Steering issues

[Rishstev]

I replaced my 2020 Jeep Gladiator's 35x12.5x17 MT tires with Falken Wild Peak 35x12.5x17 ATW3 tires and used balance beads for balancing. Shortly after, I experienced severe vibration and bump steer. After an ineffective alignment at Firestone, I swapped the trac bar for a Steer Smarts adjustable one, which only partly alleviated the issue. Following advice, I installed Synergy HD ball joints, leading initially to steering stickiness and later to significant wandering and minimal shaking of the steering wheel at speeds of 65-70 mph. Removing the balance beads and opting for traditional balancing didn’t solve the problem. Upon Synergy’s suggestion, I replaced the aluminum steering box with the steel version and re-flashed the Jeep, but the issue persisted. I checked and found play in the drag link, which I replaced with a Steer Smarts drag link, yet the problem remained. Most recently, I installed a Falcon adjustable 2.2 steering stabilizer, which fixed the steering wheel vibration but not the wandering. Could the synergy ball joints be causing my ongoing issues? I did not have any wandering problems until I replaced the ball joints. I'm really struggling to identify the problem and implore any solution

Sponsored

 

[Rishstev]

Found the issue. In synergy’s instructions it says torque the lower ball joint to 33 foot pounds in the above sticky factory torque specifications for an aluminum knuckle is 59 pounds. I torqued it to 59 pounds and the wandering went away.

 

[Josh00333]

Ok to be clear.

You got new tires. Then had issue.

Got an alignment, I’m not sure what this would fix with new tires?

Still had the problem, see above an alignment isn’t going to fix a problem introduced by new tires. But then you did a BUNCH of changes.

Buy correctly torquing one of those changes, has some how fixed the issue that was there before?

If I read new tires and stop, then I would say you have an issue with balancing method and or a bad new tire and Firestone needs to address that.

Every thing else just threw mud on the problem and now your stuck chasing 10 variables vs just 1.

Unless you’re leaving out a bunch?

My fear is all the other things you have done is simply masking the base problem of an issue with the tires since the tires is the only thing that changed; before no problem then change of tires, now problem.

 

[Vtur]

Sounds like the original issue is with the balancing beads.

 

[Scott0700]

Driving a class B dump truck, I can attest to the fact that it can take some time for the balance beads to get the tire/wheel combo balanced.
When he went to traditional balancing and that still did not solve the problem, I’d suspect a bad tire. Road force balancing is the best way to balance a tire, but most shops don’t have that machine.
Seems like he found his problem, but as stated, he was throwing a lot of part at a problem that he only noticed after new tires.

 

[Rishstev]

I say traditional balanced because even though it was balanced on a road force balanced machine technically couldn’t road force balance them because I have bead locks. The shop is not allowed to break the bead of the bead lock. However I did have them check to see if I had a bad tire.

 

[Lunentucker]

Throw two of these on it to replace the factory control arms.
https://www.allmoparparts.com/sku/68322798aa.html

For even more stability - https://metalcloak.com/sector-shaft-brace-jl-wrangler-jt-gladiator.html

 

[Rishstev]

Throw two of these on it to replace the factory control arms.
https://www.allmoparparts.com/sku/68322798aa.html

For even more stability - https://metalcloak.com/sector-shaft-brace-jl-wrangler-jt-gladiator.html

I forgot to add that I added a steersmarts sector shaft brace.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Sounds like the original issue is with the balancing beads.

there's a big history of those not working out well for Jeep tires. I don't quite understand the draw of them seeing all of the issues and how many here have dumped them in favor of a quality balance like road force balancing.

Driving a class B dump truck, I can attest to the fact that it can take some time for the balance beads to get the tire/wheel combo balanced.

"some time" yes, but not miles and miles and then you have crap until they do work. Not good for a consumer vehicle on the road trying to not wear out parts. And then they are going to fall and rearrange with each stop, you start all over again.

I say traditional balanced because even though it was balanced on a road force balanced machine technically couldn’t road force balance them because I have bead locks. The shop is not allowed to break the bead of the bead lock. However I did have them check to see if I had a bad tire.

There's another part of the puzzle................nice to know.............

 

[SoK66]

I replaced my 2020 Jeep Gladiator's 35x12.5x17 MT tires with Falken Wild Peak 35x12.5x17 ATW3 tires and used balance beads for balancing. Shortly after, I experienced severe vibration and bump steer. After an ineffective alignment at Firestone, I swapped the trac bar for a Steer Smarts adjustable one, which only partly alleviated the issue. Following advice, I installed Synergy HD ball joints, leading initially to steering stickiness and later to significant wandering and minimal shaking of the steering wheel at speeds of 65-70 mph. Removing the balance beads and opting for traditional balancing didn’t solve the problem. Upon Synergy’s suggestion, I replaced the aluminum steering box with the steel version and re-flashed the Jeep, but the issue persisted. I checked and found play in the drag link, which I replaced with a Steer Smarts drag link, yet the problem remained. Most recently, I installed a Falcon adjustable 2.2 steering stabilizer, which fixed the steering wheel vibration but not the wandering. Could the synergy ball joints be causing my ongoing issues? I did not have any wandering problems until I replaced the ball joints. I'm really struggling to identify the problem and implore any solution

You most likely have a combination of problems. Since it seems your issues started with the tires (I'm no fan of Falken products) have the tires properly balanced. If possible by a tire shop that can employ a Hunter Road Force machine. That will eliminate them as a source of the issues, although when you speak of steering wheel vibration I go back to the tires as the root cause. Second have the caster & toe-in checked and adjusted. Add adjustable lower control arms if necessary. If the steering is binding the Synergy ball joints may not have been properly installed.

Sponsored