I had a 3.5inch RC lift installed last weekend by my boyfriend. He has done about 4 lifts on different jeeps and is very educated, but does not know what's going on with my JK.
After putting the lift on, about 5 miles down the road the traction control light blinked when turning a corner but then went off. The next day I was driving to work and the traction control light lit up and stayed present for about 4 days until I went and had an alignment done ( my wheel was very off). At the alignment shop they said that they completed the alignment and when they went for a test drive something slid or got knocked out of place ( I am not very educated in jeeps, I am trying to explain it as best as I can) and the wheel went back to being crooked. They tried it 3 more times and it happened every time. Has this happened to anyone? Shops not being able to do alignments?
The traction light did go off once they cenetered the wheel which leads me to believe it was from the wheel not being straight. I got the alignment two days ago and now the traction light flashes when I turn sharp corners at a medium speed.It has also happened to me when I am turning slightly on a windy highway. I've read many forms but nothing matches completely to my situation. When the traction light blinks it feels like the jeep locks up in a way, but the speed stays the same. Can this happen from the wheel not being 100% straight? I have read about sensors being damaged or loose but I believe the problems are coming from my wheel not being straight. Does anyone have any advice on making the wheel straight and keeping it straight? I am a college student who's trying to avoid shops because of how much money they charge, but will go if it gets too complicated. I've read about the castor needing adjusting by the axel. I bought a new drag link when we put the lift on. I have also read how the springs sometimes need to settle in and will cause issues with the castor? Please help! Thank you.

The Current Measurements from the alignment shop
(The caster did not change with the before and after)
Left Front
Camber -0.6
Caster 5.3
Toe 0.07

Right Front
Camber -0.5
Caster 5.6
Toe 0.03

Front
Total Toe 0.10
Steer Ahead 0.02

Left Rear
Camber -0.3
Toe 0.03

Right Rear
Camber -0.4
Toe 0.19

Rear
Total Toe 0.22
Thrust Angle -0.08

 

Absolutely. That system can get very touchy with taller lifts. And the fact that RC goes utterly cheap with a drop pitman (rather than the more expensive draglink flip approach) doesn't help matters. You will find many reports on this forum from people what that specific lift who removed the drop pitman and went to a flip instead.

Bad sensors have been the cause of problems with the traction control, but not the steering wheel offsetting itself. As a first suggestion, check the bolt on the drop pitman. Is it torqued to spec? Or is the pitman loose or wiggling or anything? The fact that the steering wheel has shifted several times seems to point in this direction.

Stock caster is around 4.2*. As you lift higher, that number goes down into the 3* range. After adding the correction that came with the lift (arms/brackets/cams), you are now at 5.3/5.6. Maybe a bit higher than some folks would choose, but this makes the steering feel firmer or more planted, not flighty like it would be with low caster. If your coils sag, the lift height will drop a bit and those caster numbers will go back down some small amount --> and yes, the steering wheel may shift slightly with any future loss of height. But take care of the current traction control issue before thinking about messing with this possible future issue.

On the subject of the steering wheel being straight, check out some reviews on the AEV ProCal module. One of the functions on this little device is a method for you (or the alignment shop) to verify when the computer says the steering wheel is straight, not just when it 'looks' straight to the eye. Sounds like you are on a budget, but may be something to consider if you don't have any luck with other approaches.

 

Thank you so much for your reply! Yes, the pitman arm had to be torqued. No more issues, thank you!

 

I wish my fix was so easy. Nothing has solved my issue after multiple alignments, all new steering components and dealer reprogramming. I'm beginning to think I have to live with it forever.

 

What's your issue? Have you started a thread for it?

 

My issue sounds the same as her's. Traction control comes on when taking corners maybe a tiny bit too fast. But around here there are a lot of switchbacks so it gets pretty intrusive.

Not sure I have a thread on this forum. I had one on another forum a few months back. Didn't get any answers that helped. Everyone said my steering wheel needed to be centered. That's been done numerous times by me, a specially 4x4 shop and the Jeep dealer. No one could figure out the cause. A scan by the dealer said that none of the wheel speed sensors were bad. The front two are new with new bearings. I did do a system scan with JSCAN app the other day and got a U0125 and U0415 codes that make me think I might have bigger issues. I'm still researching it but would appreciate any help.

 

Probably better if you start your own thread, be sure to fill in as much info as you can. From you profile, you are bone stock, no lift, no nothing? Or you have that same RC 3.5" lift?

 

I'll start another thread but I have a 3.5" lift, 35s, Steer Smarts track bar, top mount drag link, tie rod, Terra Flex rear track bar, Core adjustable control arms. I'm not sure who the lift is from. It was on the Jeep when I got it.

 

I have not seen those codes before, but that U0415 code would concern me as the culprit as that appears to be the ABS module. This is starting to look like some communication error between the CANbus and ABS system. Let's get a new thread going and be sure to include those codes. This sure isn't an area I have much experience in, and I don't want to pull the one person that might be able to help into this thread and complicate things even more.

did ronjenx get involved in your thread elsewhere?

 

Your drag link is flipped? I see no mention of a raised track bar bracket up front, can you post a picture of the front end of your Jeep?