Jeep Gladiator Handling Problem

[Stan H]

Never seen the castor @6 degrees off the factory line. Usually closer to 4.5 off the factory line. We know that castor is always an issue, especially as soon as you do any lift. Having castor at 5 degrees or higher fixes most of the issues with some people pushing more towards 5.5 to 6 degrees. and castor cant be set unless you install adjustable LCA's or drill the holes for cam bolts. Bigger and heavier tires add to the issue when castor is less than optimal. So the prognosis here is that by lifting, the ride issues was self induced.
BTW, I had a 2020 Overland and had a factory 2" lift installed. Even with the longer LCA's in the kit, the castor was less than optimal and I installed Teraflex adjustable LCA's and move the castor back out to 5-5.5. I didnt have any issues with my steering gearbox and it was the aluminum one. Maybe I was lucky.

When we started mine was at about 4.3-4.4 factory and when it was all said and done we made sure each control arm was turned out the same amount and 5.4 was the final set. We tried rolling out one more turn each on the lower control arms and it jumped to 6.4. My uncle wasn't so sure about that and I felt like it was too much and due to your post this post in particular I opted to roll them back one turn and stay at 5.4 . (It showed 5.0 with old style bubble type caster gauge) . So thank you for your post Horneybadger.

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[Stan H]

Lomg time jeep herder byt new to round springs. Sort of. My 2020 rubicon has 2" mopar kit 37: bfg ats and it seems ok to me but the beloved parasite hates it for all its wander and vagueness. It has the fixed mopar lcas from the kit and this discussion has me wondering if i should a) get some lca drop brackets, 2) adjustable lcas or 3) if both are really necessary. I gave up on an mj i had in favor of my scrambler in part because the fron steering issues in the mj. With both an adjustable track bar and control arms.

Whick lca brackets are preferred?

Thanks all

I will suggest Teraflex ? I love my Teraflex LCA's. I got a chuckle from shadowpapa's post (arm fallin asleep for lack of movement)cause after lifting mine . Its ROCK solid. I totally concur. If Done right it controls great.

 

[trust]

Thanks stan, did you also lower the mount as well or just go with adjustable arms?

 

[HorneyBadger]

I also went with Teraflex adjustable LCA's (without lowering the mount point).

 

[Stan H]

Thanks stan, did you also lower the mount as well or just go with adjustable arms?

No just the arms theyvare the teraflex Alpine adjustable so I pushed it out to about 5.4 and it rides like a dream. Moving/ lowering the mounting point will allow your standard arms to be used thus giving you a corrected caster which is accomplished by the lowering brackets. But with the adjustables the caster is corrected by adjusting the arms outward. Pushing the front wheels forward just a little bit. Me and my Uncle used a digital and a Buble gauge to double check ourselves . And made both arms equal on each side . I did mine with 5 threads showing it gave me 5.0 with old fashioned bubble gauge (which didn't sit real real good) and 5.4 with the digital. When we tried to go one more thread it jumped to 6.4 and @HorneyBadger had written somewhere that it was in the 5.0-5.5 that seems to be the killer spot and danged if he wasn't spot on with mine at least.?

Oh forgot before we started it was at 4.0?

 

[trust]

Thanks Stan!

 

[Stan H]

Thanks Stan!

I know your gonna say WHAT !! ..Ok but the digital angle gauge I bought with magnetic backing was from Harbor Freight. Yep Harbor freight . Read reviews and several Jeepers and Truck Guys had used them to set Caster and they had success and it was like 20 bucks or something cheap!!
Zero it out on a KNOWN zero surface and then place it on the pumpkin near the front input shaft on the level area.. that where I did my pre-measure and then my alternative adjusted measurements

 

[trust]

?

Thanks!

 

[hickman785]

Seems like Minty JL thinks Mojave is the only way to go and anyone that doesnt have one is beneath him. Minty JL also lives in Maryland while driving a desert runner... LMAO!!!

Thank God someone said it! I say the same about the reerees in TN running around in Mojaves...

 

[hickman785]

Seems the same with every 4x4 I have ever owned . Lift it then correct all the things most lift kits leave out so the price is appealing I guess. On the JT it started with pretty much MOPAR kit plus adj front track bar, 37 ko2s minus Fox parts . Thought it drove good at first . Then over time I realized once again it takes a lot more to get it to drive like it should even at this short of a lift . I have a TJ for offroad and the Gladiator replaced my DD so on road is a priority. Then I added Eibach shocks to replace OE max tow shocks with extensions. Then came Teraflex rear track bar bracket then the Rancho Geo control Control arm brackets . The Geo brackets increased my caster for 5.5 average to 6.4 , World of difference there . Old rutted roads, rocking back and forth , cross winds effect all became history and a much softer ride . Now I ordered the Teraflex rear upper control arm brackets because I don't know when to stop pretty much . I am very pleased at this point so if the rear brackets has any positiver effect which I have read it does I'm a happy camper . I know it wont end there but it's where I want it to drive at this point . Now I have to start doctoring with my Daughters JL with the same brackets and shocks. You would that at 70 years old I would be done with this hobby but ................

I've been considering the Teraflex rear geometry brackets also but I haven't gotten in real world feedback other than a rep from Teraflex saying they would have no impact on road, although their website says they will improve on road ride quality...

 

[ShadowsPapa]

other than a rep from Teraflex saying they would have no impact on road, although their website says they will improve on road ride quality...

Typical of most companies. Marketing says one thing, rep says another, web site says another.
Impact on road manners, ride quality will depend on how far off or bad it is before the brackets. But it's a definite help of some sort - the degree will vary.

 

[Gizmo]

In my case TF rear geo brackets was of no benefit on the road and in reality it was just the opposite which is why I removed them . I just thought after seeing the improvement of adding the front Rancho geo brackets vs longer lowers CA's alone. I had to try the rears to get my own answers as I really could not find any thing definitive as far as on the road characteristics . Now I know and they have become scrap metal in my case and I speak from experience not a guess

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