Steering pull after lift

[rhaney02]

Two weeks ago I had a 2" Mopar/Fox lift done on my '23 Gladiator Willys. I also added Rough Country 3/4" spacers to the front and a Steer Smarts Yeti adjustable track bar. After driving for a couple of weeks on the roads that I normally do, I am pretty sure that I have some draw to the right even on uncrowned roads.

I'm taking it back to the shop that installed the lift next Thursday to have them check the alignment (which they did when the lift was done). I've done business with this shop for the last 8 years, so I know they know what they are doing.

Is there anything anyone can add to address or point out to the shop when I take it back to check? They admitted that this is the first Mopar lift that they have done,.

Thanks for any help.

Sponsored

 

[Stan H]

Two weeks ago I had a 2" Mopar/Fox lift done on my '23 Gladiator Willys. I also added Rough Country 3/4" spacers to the front and a Steer Smarts Yeti adjustable track bar. After driving for a couple of weeks on the roads that I normally do, I am pretty sure that I have some draw to the right even on uncrowned roads.

I'm taking it back to the shop that installed the lift next Thursday to have them check the alignment (which they did when the lift was done). I've done business with this shop for the last 8 years, so I know they know what they are doing.


Is there anything anyone can add to address or point out to the shop when I take it back to check? They admitted that this is the first Mopar lift that they have done,.

Thanks for any help.

The mopar lift isn't even as complicated as some other lifts out there like Clayton or metal cloak... assuming the changed both lower control arms and adjusted the front wheels centered under the truck with the track bar. I used a tape measure to get the wheels pulled back to an equal amount. As for the rear generally speaking after 2.5" the rear track bar will have to be changed and the rear axle set poking out equally as per the front.
I am leaning toward a bad tie rod or a wheel bearing. But it could be they simply didn't get it aligned good enough.

 

[vicsvx]

I have the same lift and same size spacer... Had it aligned right after the lift at the dealership when I had my oil changed. Been fine for 50k miles.I'll get it realigned again in the next few months though

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Two weeks ago I had a 2" Mopar/Fox lift done on my '23 Gladiator Willys. I also added Rough Country 3/4" spacers to the front and a Steer Smarts Yeti adjustable track bar. After driving for a couple of weeks on the roads that I normally do, I am pretty sure that I have some draw to the right even on uncrowned roads.

I'm taking it back to the shop that installed the lift next Thursday to have them check the alignment (which they did when the lift was done). I've done business with this shop for the last 8 years, so I know they know what they are doing.

Is there anything anyone can add to address or point out to the shop when I take it back to check? They admitted that this is the first Mopar lift that they have done,.

Thanks for any help.

is it pulling or leading or drawing to one side, or, is it that the steering wheel is off-centered after the lift and it seems to pull to one side?
If you let go of the wheel, does it actually want to veer off to one side, or quickly go to the right?
Quite often after a lift, the steering wheel is no longer centered giving the "feel" or one "imagines" it's pulling because the wheel is off-center.

Just checking - take it out and see if when you - with CARE of course! - let go, does it actually head to the right?

 

[professorkx]

Agree, make sure the steering wheel is centered first. Take a drive with a 15mm wrench and pliers (might not need the pliers to turn the collar, but just in case), and adjust the drag link collar until your steering wheel is straight. This will likely take a few tries as you dial in the steering wheel. Next, make sure all the bolts are to torque spec, and you can check the toe in your self in the driveway with a jack, marking pen, tape measure and a helper.

There’s just not that many adjustments that can be done on a straight axle without adjustable control arms.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Agree, make sure the steering wheel is centered first. Take a drive with a 15mm wrench and pliers (might not need the pliers to turn the collar, but just in case), and adjust the drag link collar until your steering wheel is straight. This will likely take a few tries as you dial in the steering wheel. Next, make sure all the bolts are to torque spec, and you can check the toe in your self in the driveway with a jack, marking pen, tape measure and a helper.

There’s just not that many adjustments that can be done on a straight axle without adjustable control arms.

For lurkers -

The only thing that can be set with a factory setup is toe and steering wheel centering.

The only thing that can be set with adjustable control arms is the above plus caster - but caster will change 1 to 1 on a straight axle. I it's 4.5 on the left and 4.6 on the right, you can go 5.4 and 5.6 but can't change the difference between left and right.
Camber cannot be changed without ball joint shims or other parts.

If it truly pulls - look for tire issues, uneven inflation. Try rotating tires - swap left to right front tires and see if it still pulls the same.
Control arms won't change a true 'caster pull' on a solid/straight axle vehicle.

Basically, if it did NOT pull before the lift, there is nothing about a lift that will cause a pull. Look for something else that changed (tire position, for example)

 

[rhaney02]

Thanks for all the replies and pointers.

As mentioned in the first response, I hope it wouldn't be a bad tie rod or wheel bearing as the Jeep hasn't even turned over 5500 miles.

I made sure that the steering wheel was centered before leaving the shop. The draw/pull is not huge, but still just enough to be irritating. When driving on roads that I know it tracked straight before the lift, I now can take my hand off the wheel and get a gradual drift to the right.

To add to the information, I also had new 17"x9" KMC wheels and 315/70/17 Mickey Thompson Baha Legend MTX tires installed at the same time as the lift. I have tried different inflation pressures with the same result, although not tried new wheel and tire position yet.
Edit to add a pic...

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Thanks for all the replies and pointers.

As mentioned in the first response, I hope it wouldn't be a bad tie rod or wheel bearing as the Jeep hasn't even turned over 5500 miles.

I made sure that the steering wheel was centered before leaving the shop. The draw/pull is not huge, but still just enough to be irritating. When driving on roads that I know it tracked straight before the lift, I now can take my hand off the wheel and get a gradual drift to the right.

To add to the information, I also had new 17"x9" KMC wheels and 315/70/17 Mickey Thompson Baha Legend MTX tires installed at the same time as the lift. I have tried different inflation pressures with the same result, although not tried new wheel and tire position yet.
Edit to add a pic...

Aha - finally, the rest of the story - wheels changing the offset, or making the tire stick out more can absolutely add to a pull situation.
You really tossed a wrench into the works doing it all at once.

So it could be TIRES or the fact you changed out wheels, changing the geometry of the steering and suspension. Start with TIRES. Do a tire swap left to right on the front.

Wheel bearings and tie rods don't cause pulls. The tie rod can cause loose steering, but never a pull.

 

[rhaney02]

Aha - finally, the rest of the story - wheels changing the offset, or making the tire stick out more can absolutely add to a pull situation.
You really tossed a wrench into the works doing it all at once.

So it could be TIRES or the fact you changed out wheels, changing the geometry of the steering and suspension. Start with TIRES. Do a tire swap left to right on the front.

Wheel bearings and tie rods don't cause pulls. The tie rod can cause loose steering, but never a pull.

Weird, this is the third time I've done the same thing with a lift, wheels and tires at the same time and haven't had this issue before.

Offset and tire width should still track the same when mounted and balanced correctly on the original hub and all are quality components.

Will possibly try the tire swap after alignment is rechecked.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Weird, this is the third time I've done the same thing with a lift, wheels and tires at the same time and haven't had this issue before.

The problem really is that when you do multiple things at a time - you don't know which of those things was the change that made the difference.

Offset and tire width should still track the same when mounted and balanced correctly on the original hub and all are quality components.

You literally change scrub radius when you change tire diameter and/or wheel offset.
It gets rather complex, but where the center of a line drawn through the ball joints meets the centerline of the tire - above or below the road surface, can cause changes in handling, bump-steer, braking changes and the need for a very different toe setting.

 

[rhaney02]

The problem really is that when you do multiple things at a time - you don't know which of those things was the change that made the difference.


You literally change scrub radius when you change tire diameter and/or wheel offset.
It gets rather complex, but where the center of a line drawn through the ball joints meets the centerline of the tire - above or below the road surface, can cause changes in handling, bump-steer, braking changes and the need for a very different toe setting.

Like I stated, no issues before this one. The first thing will be checking the alignment.

My original question was what other things I can ask the shop to check when I take it back. Outside of alignment, what else do you suggest to point out to check?

 

[rhaney02]

Did you upgrade the steering stabilizer? A non neutral shock can cause a right pull. A through shaft or neutral shock is better.

Yes, forgot about that. Mopar/Fox steering stabilizer.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Like I stated, no issues before this one.

Still doesn't matter unless you did the exact same mods, same tires, same wheels, on the same version of Jeep.

Each has just enough differences................
Even the "alignment angles" have ranges that are correct. They don't all have identical caster, identical caster split, identical camber and so on. So mods on one may have little impact while mods on another push it just over the edge.

There's nothing about an alignment that would change with a lift other than caster - and then, the caster split or left to right difference would not be changed.
They may be spending some time chasing it down.

 

[rhaney02]

That may or may not be the culprit but easy enough to check. If the shock is pushing out on its own it could cause it to drift right, if it’s still in the factory location.

Thanks for the hint. I'll mention it to the shop.

 

[rhaney02]

Update:
Caster is 3.1 on right, 3.9 on left with Mopar lower control arms. Synergy adjustable lower control arms ordered and will be installed next week to correct.

Sponsored