MJS_Jeep_888

So, I went wheeling with a group of great guys from this site yesterday, and had a blast - lost a tire to a rock, but oh well. That's all the backstory.

Here's the problem:
Driving HOME from work today, I notice that I can't steer full right... meaning, the steering wheel won't turn any further right, but the front wheels are aimed maybe only 10 degrees off-center to the right... clearly not as far as they should turn. If I back-up and retry, it's hit or miss - sometimes I can steer hard right but more often I can't... and it's worse at low speeds than at higher speeds...

I don't have this problem turning left, and I didn't have this problem on the trail yesterday, on the ride home from it, or on the drive into work this morning.

My question: What the hell is wrong with my Jeep, and what do I need to do to correct it? Please go easy here - I'm not a seasoned mechanic by any stretch.

My specs: 3" Full Traction Ultimate lift kit, on a 2-door Sahara, no visible breakage or bendage that my untrained eye could see... just an inability to turn hard right at low speeds.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance for any experts who chime in and can help. If there are any crucial pieces of info that I left out, just ask. Again, thanks for your help!

greenmachine07

steering may have worked its way to the right. try i front end alighnment. its usually the easy simple stuff that goes wrong. also check the pitman arm for any signs of damage

wayoflife

are you still running a factory steering stabilizer or aftermarket one in the factory location? if so, check to make sure that it isn't making contact with the track bar mount. this is a common problem where the lip of the stabilizer catches the mount and prevents turning to the right. if this checks out, give your steering box sector shaft a look. being that you had a blown a tire, could be that you spun the splines a bit. but, if i were a betting man, i'd say it's your steering stabilizer.

TexsDream77

Is your steering wheel still stright when driving down the road? Does the Jeep pull to either side?

You know where your tie rods bolt up to the spindal. Look on the back side in about the same genral location. There is a bolt sticking out of the spindle This limits your steering travel. See if one side looks different then the other.

have someone turn your wheel for you while you look under the truck.

I know your far away from me... but, I'd tell you to stop by and I'd look at it for you.

Last question is when turning the wheel, do you hear any funny noises? Check power steering fluid?

TexsDream77

yeah he blew a right rear tire... Steering stabilizer sounds like a good possibility.

MJS_Jeep_888

I feel pretty stupid saying this, but I don't know if I'm running an aftermarket one... if it came in the FT 3" Ultimate, it's installed. I'm going to have to wait until one of my mechanically-knowledgable friends is available to take a look at that.

When I'm driving straight down the road, the wheel is centered, and doesn't pull funny or anything... bumps don't jerk the wheel, either. When I turn right, I don't hear any funny noises, either. Just checked the steering fluid, too, and it's fine.

Anyone know of any good diagrams of a Jeep w/ FT 3" Ultimate installed, with components labeled?

TexsDream77

Look at the stabilizer. It looks like a shock but mounted horizontal to the ground directly in front of your front axle on the passangers side.

wayoflife

okay, if you don't know, you still have the factory steering stabilizer. more than likely, you have either bent your tie-rod up a bit or hit the stabilizer and/or mount just enough so that the can part of the stabilizer is hitting the track bar mount on your axle. as i said, this is pretty common and based on what i'm hearing from you, most likely the problem you have. for now, you can loosen the u-bolts securing the stabilizer mount on the tie-rod with a 13mm wrench and then rotate the whole thing down just enough so that it clears the track bar mount. this should get you going again

TexsDream77

i have no idea how you might have bent something. Not like you are an aggresive driver or anything.

That was an interesting display of lack of traction on slick, sharp, wet, icy rocks and a whole lot of skinny pedal.

You will incur more damage when you get your bigger tires with that right foot of yours. At our next meet we need to plan some time before wheeling to teach you guys some basic mechanics of your Jeeps. The good news is you should be able to learn to use your more aggressive tread and a little finess and a bit less pedal.

P.S. : Don't forget the shinny lever on the right with the big "FREE SPOOL" next to it.

and calling after 5 is fine. I'll try to walk you through it over the phone.

MJS_Jeep_888

Update:

BIG thanks to TexsDream77 for his help over the phone, and to WOL for his sight-unseen diagnosis. By all indications, the problem is that my stock steering stablizer is now out of position, and is contacting the track bar mount, which is preventing the "shock" (stablizer) from fully compressing, hence I can't turn full right.

Unfortunately for me, I can't find the right tools for the job, but the wife's been given her marching orders and is going to bring home a new metric socket set, so I should be good to go by the end of the night. Again, a very BIG thank you for the quick help - it's much appreciated!