should have about the same resistance both compressing and extending for that application.

Dannyboy100

I'm not sure if anyone is still checking this thread, I'm kind of bringing it back from the dead. But, I've been chasing down a suspension issue and using these steps to figure out my wandering issue. Also experiencing a slight vibration in the steering wheel. Thanks Planman for putting this together.

I ran through the checklist really fast today. I'm not home so didn't have any any tools to remove the steering stabilizer. but I noticed a couple of things. The drag link end at the pitman seems to be leaking grease? Is that right? Also on the axle side I see a bit of up and down movement. Would the movement be worse if I remove the steering stabilizer? Is it normal for there to be some movement? I also noticed a vibration on the drag link.....no vibrations at the track bar or tie rod.

I plan on running through the whole checklist when I get back home without the steering stabilizer attached, but is it safe to assume the drag link is part of the problem at this point?

Jrock911

You sir, are the GOAT. In the cool kid lingo, it means Greatest Of All Time. The very best video for a newbie figuring out front end problems on my gal. Many thanks!!

resharp001

Hey, I'm not sure anyone is really monitoring those thread these days, but there are several of us around to help. Your profile is a little sparse. Are your front steering component factory? I see your jeep is '13, so likely plenty of miles on it I presume. Your steering stabilizer should have no effect on diagnosing bad joints. If we're talking a factory drag link, I would say you should not be seeing any grease or anything up there by the pitman arm. That is not a servicable joint and the boot should keep it well sealed. Do you have a picture of that? On the axle side, if you're seeing a lot of up/down movement when turning the steering wheel back and forth it's not a great sign. There is a little spring in that joint under the ball and cap, so if you tested it with channel locks you'd likely see a little motion, but it shouldn't be too sloppy. Usually a bad DL joint will result in some bumpsteer (you hit a pothole or bump and the steering wheel will jerk). This is accentuated if your caster is low for lifted vehicles with no caster correction.

You mention trying to track down a wander. Is that your only symptom? Usually wander is associated with caster or people installing gas-charged steering stabilizers.

JFish'n

I recently had issues with the trackbar on the new to me 07 JKU.
It turned out to be loose trackbar bolts resulted in damage to the mounts on the axle and frame.

The guy I hired to fix it does this stuff on the side and was the first person I thought of when I saw how bad it was.

His solution to the issue was to tackle the root cause of what sounded like a design flaw.
He machined some inserts for the oval holes, milled them out to fit, and then proceeded to tig weld them in place.



End result,

JFish'n

Looks like he put together a youtube video covering the fix.