Please help troubleshoot odd handling after lift.

jnabird333

jnabird333

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I’m looking for some help troubleshooting some odd handling after my lift install.

The lift is a MC Duroflex with MC rear adjustable Trackbar and I’m using the MC rear Trackbar relo bracket. I have NOT done a D-Link Flip but I do have a front MC adjustable tracbar.

It has been aligned and everything is great with exception the front axle is pushed ¼” to the passenger side. (I had to do this to keep my shock from hitting the frame at full droop until I move my shocks outbound.) The rear axle is centered. This issue happened after the lift, both before and after I swapped the stock tires for 37s. I’ve double and triple checked everything for tightness.

The problem I am having seems to be out of the rear. The Jeep handles bumps fine but when the road is off camber or worse goes from a left tilt to a right tilt I get some odd pushing/bumping out of the rear. It also seems to happen when the body rolls on low speed bends. It’s almost like something is quickly pushing the butt of the Jeep over, just a pop and then it’s over until the weight goes the other way where it happens again.

Ideas? :thinking::thinking::thinking:
 
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wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I know you said that you checked your track bar bolt but, assuming you didn't weld on your relocation bracket, I'd say you need to give it a harder look. A shift in the rear end like you are describing is typically caused by a loose track bar bolt or relocation bracket. If all that checks out, could be your rear coils are getting hung up on something and is reacting to body roll.
 
jnabird333

jnabird333

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I have, but I will again. What your saying makes sense.... I think I'll also have the wife and kid jump on the sides to get the jeep rockin and check for movement. There is a part of me that wants to give up on the bracket as it is a temporary install only, but I want to understand what is going on.
 
olram30

olram30

Not That Kind of Engineer
You have the rear bracket that raises the Track bar 6"? Might be the problem with body roll. I know they don't use any front bracket to raise the front, just an adjustable track bar, and try to compensate with the 6" raise in the back.
 
jnabird333

jnabird333

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olram30 said:
You have the rear bracket that raises the Track bar 6"? Might be the problem with body roll. I know they don't use any front bracket to raise the front, just an adjustable track bar, and try to compensate with the 6" raise in the back.
Click to expand...

I do have the 6" raised bracket. This levels the rear track bar and should make roll understeer and make the Jeep push more. I can tell you once the Jeep's weight has shifted it handles curves great, it's the weight transition that is a little odd.
 
olram30

olram30

Not That Kind of Engineer
jnabird333 said:
I do have the 6" raised bracket. This levels the rear track bar and should make roll understeer and make the Jeep push more. I can tell you once the Jeep's weight has shifted it handles curves great, it's the weight transition that is a little odd.
Click to expand...

If everything is torque down to spec, that's the only thing I can think of. You might not be familiar with how it handles. Did you ride in a jeep with that lift before hand? Most lift kits raise it as much as the lift, not double. Hope you pin point what the handling problem is.
 
jnabird333

jnabird333

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olram30 said:
If everything is torque down to spec, that's the only thing I can think of. You might not be familiar with how it handles. Did you ride in a jeep with that lift before hand? Most lift kits raise it as much as the lift, not double. Hope you pin point what the handling problem is.
Click to expand...

No, well not my exact build anyway. I kinda bought the kit on a whim. I'm headed out to tinker with it now. Fingers-crossed.
 
jnabird333

jnabird333

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I can't find anything! I called MC and talked with Eric. He had me check for possible sway bar link rub and thought it was my shocks. While I'm still not in love with my shocks, I'm having a hard time buying this as a cause.

I kinda feel for them and you all trying to help. It's not easy to explain what I feel. It's not that bad, but still I know it's not right. On highways and consistent road crown it drives great, but the roads I drive pitch left to right a bunch and this gets the Jeep's butt upset for just a moment. Like a one time punch each time the weight shifts sides.

?????

Sent from my Nexus 7 using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
jnabird333

jnabird333

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36Fan said:
It pops? Are the rear springs catching on something like the track bar?
Click to expand...

No pops or noises, the motion influence is just a single pop or sudden push. Sorry if description is confusing.

Edit to add I don't think so. There is plenty of clearance and no marks.
 
36Fan

36Fan

New member
jnabird333 said:
No pops or noises, the motion influence is just a single pop or sudden push. Sorry if description is confusing.

Edit to add I don't think so. There is plenty of clearance and no marks.
Click to expand...

Gotcha. What you are describing is what usually occurs with a lifted vehicle and no track bar relocate. How flat is the bar in comparison to the axle? If the front bar and rear bar have drastic angle differences I believe they will be fighting each other when the vehicle changes from side to side motion?
 
jnabird333

jnabird333

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36Fan said:
Gotcha. What you are describing is what usually occurs with a lifted vehicle and no track bar relocate. How flat is the bar in comparison to the axle? If the front bar and rear bar have drastic angle differences I believe they will be fighting each other when the vehicle changes from side to side motion?
Click to expand...

Interesting.... The MC bracket raises the rear axle mount 6". This almost levels the rear bar. While the front is adjustable, it is still at the stock mounting location so it's at a pretty good angle.

I actually have another bracket that doesn't raise the rear so high but didn't install it because its been to cold to paint and it requires some cutting.... If winter ever gives up this is an easy thing to try.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
jnabird333 said:
Interesting.... The MC bracket raises the rear axle mount 6". This almost levels the rear bar. While the front is adjustable, it is still at the stock mounting location so it's at a pretty good angle.

I actually have another bracket that doesn't raise the rear so high but didn't install it because its been to cold to paint and it requires some cutting.... If winter ever gives up this is an easy thing to try.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using WAYALIFE mobile app
Click to expand...

Honestly, stock Jeep doesn't even have a flat rear track bar. I have to wonder if it's really that flat, maybe it's over correcting.
 
36Fan

36Fan

New member
jnabird333 said:
Interesting.... The MC bracket raises the rear axle mount 6". This almost levels the rear bar. While the front is adjustable, it is still at the stock mounting location so it's at a pretty good angle.

I actually have another bracket that doesn't raise the rear so high but didn't install it because its been to cold to paint and it requires some cutting.... If winter ever gives up this is an easy thing to try.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using WAYALIFE mobile app
Click to expand...

Im just throwing thoughts out. If your rear bar is parallel to the axle and your front bar is still in the stock locations, I believe they would be fighting each other. They are on different planes. Which would change the roll center from the front to the rear.
 
OverlanderJK

OverlanderJK

Resident Smartass
36Fan said:
Im just throwing thoughts out. If your rear bar is parallel to the axle and your front bar is still in the stock locations, I believe they would be fighting each other. They are on different planes. Which would change the roll center from the front to the rear.
Click to expand...

My front is stock location and my rear is raised. But not 6". And I don't have issues.
 
36Fan

36Fan

New member
OverlanderJK said:
My front is stock location and my rear is raised. But not 6". And I don't have issues.
Click to expand...

Like I said, Im just throwing out thoughts while my beer is icing down. It could be his sway bar,even bad bump steer will make the chassis snap roll when going from one angle to another. Im no expert. :beer:
 
jnabird333

jnabird333

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Fixed it!

Problem resolved.... I swapped the MC bracket to the EVO Roll Center Correction bracket I have had Friday Night and drove the Jeep several times over the weekend. No more "roll-bump". :rock: I got rushed toward the end and still need to recenter the axle, but 99% of the issue I was having is gone. I think the remaining could be me just being hypersensitive to it now, or some road squirm from too narrow a wheel. (Which is another thing I need to fix :doh:)

I have always been honest about me not being a suspension expert, but after a BUNCH of reading I am pretty certain that there is an issue with the raised COG and the roll-center with the MC bracket. Another theory is by raising the mount 6" there is a large lever arm on the axle, causing the tire that has weight being put on it to actually be lifted. MC claims better handling in the curves, and to be completely honest my Jeep went around corners flatter with the MC bracket VS the EVO (After the initial bump). This said, the rear-end getting bumped around everytime the body would roll from one side to the other was horrible and I will GLADLY give up a little cornering ability to not have it. After-all I have a Jeep not a sport car.

I'm not sure why others haven't experienced or commented on this. It was bad enough on my Jeep that a family member that had only ridden in my Jeep one other time commented on it and said, "I don't like the rear moving when you go over dips, is it okay?" They have NO understanding of how ANY suspension works but knew it was wrong....

My first wheeling trip is planned for Rausch Creek on April 12/13. I plan to post a more formal review after I get some non-road action in.
 
olram30

olram30

Not That Kind of Engineer
glad you got it fixed, i'm sure others have experienced weird handling with their mc raised track bar brackets. but to be honest, no one is going to slam their lift they just purchased. :thumb:
 
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