The Most Effective Steering Wander Fix Cost Me $0 (Updated 1-7-23)

[Lunentucker]

I have had a vibrate and or tremble feel comming from the floorboard for 10k miles, I read these can put a band aid on underlying issues, and this it did.
Drives like a Cadillac now, still need to check both joints or whatever that subtle floor board vibrating is from

What's your total mileage now?

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[notoriousms33]

What's your total mileage now?
[/QUOTE/]
35k

35k,heavy off roading 5 or 6 times

I also loaded the bed up with about 1200 pounds for 30min haul, have air bags for daily towing in the summer at most 3k pounds includes trailer and whatever is loaded on it> just to give you the full background

 

[notoriousms33]

If you can flip the adjuster and read, soft, medium, and firm from the front it's mounted correctly.

35k,heavy off roading 5 or 6 times

I also loaded the bed up with about 1200 pounds for 30min haul, have air bags for daily towing in the summer at most 3k pounds includes trailer and whatever is loaded on it> just to give you the full background

Maybe it’s the timing belt squealing

 

[Lunentucker]

Yeah. You need a good stem to stern check of all steering, suspension, and drive components. There's only about a dozen things that could be causing the vibration.
Wheel balance, tire wear, ball joints, U joints, driveshaft, differential, and more.
I still can't hear the high pitched tone.
Seriously, I have tinnitus and that frequency range is gone.

 

[notoriousms33]

Yeah. You need a good stem to stern check of all steering, suspension, and drive components. There's only about a dozen things that could be causing the vibration.
Wheel balance, tire wear, ball joints, U joints, driveshaft, differential, and more.
I still can't hear the high pitched tone.
Seriously, I have tinnitus and that frequency range is gone.

I have heard nightmares from people with tinnitus. I landscape and do installs so I’m always wearing ear protection.

Would it hurt to spray the drift shaft with fluid film and or any parts you mentioned with silicone spray?

I bet that it’s the metal bracket that holds the brake tubes right by the steel knuckles holding brake lines
<<to try and take care of the squeal>>>

 

[Lunentucker]

I have heard nightmares from people with tinnitus. I landscape and do installs so I’m always wearing ear protection.

Would it hurt to spray the drift shaft with fluid film and or any parts you mentioned with silicone spray?

I bet that it’s the metal bracket that holds the brake tubes right by the steel knuckles holding brake lines

It won't hurt to spray anything other than the brake pads and rotors, but silicone isn't going to fix a vibration.

 

[notoriousms33]

It won't hurt to spray anything other than the brake pads and rotors, but silicone isn't going to fix a vibration.

I found a thread with many other glad owners complaining about the same vibration I am referring to any many of these same owners are saying they too had axle/diffs replaced..

here is my contribution to may be happening with my sudbtle vibrationz


I have also got my Mojave’s front diff and axle replaced at 10k miles and that’s when this issue started.

when I first bought mojave new off lot, I noticed whenever engaging into 4hi and or lo, I heard grinding noises with combination of locker. Luckily I was with another jeeper who leaked out the diff fluid finding shards of metal.
Dealer replaced front diff (can get specifics on served tendered if any of you inquire).

Ever since they did this service, mine too has the vibration, and I too then got the response from dealer like many of you have gotten aggravated about - it’s a jeep thing.

 

[Darkspeed]

Rancho-“

I went out and tried to measure my caster angle using a level app on my phone. It's somewhere between +14.3 and +6.5. it's definitely positive ?

i would guess you are closer to 9

 

[Lunentucker]

Whatever the number, this thing drives great!
Took it on a longer trip today and it drives better than ever. I couldn't but be happier!
Mind you, this road is one of those that's always trying to throw you out of it.

 

[notoriousms33]

Whatever the number, this thing drives great!
Took it on a longer trip today and it drives better than ever. I couldn't but be happier!
Mind you, this road is one of those that's always trying to throw you out of it.

Thanks for clip.
here is a clip of what I believe is too much slack. From what you tell should I attempt a second try and do a 1/8th turn of s box

@Radio Guy ?

 

[Lunentucker]

Thanks for clip.
here is a clip of what I believe is too much slack. From what you tell should I attempt a second try and do a 1/8th turn of s box

@Radio Guy ?

Yes. That's a good bit of play. You can adjust and check it with the vehicle off and in park. Check all steering linkage. It's all mechanical linkages.

 

[notoriousms33]

Yes. That's a good bit of play. You can adjust and check it with the vehicle off and in park. Check all steering linkage. It's all mechanical linkages.

Is there a slight chance you could dive in depth? I can not for the life of me break the screw inside the nut from steering box.
If you can’t give more detail maybe I’ll have somebody take a look.

it’s Sunday so I have the day to spend some time in the garage….

 

[Lunentucker]

Is there a slight chance you could dive in depth? I can not for the life of me break the screw inside the nut from steering box.
If you can’t give more detail maybe I’ll have somebody take a look.

it’s Sunday so I have the day to spend some time in the garage….

The locknut is red Loctited, so you have to heat it pretty good to break the Loctite. Be careful to not heat nearby components, like the vinyl tube at the bottom of the washer reservoir. I melted mine and had to cut it and slip it back on.

Watch the video in the first post of this thread, but use the 4 mm hex key, as mentioned under the video.

I don't Snapchat.

 

[Lunentucker]

Thanks for clip.
here is a clip of what I believe is too much slack. From what you tell should I attempt a second try and do a 1/8th turn of s box

@Radio Guy ?

Here's mine after the trash run. So warmed up and running.

 

[notoriousms33]

See Post #101 for the final answer
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...ering-wander-fix-cost-me-0.57677/post-1083182

The Story
I bought a '21 Stock Mojave in February.

The drive home that night, about 2 hours in moderate winds, had me thinking I'd be taking it back the next business day.
As usual, my wife was the calming voice, and after a night's sleep we took the Jeep out on familiar roads and in the daylight. It was better under less windy conditions, but it still wandered quite a bit.

Still, it's a gorgeous truck, and it was the ONLY one we could find that had everything we wanted PLUS $4,000 worth of upgrades for sticker price.
Mojave / Color matched hardtop with freedom panels / Bestop Sunrider / N-fab step rails / Line-X bed liner /Revolver X4S Cover / Safety Group / Cold Weather Group / White Leather .... There wasn't another one like it anywhere. It even had the 50 cal antenna

So I began to research the steering wander issues and look for solutions.
I found everything from "It's a Jeep, deal with it." to "It will kill you. Get rid of it."
A dizzying myriad of gadgets and aftermarket doo-dads claiming to fix the problem that CFA just builds into their $60,000 trucks for fun.

Tire Pressure
Per some Internet findings, reducing the tire pressures to about 33 (by my gauge) helped, but it was still a drifter on the highway, wind or no wind.

The Failure
After verifying that I already had the steel steering gearbox I decided to give the SteerSmarts brace a shot.
Ordered. Done. That'll fix it!

After a day of fighting that damned thing and trying to get the Mojave's unique extra steel piece trimmed to make it fit, and getting nowhere, I surrendered. The bolts would not line up, despite all the Youtube assistance and coercion I could muster. Simply put, the geometry was impossible.
I had already drilled the steel line relocation hole in it, so it was not returnable.
It's in my pond now holding down some fish structure. Seems pretty effective in that regard, albeit pricey compared to a concrete block.

A Better Investment
More research lead me to steering stabilizers. I don't know if you've looked around, but there are a few out there.
I settled on the falcon Nexus 2.2 - The passthrough adjustable one.


***Note the stabilizer version bolt change***
Check your original stabilizer to see if you need the new bolt.



Got it installed, and I must say, there was noticeable improvement in the wander and drift from dips and bumps in the road.
The Gladiator was now drivable.

Still... could it be better? Is it right?

Head to Head With a 22 Rubicon
As fate would have it the engine light came on again. Cylinder 5 misfire. That's ongoing and I am working through the process with a more local dealer. I wanted to buy from them, but they had an empty lot at the time. Now they have a few on hand.

So I stopped by the dealership to see about the light, but while I was there I requested the key for a 22 Rubicon that was close to the specs of our Mojave, but lacking the safety group. Still, it was an opportunity to try another and see if the "It's a Jeep, deal with it" argument held water.
It does not. The Rubicon drove like a dream, and the first thing I noticed was that there was no dead spot in the steering wheel. Move the wheel, move the tires.

Now I have useful information!

*** The Cheap and EFFECTIVE Fix ***
I starred that in case someone wants to skip to the good part.
There's Scotch. I'm wordy. Deal with it!

I knew the steering gearbox was adjustable. I've had vehicles that had this design before, but why would a brand new vehicle not be set right from the factory? The ones I could recall from the past only needed a good snugging up after 100,000 miles or so.

Still, I recalled this video from my earlier research and even though I already have the steel box, I decided to give it a shot.



* The allen key size is 4mm

The only thing not covered in the video is that the steel box adjustment screw and locknut have been bonded in unholy matrimony with red Loctite, and heat, a good bit of it, is required to initiate the divorce.

I used a heat gun and melted my windshield washer hose in the process. Easy fix. Snip and stick it back on. Still worth mentioning, so you don't do the same.
It's a gift.

After breaking the thread locker, I moved the screw about 1/8, as mentioned elsewhere on this forum in another thread.
Locked it back down, put everything back together, and hit the highway.
FINALLY!!! This is what was missing the entire time!
The truck drives wonderfully, even though we had pretty good winds today. It stays where it's pointed and is easily managed with one hand.

It's likely that the stock stabilizer was OK, but I really like the Falcon, so that's staying. So is the reduced tire pressure, as the ride is softer and I'm still getting 20 MPG on average.

Regardless of mileage - 2 or 200,000 - If you have dead play in the steering wheel, tighten the gearbox up and enjoy the drive again.
It's a Jeep thing!

if it is feasible and you think about it next time your out, can you show a video ofyour drag link to show us what sort of play you are getting when putting a hand on it

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