Stiffen Up the Steering Feel?

[Charles 236]

Getting a bit more effort into the steering (with a stronger damper) does help a person who is not familiar with the steering characteristics of these Jeeps get used to them. There is also the human factors to consider. Light steering, by itself, doesn't cause over correcting, it just seems to make it "faster " or more effortless. I find that hand placement on the steering wheel also changes the feel. With both hands too high, eg. 11:00 and 1:00, just the slightest movement in either direction is easier than with hands at 3:00 and 9:00. Ultimately, just getting time and experience driving the Jeep will do the most good.

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[ShadowsPapa]

Getting a bit more effort into the steering (with a stronger damper) does help a person who is not familiar with the steering characteristics of these Jeeps get used to them. There is also the human factors to consider. Light steering, by itself, doesn't cause over correcting, it just seems to make it "faster " or more effortless. I find that hand placement on the steering wheel also changes the feel. With both hands too high, eg. 11:00 and 1:00, just the slightest movement in either direction is easier than with hands at 3:00 and 9:00. Ultimately, just getting time and experience driving the Jeep will do the most good.

3 and 9 are the recommended positions for safety - air bags - anyway.

 

[Jefe1018]

If all your components are good… I wouldn’t waste money making it drive like a rack and pinion when it’s not that and not designed to be that. Help your new driver get used to it.

A friend drove my HD and mentioned that the steering feels a lot different than his 1500, when I drove his 1500 I couldn’t help but realize that the smallest amount of input on a rack and pinion moves the truck laterally quite abruptly… we both adjusted within a few minutes.

No time like seat time!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

If all your components are good… I wouldn’t waste money making it drive like a rack and pinion when it’s not that and not designed to be that. Help your new driver get used to it.

A friend drove my HD and mentioned that the steering feels a lot different than his 1500, when I drove his 1500 I couldn’t help but realize that the smallest amount of input on a rack and pinion moves the truck laterally quite abruptly… we both adjusted within a few minutes.

No time like seat time!

The WK2 we owned were tough to keep straight at times - sneeze and the thing took a turn. That steering was way too tight and fast. If felt like you were having to not even twitch or it would go one way or the other.

The Ram 1500 we had as a loaner last week drove not much different from my JT - had a very similar feel and when you moved the wheel, the truck responded about like my JT. I never liked driving the rack and pinion Grand Cherokees (those after the WJ)

 

[Rusty PW]

The WK2 we owned were tough to keep straight at times - sneeze and the thing took a turn. That steering was way too tight and fast. If felt like you were having to not even twitch or it would go one way or the other.

The Ram 1500 we had as a loaner last week drove not much different from my JT - had a very similar feel and when you moved the wheel, the truck responded about like my JT. I never liked driving the rack and pinion Grand Cherokees (those after the WJ)

My Nismo. You think turn, and it's already doing it. Move the steering wheel 1/4" left, 1/4" right. And the passenger just got a bad neck. It's moves that quickl.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

My Nismo. You think turn, and it's already doing it. Move the steering wheel 1/4" left, 1/4" right. And the passenger just got a bad neck. It's moves that quickl.

Would love a ride in that thing some time.

 

[Lunentucker]

Also the human factor.
When I was teaching
my grand-daughter to drive,
she was over controlling.
I told her to drive with one hand.
Amazing how the vehicle calmed down.
Then she understood what I meant.

My wife was doing this with the Mojave. I told her to not worry about the little stuff and to look farther ahead and ignore the hood. Let it run its averages.

 

[Northridge4x4]

My 2020 JT runs great. I had the updated steering box installed years ago and it drives like a Jeep!

However, I would like a somehow stiffen up the steering? Tighten the steering input. Make it stiffer to turn side to side. Reason, I have a new driver in the family and the lite steering feel causes a bit of oversteer by him. I’m used to it, but a new driver is all over the road.

TIA for the input & suggestions!

Do you know what your caster is set at?

If your caster is light, it could be causing that light steering feel.

 

[Casique]

I did the Falcon stabilizer and the Synergy sector shaft brace to no avail, still has a slight drift. Had it aligned by my dealer afterwards. No change...

 

[Mad Mac]

With the truck parked
and the engine off
how far can you move the steering wheel
before there is resistance?

I could move mine 3 or 4 inches.
After adjusting the steering gear box myself
I got it down to about one inch.
Wander, drift, no longer objectionable.
It only cost me a little sweat.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I did the Falcon stabilizer and the Synergy sector shaft brace to no avail, still has a slight drift. Had it aligned by my dealer afterwards. No change...

Drift as opposed to wander?

Does it "favor one side" - meaning if you let go, does it want to head either left or right (one or the other)

Or does it wander like it can't make up its mind?

With the truck parked
and the engine off
how far can you move the steering wheel
before there is resistance?

I could move mine 3 or 4 inches.
After adjusting the steering gear box myself
I got it down to about one inch.
Wander, drift, no longer objectionable.
It only cost me a little sweat.

Yours had, and likely still has, a problem with the steering sector. There should not be "play" like that.

I can't move the wheel on mine without the front wheels responding right away.
In fact, I"d say that about my 2022 as well, and even my 2020 after the SECOND sector replacement. The first replacement was ok at first, then after a couple of months, I could feel it increasingly getting "loose" again. Took it in and asked them to take it for a drive - in moments they said "we have to order another for it".

So it appears even the first replacements (likely into the 2021 model year) had issues as well.

 

[Mad Mac]

Mine was manufactured after
the aluminum steering gear box problem
and came with the iron steering gear box.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Mine was manufactured after
the aluminum steering gear box problem
and came with the iron steering gear box.

Yeah, I realize since you have a 2021 - but it took TWO of the steel housed steering gears to get the play out of mine.
The first steel steering gear wasn't bad at first, but got loose after 2 months or more.
They had to replace that steel gear with another one. That one was ok.
So they still had some issues with the preload adjustment on even the new steering sector assemblies.
I'm saying that yours had problems like my steel unit did - otherwise you'd not have had play. It's a preload setting and pretty critical to avoid excessive wear if it's set too tight or - loose steering if it's loose.
There multiple paragraphs on how those are to be adjusted.

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