jrf
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Please do describe the difference between them and the feel.
Also...how much do you want to unbolt the good ones steering box and put it in yours! lol
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Also...how much do you want to unbolt the good ones steering box and put it in yours! lol
Scrubb84
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It was night and day, i could tell the test gladiator was normal before i left the lot. When i came back and told my serv dept I want them to swap the steering box right now they kinda laughed. But they say mine is “normal” because its a Rubicon and i test drove an overland. My next appt with serv dept is this Wed, if i can at the very least get them to admit there is a problem i’ll be happy.
jrf
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Good luck! Try asking WHY the Rubicon's steering is different....love to hear that answer....
Hey you're willing to give them a "Rubicon" upgraded steering box in exchange for that Overland box...seems like a deal to me ;-)
ShadowsPapa
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That's one of my points all along.
And that's why my idea - get a dealer to let you drive one or better yet, two others off their lot and if you are in central Iowa, come to my shop and you can check out mine and I'll check yours over to compare.
PLUS - we've got forum people here who own or have owned other similar Jeeps and say their OTHER Jeeps were not this way.
jrf
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So why the big dealer conspiracy to say "That's normal" why doesn't the dealer want to fix the problem for the customer? The whole thing is just confusing to me.
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Casique
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I drove both a Rubi and Overland, and they both had loose steering. The Overland was a bit better than the Rubi for both me and the wife.
Scrubb84
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They said because of the lift and tires are bigger.
IMO it’s mostly about $. Warrantee work is a loss of $. The quicker they can BS you to your face and get you out the door the better. Also, for some reason most dealerships act like they built the friggin vehicle themselves and it’s like an insult to tell them about a big issue such as unsafe steering. I don’t get it either.
jrf
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Well then they have equally stupid tactics. I'd be WAY more willing to have more work done there if I thought they had my back and truly wanted to help me be happy with what I bought...and SAFE
ShadowsPapa
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Look at my poll so far - and how many of those have OWNED OTHER SIMILAR JEEPS - perhaps Wrangler, etc. - and those were ok.
8 of the people who voted said they have owned other similar Jeeps and those did not do this.........
So far no one has responded that their OTHER Jeeps did this - so ---------------- it's not a Jeep thing according to the voters.
9thhour
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The dealer told me that the play was normal, I reported it to FCA and they said nothing could be done because the dealer said it was normal for me to have so much drift and play in the steering wheel. The case worker at FCA said that it could be my 35" tires and if i took it back to stock that they would check it again...Wow! Can't help but love FCA.
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ShadowsPapa
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Try a different dealer. Some have agreed it wasn't normal. Granted, when you modify a vehicle you give them an out, but unless you are hours from another dealer - try another, or switch wheels/tires back then try a different dealer.
Are you equating drift or lack of self-centering or apparent lack of caster to "loose steering"? They aren't the same thing.
Loose steering is play in the box and/or linkage. Drift, wander, lack of centering, etc; are different and different causes.
Loose != instability.
Instability != loose.
Are you equating drift or lack of self-centering or apparent lack of caster to "loose steering"? They aren't the same thing.
Loose steering is play in the box and/or linkage. Drift, wander, lack of centering, etc; are different and different causes.
Loose != instability.
Instability != loose.
OTB
Member
I had a 5hr drive from new vehicle pick up to home (rubicon truck). 80mph speed limit and healthy but not nasty sidewinds. Steering was pretty vague and hard to track straight, particularly when overtaking a big vehicle. Tires as received were harder than I prefer, 45-47psi stock rubicon tires. I think lowering pressures helped, but not in a major way.
My previous jeep was a "LJ" the long 2door from 2005. I have owned other solid front axle vehicles before as well. My vague steering feeling isn't a "jeep thing" or a solid axle thing, its something I'd like to fix, and I wouldn't even trust a lot of drivers on the freeway with it.
Going straight and fast, the vehicle right from the dealer just doesn't have confident enough steering. It feels like a ton of yaw. If feels like the truck starts drifting left, you slightly steer to the right and the body keeps on going left, like its going to catch up with the chassis in a minute. Now that I threw my tent up high, the crosswinds are going to be even spicier! Well, if you guys read about me dead on the side of a Utah highway, I promise you I tried to save it a few times before she got the best of me.
This isn't the same sensation as just sloppy tie rod ends, or a sloppy track bar. There's no bump steer, no speed wobble, no shaking. It feels just like really worn out steering, but without any rough sensations.
Its bad and I do fear the sidewinds combined with some ice.
Just for the record, I have multiple years racing in professional road race organizations, and have owned different pickups for more than 20 years. I've done tons of laps at the edge of control, and I truly wish my new truck wouldn't remind of that sometimes.
Love this truck and I would just like to make it feel better at 80mph because I have to make a few hr trip every week on those open freeways.
Update: although it may seem counter intuitive, this vague steering definitely got better with lower pressures.
In a few short days, I've driven the stock rubicon tires and also the Toyo AT III 35x11.50r17. I would say the Toyo made the steering feel better at high freeway speeds, but maybe that's related to a difference in grip? Either way the vague steering feel is definitely better with lower pressures than higher. I think the gooey suspension needs a gooey tire to mate well. The tire pressures labeled on the truck feel good FULLY LOADED only, and make for a bad steering situation. (all of this is a pavement scenario only, obviously you can make the tires feel awesome off road and steering won't feel funny at slow speeds.)
I do wonder if those of you that drove back-to-back vehicles drove one with some pretty low tire pressures, and it felt better?
My previous jeep was a "LJ" the long 2door from 2005. I have owned other solid front axle vehicles before as well. My vague steering feeling isn't a "jeep thing" or a solid axle thing, its something I'd like to fix, and I wouldn't even trust a lot of drivers on the freeway with it.
Going straight and fast, the vehicle right from the dealer just doesn't have confident enough steering. It feels like a ton of yaw. If feels like the truck starts drifting left, you slightly steer to the right and the body keeps on going left, like its going to catch up with the chassis in a minute. Now that I threw my tent up high, the crosswinds are going to be even spicier! Well, if you guys read about me dead on the side of a Utah highway, I promise you I tried to save it a few times before she got the best of me.
This isn't the same sensation as just sloppy tie rod ends, or a sloppy track bar. There's no bump steer, no speed wobble, no shaking. It feels just like really worn out steering, but without any rough sensations.
Its bad and I do fear the sidewinds combined with some ice.
Just for the record, I have multiple years racing in professional road race organizations, and have owned different pickups for more than 20 years. I've done tons of laps at the edge of control, and I truly wish my new truck wouldn't remind of that sometimes.
Love this truck and I would just like to make it feel better at 80mph because I have to make a few hr trip every week on those open freeways.
Update: although it may seem counter intuitive, this vague steering definitely got better with lower pressures.
In a few short days, I've driven the stock rubicon tires and also the Toyo AT III 35x11.50r17. I would say the Toyo made the steering feel better at high freeway speeds, but maybe that's related to a difference in grip? Either way the vague steering feel is definitely better with lower pressures than higher. I think the gooey suspension needs a gooey tire to mate well. The tire pressures labeled on the truck feel good FULLY LOADED only, and make for a bad steering situation. (all of this is a pavement scenario only, obviously you can make the tires feel awesome off road and steering won't feel funny at slow speeds.)
I do wonder if those of you that drove back-to-back vehicles drove one with some pretty low tire pressures, and it felt better?
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HWKIGRL
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My Overland went from dream vehicle to fear of death vehicle after some SoCal highway driving. On my maiden Voyage from dealer to home, I had to take the grapevine, literally thought the truck was taking me, my man and our 15 year old son off the side of a mountain AFTER of course being smashed between a few of the numerous semis traveling the road! With a crosswind I couldn’t center the truck in a freaking lane, he’ll two lanes would have been tough...it was one oversteering debacle after another, it would catch a wi d, truck would move quickly right if left, no grab in steering wheel for 2-3” off center, then it would grab, wind would be blocked as 18 wheeler passed me and steering debacle would happen again...it was exhausting and terrifying!
Took it to dealer once I could get an appointment, had begun on freeway a few times between maiden voyage and dealer visit...they told me it was all good. Normal Jeep steering and yet according to mileage and what service guy said they didn’t take it on the highway, just around the block...duh...!!
what to do at this point, I love my JT on small in town drives, I dread going anywhere I really want to go...beach, mountains, hikes, off-roading, sure it’s great when I get there but the highway ride is risking my life!
Took it to dealer once I could get an appointment, had begun on freeway a few times between maiden voyage and dealer visit...they told me it was all good. Normal Jeep steering and yet according to mileage and what service guy said they didn’t take it on the highway, just around the block...duh...!!
what to do at this point, I love my JT on small in town drives, I dread going anywhere I really want to go...beach, mountains, hikes, off-roading, sure it’s great when I get there but the highway ride is risking my life!
ShadowsPapa
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I feel really lucky.
45 psi? Mine rides like the tires are solid rubber at 40+ (with the Rubicon wheels and tires on it)
Rides better at 36-38, which is where I run the Overland tires, that are going back on it next week. Dealer will consider swapping to be one of the "tire rotations", so I'll put the Overland tires and wheels back on for the rest of summer, and swap back tot he Rubicon set for winter again (they deal with our winter roads, ice and snow a bit better than the Overland tires)
Yes, winds do cause an issue - with mine you have to be alert. It was windy today - wind coming at my right side out of the west, then suddenly pass by a grove of trees and I thought I was going to the right ditch.......... but I didn't have to move the steering wheel much at all. It's a tall, square, flat sided vehicle, so pretty much what I expected.
Took it to Indiana and back - back in February, no real trouble other than hoping the Indiana cops weren't behind us as they may have thought my wife had a glass or two of wine before she took over driving. (her comment - "hope the cops don't follow us, they'll think I've been drinking")
Is it really tight and true like an AMX3 or Ferrari, or whatever? Nope.
It's like a truck. Still one of my favorite of all of my vehicles for long trips or daily driving. I never figured to have this many miles on a truck in such a short time! My other stuff sits most of the time now, this is so fun to drive and so comfortable. I never thought I'd consider a Jeep other than a Cherokee or Grand Cherokee to be comfortable LOL
45 psi? Mine rides like the tires are solid rubber at 40+ (with the Rubicon wheels and tires on it)
Rides better at 36-38, which is where I run the Overland tires, that are going back on it next week. Dealer will consider swapping to be one of the "tire rotations", so I'll put the Overland tires and wheels back on for the rest of summer, and swap back tot he Rubicon set for winter again (they deal with our winter roads, ice and snow a bit better than the Overland tires)
Yes, winds do cause an issue - with mine you have to be alert. It was windy today - wind coming at my right side out of the west, then suddenly pass by a grove of trees and I thought I was going to the right ditch.......... but I didn't have to move the steering wheel much at all. It's a tall, square, flat sided vehicle, so pretty much what I expected.
Took it to Indiana and back - back in February, no real trouble other than hoping the Indiana cops weren't behind us as they may have thought my wife had a glass or two of wine before she took over driving. (her comment - "hope the cops don't follow us, they'll think I've been drinking")
Is it really tight and true like an AMX3 or Ferrari, or whatever? Nope.
It's like a truck. Still one of my favorite of all of my vehicles for long trips or daily driving. I never figured to have this many miles on a truck in such a short time! My other stuff sits most of the time now, this is so fun to drive and so comfortable. I never thought I'd consider a Jeep other than a Cherokee or Grand Cherokee to be comfortable LOL
techteacher
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Hoping with some time passed since I last asked the dealer to take a look at the steering, I tried again. Set up @JeepCares case number (after failing first time to find them helpful) and they arranged for service manager to ride with me.
Service Manager had some backhanded comments about me calling Jeep Cares, but looked at it and agreed it was not right.
I thought for a moment my faulty steering box was finally going to get replaced. Got the call a few hours later....and nope.
The write up acknowledged an issue but my Synergy bracket, trackbar, stabilizer, and tires were all to blame.
Jeep Cares was more communicative this round and just had to defer to dealership evaluation - the way the service manager talked though it was clear he was annoyed by their involvement.
Service Manager had some backhanded comments about me calling Jeep Cares, but looked at it and agreed it was not right.
I thought for a moment my faulty steering box was finally going to get replaced. Got the call a few hours later....and nope.
The write up acknowledged an issue but my Synergy bracket, trackbar, stabilizer, and tires were all to blame.
Jeep Cares was more communicative this round and just had to defer to dealership evaluation - the way the service manager talked though it was clear he was annoyed by their involvement.
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