Notices
Modified JK Tech Tech related bulletin board forum regarding subjects such as suspension, tires & wheels, steering, bumpers, skid plates, drive train, cages, on-board air and other useful modifications that will help improve the performance and protection of your Jeep JK Wrangler (Rubicon, Sahara, Unlimited and X) on the trail.

PLEASE DO NOT START SHOW & TELL TYPE THREADS IN THIS FORUM

Odd steering issue

Thread Tools
 
Old Oct 8, 2020 | 12:24 PM
  #1  
BLK HOLE's Avatar
Thread Starter
JK Enthusiast
 
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 100
Likes: 19
From: San Antonio
Default Odd steering issue

Funny little problem I’m having. I just installed a 4" lift with a flip kit, for reference.

My steering can turn slightly further right then it can left. Ordinarily it would be an easy check for the steering stabilizer…or the drag link adjustment…or even the Pitman arm location. In this case I’ve never removed the Pitman arm so it should be sprocketed correctly. Also when the tires are lined straight the Pitman arm sits exactly where all other Jeeps do...right under the frame, not yet going under it. I removed the steering stabilizer and took it out of the equation, with no change in the problem. Adjusting the drag link requires an adjustment to take the wheel 360° in either direction to keep it upright…which really messes up the steering turning radius even further then.

The only change I made to the steering was the lift and flip kit. The vehicle has been aligned and the axles have been centered. Yet the problem is still here/

Anyone deal with this?




Reply
Old Oct 8, 2020 | 01:41 PM
  #2  
resharp001's Avatar
JK Jedi
FJOTM Winner
10 Year Member
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 11,363
Likes: 2,089
From: Willow Park, TX
Default

Originally Posted by BLK HOLE
Adjusting the drag link requires an adjustment to take the wheel 360° in either direction to keep it upright…which really messes up the steering turning radius even further then.
What are you talking about? All you do is adjust the drag link at the turnbuckle to straighten the steering wheel back out. Did you straighten that back out post-lift?
Reply
Old Oct 8, 2020 | 01:46 PM
  #3  
BLK HOLE's Avatar
Thread Starter
JK Enthusiast
 
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 100
Likes: 19
From: San Antonio
Default

Originally Posted by resharp001
What are you talking about? All you do is adjust the drag link at the turnbuckle to straighten the steering wheel back out. Did you straighten that back out post-lift?
Steering wheel is straight...as I said it is aligned. Point I was making is any additional adjustment after that would require the steering wheel to go 360 degrees left or right since its all straight now. In other words the only way the drag link and steering wheel would be off if is it were 360 degrees off (1 full wheel rotation).

So it isn't a drag link issue that I'm aware of.
Reply
Old Oct 8, 2020 | 01:48 PM
  #4  
resharp001's Avatar
JK Jedi
FJOTM Winner
10 Year Member
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 11,363
Likes: 2,089
From: Willow Park, TX
Default

K, just confusing description I guess. You got the axle dead-nuts centered right? Being off just a little could really influence the optics. From a centered steering wheel, you have the same rotations in the steering wheel to full lock both directions?
Reply
Old Oct 8, 2020 | 01:53 PM
  #5  
BLK HOLE's Avatar
Thread Starter
JK Enthusiast
 
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 100
Likes: 19
From: San Antonio
Default

Originally Posted by resharp001
K, just confusing description I guess. You got the axle dead-nuts centered right? Being off just a little could really influence the optics. From a centered steering wheel, you have the same rotations in the steering wheel to full lock both directions?
Sorry, my wording prolly sucks.

Yes I get full 1.5 turns left and right.

Axles are centered within a 1/16th. All of which I had a 4x4 shop check when they did the alignment. So you can imagine my confusion.
Reply
Old Oct 8, 2020 | 05:47 PM
  #6  
Sv_dude's Avatar
Super Moderator
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 857
Likes: 123
From: Prescott, AZ
Default

Sounds like the only explanation is that you had this issue before your lift. Maybe installing your lift and getting an alignment made you more aware of potential issues allowing you to finally discover this.

i would look at your steering stops.
Reply
Old Oct 9, 2020 | 10:01 AM
  #7  
BLK HOLE's Avatar
Thread Starter
JK Enthusiast
 
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 100
Likes: 19
From: San Antonio
Default

Originally Posted by Sv_dude
Sounds like the only explanation is that you had this issue before your lift. Maybe installing your lift and getting an alignment made you more aware of potential issues allowing you to finally discover this.

i would look at your steering stops.
It was already lifted, I just added a newer and slightly taller one. See the thing is...it wasn't there before. I know this mainly because I have pulled left into the garage 100s of times the same way and suddenly couldn't make the turn.

Baffling to me.
Reply
Old Oct 9, 2020 | 11:03 AM
  #8  
Sv_dude's Avatar
Super Moderator
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 857
Likes: 123
From: Prescott, AZ
Default

Originally Posted by BLK HOLE
It was already lifted, I just added a newer and slightly taller one. See the thing is...it wasn't there before. I know this mainly because I have pulled left into the garage 100s of times the same way and suddenly couldn't make the turn.

Baffling to me.
Who knows... either way something is outta whack. You’re going to have to start checking things. I would check your steering stops, are they making contact at full left and right turn? If not then you need to make adjustments.
Reply
Old Oct 9, 2020 | 11:31 AM
  #9  
BLK HOLE's Avatar
Thread Starter
JK Enthusiast
 
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 100
Likes: 19
From: San Antonio
Default

Originally Posted by Sv_dude
Who knows... either way something is outta whack. You’re going to have to start checking things. I would check your steering stops, are they making contact at full left and right turn? If not then you need to make adjustments.
I don't even know where those are, lol. My plan now was to take the drag link off the pitman arm and see if I get more rotation out of it, currently just under 1.5 turns while my Gladiator gets just over 1.5 turns.
Reply
Old Oct 13, 2020 | 07:11 PM
  #10  
Sixty4x4's Avatar
Super Moderator
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 2,726
Likes: 509
From: Calgary, AB, Canada
Default

Is your bumper centered? IE have you been to a parking lot and measured the left and right turn circle diameters.
Reply



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 10:19 AM.