Loose Steering?

[4esop]

I actually heard about the "no official spec" thing from 2 separate dealers. Several 3rd party shops also would not check the alignment because they had no specs.

Sure looks to me like they are using 2018 Wrangler JL Sahara specs from the sheet I got. Also, doesn't the supplement indicate there should not be as large of a difference as there appears to be between front left and right camber? (5.2-4.6 = 0.6 and cross camber is 0 +/- 0.5). Can't believe I didn't catch that.

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[Stickyteflon]

FYI.

https://tirepressure.com/falken-wildpeak-m-t-tire-pressure


https://tirepressure.com/falken-wildpeak-m-t-tire-pressure

 

[ShadowsPapa]

FYI.

https://tirepressure.com/falken-wildpeak-m-t-tire-pressure

But what about the Overland people (there are some) with the same issue? They/WE, have 18" rims/tires.

That's a great tool for figuring tire pressure vs. load. Good one.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The spec on the door says 37psi. Tpms light still not on with cold psi at 34. Btw it ends up being 35-36 when warm.
I also didn’t say that it was a fix for the deficiency.. I said it made a big difference. There is no way they should have been at 45psi from the dealer either. I know some manufactures over inflate for transport I think my dealer didn’t check it on prep... and I do believe it increased mpgs

When the wife and I bought a MX5 early this year they had the tires over inflated by 10 or more psi according to the door sill chart and the owners manual

Sorry! Didn't mean to imply you were taking that as a fix or using it as a fix! Didn't mean it to come out that way.
You aren't the only one who said it made a difference - now the question is - why? Loose steering should be loose steering, but you have reported dropping the inflation (to a more reasonable number, actually) as have others - why does that impact things in a positive way....

Seeing a number of owners talking about them receiving their truck with over 40 psi leads me to believe the dealers aren't truly checking. Cold, hot or otherwise, over 40 is wrong and make one wonder - what else wasn't checked?

I'm running mine at 38 for now until I do more looking at the numbers to see what these tires really should be at for the weight of this truck empty and with my anticipated loads.

Here's what I see so far -

Front Tire Rear Tire
Tire Size 255/70R18 255/70R18
Recommended Tire Pressure 36 psi 36 psi
Acceptable Winter Tire Pressure 39 - 41 psi 39 - 41 psi
Tire Size Type Metric Metric
Tire Load Index(Maximum Tire Load Capacity) 113(2536 lbs or 1150 kg) 113(2536 lbs or 1150 kg)
Tire Speed Rating(Maximum Speed) T(118 mph or 190 km/h) T(118 mph or 190 km/h)

 

[jrf]

Personally I'm a fan of the chalk or other similar measurement test. Generally the best way to run a tire is with a full contact patch as it was designed. The site above actually has a good graphic https://tirepressure.com/causes-dangers-and-effects-of-underinflated-tires that is generally what I'm looking for with aftermarket tires especially of a size that isn't spec'd for the vehicle.

Tires and tire load ratings are meant to carry weight. Changing things on your rig changes weight. Generally the manufacturer is going to adjust things based on the highest payload possible....makes sense right? But how many of us drive with 1k lbs in the bed of our truck? But Jeep is going to give you tire pressures that are accurate at full load. Because the worst thing a tire 5lbs over inflated is going to do..is just wear down the center of your tire faster and ride like crap. On the contrary under-inflated tires carrying a full load as suggested above will heat up the tire more than intended, wear down the edges of the tire faster and attribute to poor handling characteristics as the sidewall flexes more under load.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Personally I'm a fan of the chalk or other similar measurement test. Generally the best way to run a tire is with a full contact patch as it was designed. The site above actually has a good graphic https://tirepressure.com/causes-dangers-and-effects-of-underinflated-tires that is generally what I'm looking for with aftermarket tires especially of a size that isn't spec'd for the vehicle.

Tires and tire load ratings are meant to carry weight. Changing things on your rig changes weight. Generally the manufacturer is going to adjust things based on the highest payload possible....makes sense right? But how many of us drive with 1k lbs in the bed of our truck? But Jeep is going to give you tire pressures that are accurate at full load. Because the worst thing a tire 5lbs over inflated is going to do..is just wear down the center of your tire faster and ride like crap. On the contrary under-inflated tires carrying a full load as suggested above will heat up the tire more than intended, wear down the edges of the tire faster and attribute to poor handling characteristics as the sidewall flexes more under load.

Well said.

There are negatives traction-wise to over-inflation and I don't get why dealers send them out that way - they are supposed to know better, set an example and educate new owners as to proper tire inflation. Dealers are messing up, IMO, sending them out wrong.

 

[Scrubb84]

The reason dropping the psi (33 hot for mine) makes a huge difference in road feel is because Now the whole tire is touching the road. Otherwise, at recommended 37psi, only the center of the tire is touching the road. I did the chalk test on all 4 tires 2 different days just to make sure. It doesn’t matter if the tires are at ZERO or 100psi....THE UNSAFE DEAD-SPOT IS STILL IN THE STEERING BOX!!!
Sry for yelling

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The reason dropping the psi (33 hot for mine) makes a huge difference in road feel is because Now the whole tire is touching the road. Otherwise, at recommended 37psi, only the center of the tire is touching the road. I did the chalk test on all 4 tires 2 different days just to make sure. It doesn’t matter if the tires are at ZERO or 100psi....THE UNSAFE DEAD-SPOT IS STILL IN THE STEERING BOX!!!
Sry for yelling

Someone needs to yell about it - it's a problem for too many people.

https://www.intercotire.com/using_chalk_method_determining_psi

 

[Scrubb84]

Someone needs to yell about it - it's a problem for too many people.

https://www.intercotire.com/using_chalk_method_determining_psi

Is there any stats for JT’s like mine yet? They told me the JL problems are irrelevant to my JT during my last visit. The more I can tell my service dept tomorow the better, I hope.
TIA

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Is there any stats for JT’s like mine yet? They told me the JL problems are irrelevant to my JT during my last visit. The more I can tell my service dept tomorow the better, I hope.
TIA

This of course is not scientific as it includes only forum members, and only a tiny portion of forum members have responded/voted, obviously by the numbers, but so far............ of those voting 8 said yes to loose steering but their OTHER similar Jeeps did not do this.
So it's plain that it's not newbies "whining" or "complaining".......... they have owned others to compare to.

A total of 18 said no problem, 8 have the problem but not with other Jeeps, 3 have the problem and this is their first solid axle Jeep.

 

[Southbayglad]

This of course is not scientific as it includes only forum members, and only a tiny portion of forum members have responded/voted, obviously by the numbers, but so far............ of those voting 8 said yes to loose steering but their OTHER similar Jeeps did not do this.
So it's plain that it's not newbies "whining" or "complaining".......... they have owned others to compare to.

A total of 18 said no problem, 8 have the problem but not with other Jeeps, 3 have the problem and this is their first solid axle Jeep.

Even at 27% those are not good percentages. I took mine to dealership and they flat out ignored everything I told them. Kept it overnight, told me they test drove it (which I think is a blatant lie), told me they could not flash the steering control module to amuse me with out fca permission, etc etc. Im not truly surprised as I live in Southern California and this place is truly a circus. But as Ive stated before I also have a jeep jk, and a Dodge eco diesel (which is under law suit), so in the last 5 years I have spent 150,000 with fca and they simply can't work with me, or attempt to find the problem, or at least act interested. My vehicle is bone stock. Im lifting it this week, and Im going to add the synergy stuff to it, but it really really annoys me that a $60,000 vehicle does not drive what I feel to be safe. And Im really tired of hearing the non sense of its a "jeep". Bullshit.

 

[jrf]

The more I can tell my service dept tomorow the better, I hope.

I really hope you have a different experience than the rest of us...but so far the "official" stance is that they all do that and it's a Jeep and that's just how they are supposed to be. The unofficial stance is my dealer told me there is nothing they can do about it until FCA comes out with a fix or TSB. However I think that's just a line to get me to go away...because officially they wrote on my report back to FCA that it drove as expected. So that doesn't sound like anyone that's keeping track of problems to me. I'm pretty sure even if they did come out with a fix I won't be getting a call about it. The really crummy part is they don't all do that...and they HAVE to know that. There have been too many on here that have driven good ones and bad ones. Even then they told them dumb things like the different trim packages drive different.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I really hope you have a different experience than the rest of us...but so far the "official" stance is that they all do that and it's a Jeep and that's just how they are supposed to be. The unofficial stance is my dealer told me there is nothing they can do about it until FCA comes out with a fix or TSB. However I think that's just a line to get me to go away...because officially they wrote on my report back to FCA that it drove as expected. So that doesn't sound like anyone that's keeping track of problems to me. I'm pretty sure even if they did come out with a fix I won't be getting a call about it. The really crummy part is they don't all do that...and they HAVE to know that. There have been too many on here that have driven good ones and bad ones. Even then they told them dumb things like the different trim packages drive different.

Proof is on the forum here. And as far as "trim packages" - yeah, right - my Overland does quite well while another person here with an Overland - a BLUE one - and his has the steering issue. There's two Overlands, both hydro blue - and one is fine, the other not so much.
So that breaks the "different trim level" myth - and it ain't all trim that's different - I hate that reference but it is about the best we can use to describe the different levels.
Makes it sound like one has stainless door handles and the other black door handles.

 

[jrf]

Check out this interesting thread from a while ago....

JT vs. JL steering box

"but has slowly developed the same play as our 2018 4dr did off the showroom floor."

Interesting....

 

[BeeYoBe]

Just heard from my dealer on my loose steering issue. Yesterday they said that yes it is a problem and we are going to work to fix it. Now today, they are saying that the other 2 that they have on the lot are doing the same thing and that its how they are designed to operate, so there is nothing they can do. Total BS i say. They did however check all of the nuts and bolts and nothing is loose. I would definitely love to drive one that there is no steering issue to compare. Anyone in the Charlotte, Union County area?

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