New JT Gladiator Steering Issue TSB 08-074-20 (for "Improved Steering Feel")

[ShadowsPapa]

Thank you! That I can work with..lol!
It’s driving so much better but after some comments about aluminum box and wrong parts number I just want the peace of mind!

LoJac is spot-on. And that thin liner is easy as heck to pull back and look. It will show above the frame rail. The liner frankly barely covers it. NEW one will be black, original is cast aluminum and is more of a silver-gray color. And the neat part is that in most cases, the part number bar code is where you can see it.

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[DaveL]

There are a couple of excellent videos on youtube - likley that's what you've seen.
It's not easy for just one person to do without the "rack" and equipment, but with a helper just holding the other end of a tape measure you can get so close it should be in spec.
The key is to measure as close to the exact center on the fronts of the tires and the same on the back. Since you can't get exactly half-way up on the face of the tire (darned Jeep gets in the way LOL) then measure as high as you can front and back -making sure that if you measure the same height on the back as you do on the front.
If you can measure up 15" on the front face of the tire but only 14" up on the back (likely due to lower control arms in the way - or go over them?) then measure 14" high on the front and back.
You are looking for the difference in the spacing of the fronts of the tires vs. the spacing of the rear of the tires. If the tires were exactly 0 degrees on both sides, pointed perfectly straight ahead, you'd have 0 toe (not good)
If the tires are 1/4" closer in the front when straight ahead than they are in the back, you have toe-in by that much.
Because the normal "forces" of a rear wheel drive vehicle want to push the fornt tires outward, you want them in just a bit - that way when on the road they are most likely straight and not out or in. Other angles can affect that but that gets too darned complex to deal with.
So get a helper, use a stiff tape measure, keep it tight and straight - pick a spot in the tread pattern as close as possible to the middle of the tire as you can, and as high up as you can go so you are the same height measuring front and back of the tire, and measure. Then measure the rears of the front tires from the same places on the tread.
Once you have toe set - THEN you center the steering wheel.
Modern alignment equipment measures toe in angles and not fractions of an inch because, well, frankly, you can have toe-in set at a certain spot with 32" tires and then put on 35's and although the ANGLE won't change, the measurement will because the tires are bigger!
So it makes sense, especially with Jeep vehicles with so many tire sizes to choose from, to use the angle. But setting using inches (fractions of an inch) it fine and some specs are written that way.

Your post helped me a lot. Thanks!

 

[Gatorized]

The fellow at Dewey Dodge/Jeep in Ankeny, Steve, was new - been there 2 months. He seemed like a "regular guy" - played in a band, an ordinary joe. He actually looked at and read the TSB.
He, being new, took it back to a couple of other guys who read it over - one being a tech from the shop. Another guy asked "it's not a Rubicon is it" Geesh, should that matter????

I was in for “wave” service last week and mentioned my JT was wandering... the SW did say that my Rubicon - with taller stance and wider tires - could impact the tracking on the crown of the road. He did not outright deny that I had an issue, but it sure sounded like the canned speech they must give everyone, but held back knowing there is a TSB and I mentioned it as well just so he knew I was an informed consumer!

 

[MrZappo]

I had to eat the cost of my alignment. Mine was even a little out and required a slight adjuatment. It's 2 weeks old.
FCA denied the warranty claim.

I sent a message to @JeepCares about this days ago. No response.

Guess I'll call the corporate support line Tuesday.

Ill definitely let them know about this. It does not make sense.

I just spent 56k on a truck. Probably not enough profit In there to cover a 30 minute alignment.

To top it off, they messed it up and my steering wheel was off. I had to return to the dealer for them to fix their work.

So my time is worth $0.00 as well it seems.

 

[Deleted member 24880]

Just got back from a 1600 mile trek around the Smoky Mountains. At 75mph on the interstate I get to much “sway” when trying to keep it straight. And wander from edge to edge of my lane. I have seen wayyyy worse videos than what mine is doing but I am going to look into the TSB first part of the week.

 

[JTMana]

LoJac is spot-on. And that thin liner is easy as heck to pull back and look. It will show above the frame rail. The liner frankly barely covers it. NEW one will be black, original is cast aluminum and is more of a silver-gray color. And the neat part is that in most cases, the part number bar code is where you can see it.

got mine back couple days ago. if what youre saying is true, they didnt replace my steering box. but it also seems to handle a lot better from before.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I can tell also based on the fact the new bolts don't have undercoating on them. Aside from color, the castings look different as well.

Original top, replacement below -

 

[watarski]

That's an interesting point. Can you confirm that the new bolts are plain vs black? I am not sure the original bolts were replaced with mine. Aside from having the wrong steering gear installed, I want to make sure they put the correct bolts in.

 

[TrainMan]

I checked my fluid level. Its just above the cold line. I also lowered my tire pressure from 36 to 32. Drives great but my tpms doesn't like it.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

That's an interesting point. Can you confirm that the new bolts are plain vs black? I am not sure the original bolts were replaced with mine. Aside from having the wrong steering gear installed, I want to make sure they put the correct bolts in.

My original bolts weren't black - they had undercoating on them because I have my trucks undercoated. (The only one I didn't had real rust issues.)
So they may be a dull finish, could even be greenish to gray.
They'll likely be a dull black phosphate -

The new steering gear requires new bolts because they are all 4 the same size while the original was held to the frame with two bolts a bit smaller than the other two. The new one takes 4 of the same size.

 

[JTMana]

interesting... im gonna look at it again and see if i have 4 new bolts, maybe mine just isnt painted black??

 

[tweak89]

Took mine in the other day, parts are ordered and I take it back in Wednesday (9-9-20), They are waiting on the new bolt that goes with it. They didn't even question it, rolled, dropped it off and parts were ordered same day.

After towing my RV again last week (but this time through some pretty strong winds) I'll be glad to have more responsive steering. I had a double death grip on the steering wheel to keep myself from overcorrecting.

 

[Chance_P]

I had a double death grip on the steering wheel to keep myself from overcorrecting.

Maybe you should lay off the coffee then, guy.

 

[akneppers]

Yup. Can anyone comment on how we fix the notchy feel. My box got replaced with tsb. I had to add fluid three times. Didn’t do anything for the notchy feel. I also cycled steering side to side 15 times. Some bubbles came up. Could there be more or is there another issue

Well I definitely got a notchy feeling steering. My fluid a little above the cold line when I checked after it sat all night. I tried to turn the wheel from lock to lock to bleed out air. But if i turn the wheel slowly while not moving I can feel the electric power steering notch through what feel like detents.

Anyone else?

 

[tweak89]

Maybe you should lay off the coffee then, guy.

Lol, not in 4 lanes of traffic with a crazy crosswind and pouring rain! The current floaty feel definitely made it more exciting than it needed to be! And, it's not the rig, which had previously been towed by my GMC Canyon whose steering was much more precise (i.e. normal).

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