Steering Issue or Bump Steer

WJCO

Meme King
Although most of you are JK owners, I'm hoping you can help out with a steering issue on my WJ. It has a very similar steering design to a JK. Ever since I installed my Zone 4 inch lift, when I hit a bump with only one front wheel (either one), the steering wheel jerks a little. It's controllable, but I feel it could be better. Prior to the lift it didn't do this. If I go in a dip with both front wheels, no issues. I just put on new upper control arms and axle bushings with no change (they were worn out though). Everything in the front is either new or tight. The lift came with fixed lower arms that are longer than OEM. My caster sits at 4.5 with the new upper arms and bushings. My drag link and track bar are damn near perfect in parallel relation. Tires are new and balanced. Axle is centered under vehicle with with the adjustable track bar. Nothing has any play in it. Any thoughts?
 

A.J.

Active Member
Although most of you are JK owners, I'm hoping you can help out with a steering issue on my WJ. It has a very similar steering design to a JK. Ever since I installed my Zone 4 inch lift, when I hit a bump with only one front wheel (either one), the steering wheel jerks a little. It's controllable, but I feel it could be better. Prior to the lift it didn't do this. If I go in a dip with both front wheels, no issues. I just put on new upper control arms and axle bushings with no change (they were worn out though). Everything in the front is either new or tight. The lift came with fixed lower arms that are longer than OEM. My caster sits at 4.5 with the new upper arms and bushings. My drag link and track bar are damn near perfect in parallel relation. Tires are new and balanced. Axle is centered under vehicle with with the adjustable track bar. Nothing has any play in it. Any thoughts?

Your description sounds like track bar vs drag link, but you said they are parallel to each other. I am assuming you have already checked tie rods etc. when you say everything is tight how did you check? By hand or did you do dry park check with a friend sawing steering wheel back and forth while you look? That is how I usually find track bar issues. It doesn't take much.
 

WJCO

Meme King
Your description sounds like track bar vs drag link, but you said they are parallel to each other. I am assuming you have already checked tie rods etc. when you say everything is tight how did you check? By hand or did you do dry park check with a friend sawing steering wheel back and forth while you look? That is how I usually find track bar issues. It doesn't take much.

I'll post some pics later. But they are within .125 of each other. I have checked numerous times by having someone steer. That's how I found a seized track bar bolt causing death wobble, lol.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Did you end up installing a dropped pitman arm with your lift? Can you post up a pic of your steering components head on?
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
No pitman arm. Kit is pretty complete without it. I'll post some pics in a little bit.

Okay, sounds like you're steering geometry is sitting at too steep of an angle. Don't know what's available for a WJ but you may need some kind of track bar relocation and dropped pitman arm or drag link flip to get both sitting more parallel with your axle.
 

WJCO

Meme King
Okay, sounds like you're steering geometry is sitting at too steep of an angle. Don't know what's available for a WJ but you may need some kind of track bar relocation and dropped pitman arm or drag link flip to get both sitting more parallel with your axle.

Thanks for taking a look. Here's some pics.

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A.J.

Active Member
Track bar vs drag link. In your pics it looks like track bar needs to be raised at axle.
Hard to tell through the tape but their might be room to drill a hole in the stock bracket further up. Best to find an aftermarket one though.
 
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wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Track bar vs drag link. In your pics it looks like track bar needs to be raised at axle.

You can't raise it at the axle as it's mounted from underneath. It has to be dropped at the frame but I agree, they don't look quite as parallel as they could be and this could be causing some of what's being felt. Also, the angle of both the drag link and the track bar could benefit from a correction so that both are sitting more level to the axle as well.
 

WJCO

Meme King
Track bar vs drag link. In your pics it looks like track bar needs to be raised at axle.
Hard to tell through the tape but their might be room to drill a hole in the stock bracket further up. Best to find an aftermarket one though.

You can't raise it at the axle as it's mounted from underneath. It has to be dropped at the frame but I agree, they don't look quite as parallel as they could be and this could be causing some of what's being felt. Also, the angle of both the drag link and the track bar could benefit from a correction so that both are sitting more level to the axle as well.

Yeah, I'm seeing that in the pics too. I swear when I measured it, they were closer, but looking at the string, it looks like TB needs to come up at the bottom. So if I do a drop pitman arm and track bar up above on the frame, they have to be lowered the same correct? They can't be different up top no matter what, right?
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Yeah, I'm seeing that in the pics too. I swear when I measured it, they were closer, but looking at the string, it looks like TB needs to come up at the bottom. So if I do a drop pitman arm and track bar up above on the frame, they have to be lowered the same correct? They can't be different up top no matter what, right?

This is ASSUMING they are what's causing the sensation you're feeling. I haven't driven your Jeep so it's hard to say for sure. BUT, if this is the source of it, you will want to install a dropped pitman arm and LOWER your track bar mount at the frame and of an amount that will allow both the track bar and drag link to be parallel to each other. This will help to bring your steering geometry back closer to where it was from the factory and that's more in line with your axle.
 

A.J.

Active Member
You can't raise it at the axle as it's mounted from underneath. It has to be dropped at the frame but I agree, they don't look quite as parallel as they could be and this could be causing some of what's being felt. Also, the angle of both the drag link and the track bar could benefit from a correction so that both are sitting more level to the axle as well.

Oops! My bad!
 

WJCO

Meme King
You can't raise it at the axle as it's mounted from underneath.

Yep. Just checked it. No room above the bolt at all. It's staying there.

This is ASSUMING they are what's causing the sensation you're feeling. I haven't driven your Jeep so it's hard to say for sure. BUT, if this is the source of it, you will want to install a dropped pitman arm and LOWER your track bar mount at the frame and of an amount that will allow both the track bar and drag link to be parallel to each other. This will help to bring your steering geometry back closer to where it was from the factory and that's more in line with your axle.

Thanks for the info. I will look into this. Not sure if I want to spend the money on the gamble, lol. It is tolerable right now.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Yep. Just checked it. No room above the bolt at all. It's staying there.



Thanks for the info. I will look into this. Not sure if I want to spend the money on the gamble, lol. It is tolerable right now.

If it's tolerable, I would leave well enough alone. If you have the means, installing a track bar drop at the frame to bring it in line with your drag link wouldn't hurt anything.
 

WJCO

Meme King
Fixed. Drag link flip and adjustable track bar bracket that came with the new axle fixed the issue. :thumb:
 
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