How do I correct steering?

[Renegade]

Here's a valid explanation from CJ Offroad:
Steering stabilizers are essentially shocks for your vehicle’s steering system. Unlike other suspension shocks, they are aligned horizontally.

The way steering stabilizers function is by absorbing the shock waves sent through the front axle. This helps dampen the jolts that potholes and other unexpected obstacles can send through your vehicle.

Sponsored

 

[JET_83]

Steering stabilizer does nothing for wandering.

It's a shock, it dampens and that's it.

if that were the case there wouldn't be modes to control the stiffness in steering via aftermarket as well if it only acted as a dampener

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

if that were the case there wouldn't be modes to control the stiffness in steering via aftermarket as well if it only acted as a dampener

Those modes do not change if it wanders or not.

As you said, it controls stiffness (dampening).

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Those modes do not change if it wanders or not.

As you said, it controls stiffness (dampening).

Exactly - all it can do for the "feel" is add to what it takes to make the steering wheel turn - act against the power assist.

The "Stabilizer" or "damper" does nothing other than force you to use more effort to turn the wheel and force road hazards to work harder to transmit movement back to you. . It controls feedback and stiffens the effort to turn.
It doesn't fix poor design, it doesn't take slack out of worn parts, it can't fix a flexing piece of steering or suspension.

 

[astronerd]

Those are bandaids, not fixes for anything. They mask problems.

Please go back and read the info I've posted from steering and suspension engineers and experts and the whole reason those were even put on vehicles to begin with.

Brand new to the forum. The JT is at the top of my list of mid sized trucks I want to buy to handle my towing needs - I’ll be upgrading to a large camper late this year/early next year. I’ve test driven several 2021s and 2022s, not all had the same “wander” but definitely there. I could not seem to find your posts, could you provide a link? Is a upgraded Track Bar and Sector Shaft Brace the “fix” or something else?

 

[JTDay]

I have a 2022 so I assume it would have the superceded part # for the box. How can I confirm?

 

[Renegade]

I have a 2022 so I assume it would have the superceded part # for the box. How can I confirm?

Yes. Its black cast iron, instead of bare aluminum.

 

[OHJeeper]

Hey fellas, I'm new to the forum and i'm super excited to get to know y'all! I've had a ton of wranglers before and just was able to trade up for a gladiator. Absolutely love it so far. It's lifted on 35s which leads me to my question. How do I correct the steering? the steering seems loose especially when hitting hard potholes (RI is notorious for these smh) I am just wondering if longer control arms will help correct it or tighten it up. It just seems loose and takes bumps pretty hard, if you guys have any input that would be great! Thanks

I'll give a +1 for geometry correction brackets depending on how high your lift is. If you look at the lower control arms, the more parallel they are to the ground, the less shock (like potholes) they'll transmit into the frame.

If you're lifted too high and the angle of the LCA's is steep then more force is transmitted.

This is not a correction for loose steering, only specifically to the "it takes bumps pretty hard" comment.

There is a simple, but good, explanation here at 7:00-ish in this video:



The wandering and "loose" steering (which is a VERY subjective description) is most likely the Caster angle... I have a post here where I tried to explain (maybe poorly):

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/mopar-2in-lift.52133/post-871835

 

[dcmdon]

Has anyone experimented with Caster values greater than 6 deg in an effort to increase return to center forces and feel.

This would reduce wandering.

Thoughts?

This is a primarily theoretical question. I'm not advocating for this.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Don't need caster that high - too much and you introduce other issues. If all else is ok, such as control arms being as parallel to the ground as possible, track bar not at some drastic angle, toe set correctly, good shocks, wheel offset and backset is correct, scrub radius not too low or too high and so on, caster over 6 would be a band-aid.
But when people blindly space wheels out and change the backset and other angles that the factory carefully figures in for GOOD reason just to make it "look better" (in their opinion) - then it's on the owner, not the truck.

 

[OHJeeper]

Has anyone experimented with Caster values greater than 6 deg in an effort to increase return to center forces and feel.

This would reduce wandering.

Thoughts?

This is a primarily theoretical question. I'm not advocating for this.

I just went through this with my daughter's JK. When I increased caster to roughly 7° her steering stability drastically decreased. She has a legit death wobble issue and I thought more caster would help... it made it worse.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I just went through this with my daughter's JK. When I increased caster to roughly 7° her steering stability drastically decreased. She has a legit death wobble issue and I thought more caster would help... it made it worse.

Absolutely. Even my old college books on suspension and steering comment on "too much............. introducing wobble and instability". I have a John Deere wagon that attaches to the back of my lawn tractor. The tires run in huge casters like appliance dolly casters on steroids. One of them lost the swivel bearings making it have even more caster - boy does it wobble at speed now.

This is a quote from an Australian site -
Excessive front axle caster can also cause steer axle wheel shimmy. The caster angle on the vehicle, sets the distance between the turn axle line of pivot and the tire-road contact point / centre of wheel. ... However excessive caster angle can cause front axle wheel shimmy.

 

[johnh442]

Gonna go ahead and disagree on the steering stabilizer not doing anything.
I had some pretty good wander (not death wobble), especially on highway and hitting any kind of rough pavement. You had to make a ton of little corrections.

Had my alignment checked/rechecked by dealer, hand checked all the tq specs myself. All good. Still was a big difference, mostly I'd say from front live axle vs. all my other vehicles are independent. That being said, it took a decent effort to keep the wander to a minimum...

I upgraded the stock steering stabilizer to the Fox ATS, adjusted it 14 (it goes 0-24 IIRC) so a bit stiffer than average for the non-adjustable Fox.

Under 45mph, not really any noticeable difference, maybe a little better but hey it looks cool.

However once got on the freeway at 55mph+ holy crap what a difference, that driving 70-80 is so much nicer and easier to track especially on rough pavement or you hit a pothole. Should have come with it stock IMO. So well worth it. I realize that there's a whole topic about it, but this is purely from experience. Even the wife noticed the difference and she didn't know it was changed.

 

[bleda2002]

Gonna go ahead and disagree on the steering stabilizer not doing anything.
I had some pretty good wander (not death wobble), especially on highway and hitting any kind of rough pavement. You had to make a ton of little corrections.

...

However once got on the freeway at 55mph+ holy crap what a difference, that driving 70-80 is so much nicer and easier to track especially on rough pavement or you hit a pothole. Should have come with it stock IMO. So well worth it. I realize that there's a whole topic about it, but this is purely from experience. Even the wife noticed the difference and she didn't know it was changed.

This is exactly what the steering damper is supposed to do is take out the small bump steer that gets so tiring by dampening the small forces of it. It wont correct true wander, but so much of the "wander" is actually folks overcorrecting small bump steer that a stabilizer can make the driving experience more pleasant on bumpy roads.

Honestly what fixed my steering the most was changing out the tie rod and draglink to RPM steering. I dont think its the beefiness of the components (stock is actually pretty decent stuff) but when i loosed my drag link (knuckle side) and tie rod they both fell right out indicating to me they werent well seated and could be allowing some minute play in terms of toe and steering. Its still a solid axle truck on a nearly 3" lift with giant tires, but i routinely do 80+ even in windy conditions where as before anything above 70 was starting to get hairy.

 

[dcmdon]

Absolutely. Even my old college books on suspension and steering comment on "too much............. introducing wobble and instability". I have a John Deere wagon that attaches to the back of my lawn tractor. The tires run in huge casters like appliance dolly casters on steroids. One of them lost the swivel bearings making it have even more caster - boy does it wobble at speed now.

This is a quote from an Australian site -
Excessive front axle caster can also cause steer axle wheel shimmy. The caster angle on the vehicle, sets the distance between the turn axle line of pivot and the tire-road contact point / centre of wheel. ... However excessive caster angle can cause front axle wheel shimmy.

Thanks. I was wondering. As it is the Jeep has more caster than other cars I've owned. Though its the first car I've owned where its adjustable.

Sponsored