Still pulling to the right (slightly) after front end alignment

[Badunit]

Other things that can cause a pull are

• A weak or broken spring, front or back. I imagine a spring that that is not seated properly might also cause a pull if it is way out of place, but it seems unlikely to me to cause much of one.
• Brake pull (brake dragging).
• Aftermarket steering stabilizer. Many are pressurized and cause a pull.

Tire cupping may or may not be a clue to the problem. They could have cupped from worn shocks or being cheap tires or not rotating them or poor balance. Or it could be from worn suspension components. If it has an aftermarket steering stabilizer it might have been installed as a bandaid for "death wobble", rather than replacing the worn out component(s).

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[ShadowsPapa]

Other things that can cause a pull are

• A weak or broken spring, front or back. I imagine a spring that that is not seated properly might also cause a pull if it is way out of place, but it seems unlikely to me to cause much of one.
• Brake pull (brake dragging).
• Aftermarket steering stabilizer. Many are pressurized and cause a pull.

Tire cupping may or may not be a clue to the problem. They could have cupped from worn shocks or being cheap tires or not rotating them or poor balance. Or it could be from worn suspension components. If it has an aftermarket steering stabilizer it might have been installed as a bandaid for "death wobble", rather than replacing the worn out component(s).

I also have to wonder with these PS systems if there's a valve leak or that torque shaft is messed up if there's "assist" pressure being applied causing it to want to "pull" - which is more the PS steering gear pushing that direction.
I'd have to refer to my steering sector rebuild guides but something seems familiar there for some reason. Or could be the drugs.........

And of course, sometimes people confuse a "pull" with the steering wheel being off-centered. They try to drive with it straight and the vehicle wants to go left, or right, depending on which way the steering wheel is off, and it's really just that the steering wheel is off. I've seen a "pull" fixed by centering the steering wheel.
A pull will pull when you let go of the steering wheel while driving on a flat surface without road crown. If it tracks straight when you let go, it's not a pull.

 

[Volt0]

Front right tire pressure lower than the front left?

additionally, roads are typically shaped with a crown, in part for water shed, and if a driver becomes incapacitated then their vehicle should wander to the ditch on the right ( rather than head-on traffic ).

so what are we talking here, all roads, wind conditions, and how much of a pull? If you were on the most level of level 4-lane ( 2 each direction ) how many seconds at highway speed before you would be crossing a line?

 

[Badunit]

It's hard to find a road around here without any crown. I figure if it "pulls" a little left on some roads and a little right on others (or in the other lane) and never has a strong pull, it is probably good.

I'd think an internal leak in the steering gear could cause it to push one way. I wonder if it would be enough force to rotate the steering by itself if the front end was off the ground or if the difference turning left or right could be felt with the wheels off the ground.

This is one of those problems with a lot of potential causes. As a start, I am curious about the brand of steering stabilizer.

 

[XraytecH]

... sometimes people confuse a "pull" with the steering wheel being off-centered. They try to drive with it straight and the vehicle wants to go left, or right, depending on which way the steering wheel is off, and it's really just that the steering wheel is off. I've seen a "pull" fixed by centering the steering wheel.
A pull will pull when you let go of the steering wheel while driving on a flat surface without road crown. If it tracks straight when you let go, it's not a pull.

I agree

Turn your front tires "Straight" and see if your steering wheel is centered.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

additionally, roads are typically shaped with a crown, in part for water shed, and if a driver becomes incapacitated then their vehicle should wander to the ditch on the right ( rather than head-on traffic ).

Alignments are done for no drift or pull.

Some of the interstates here are flat in between where they have a slop to the left or slope to the right, but interstates aren't generally crowned so much as slanted - at least around here.
State and county highways and roads, yeah, a "crown".
Part of the "plus/minus" bit is so when doing an alignment (at least on IFS) is so you can tailor the split for caster and/or camber so that there's zero pull.
it's a wives tale that "the crown is so a car will drift to the right".
It's purely snow/ice/rain/water.
Align for zero pull or drift. If the test drive (which no one does these days) shows that there's still a bit of pull, adjust the caster split or camber split, or both, to get zero drift or pull.
All cars were to be neutral pull or drift when we let go of the wheel. If the majority of driving was on crowned roads, the alignment covered for that. We talked to customers, we test drove after alignments.
Sadly, those pages have been ripped from text books.

If a driver becomes incapacitated they almost always lean or pull a bit on the steering wheel. Few let go or fall back in the seat. (towed in too many accident vehicles back in the 80s)
Two good examples are the accident where a guy fell asleep and crossed the center on the moron trail (what our mayor called 141 years ago) and hit a teen girl head-on. He was against the steering wheel so it wasn't a drift either way.
The other is the guy that fell asleep and killed my father - wasn't a drift, it was a fairly quick crossing of the center line clear over to the other shoulder. The road had a good crown but he was still holding the wheel a bit and woke up too late.
No crown or "drift" would have mattered. The trooper who did the accident investigation had an incredible amount of details in that, including exacting speeds, angles and other things.

 

[cuteangel1007]

I also have to wonder with these PS systems if there's a valve leak or that torque shaft is messed up if there's "assist" pressure being applied causing it to want to "pull" - which is more the PS steering gear pushing that direction.
I'd have to refer to my steering sector rebuild guides but something seems familiar there for some reason. Or could be the drugs.........

And of course, sometimes people confuse a "pull" with the steering wheel being off-centered. They try to drive with it straight and the vehicle wants to go left, or right, depending on which way the steering wheel is off, and it's really just that the steering wheel is off. I've seen a "pull" fixed by centering the steering wheel.
A pull will pull when you let go of the steering wheel while driving on a flat surface without road crown. If it tracks straight when you let go, it's not a pull.

Hi there, and thank you for your input! I am learning as I go.
It is is a pull, as I must almost constantly correct it. After Trixee came home from the dealership, it’s been better, she will track straight without holding the wheel for a couple hundred feet then pull right and as I drive the curve increases.
I have carpal tunnel in my right wrist and an old shoulder/neck injury on my left side, so if I fight the wheel too much I end up in pain, both sides. My wrist hurts and my neck/shoulder hurt and start spasming.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Hi there, and thank you for your input! I am learning as I go.
It is is a pull, as I must almost constantly correct it. After Trixee came home from the dealership, it’s been better, she will track straight without holding the wheel for a couple hundred feet then pull right and as I drive the curve increases.
I have carpal tunnel in my right wrist and an old shoulder/neck injury on my left side, so if I fight the wheel too much I end up in pain, both sides. My wrist hurts and my neck/shoulder hurt and start spasming.

Absolutely not normal on these.
I've had two Gladiators and a Wrangler, and have driven them each across the country (some trips were literally almost non-stop, save for fuel). No pain, no aches, other than sitting too long on a 20 + hour drive from Florida back to Iowa.
It's going to require a dealer who will spend the time and effort and energy as all of the possible causes have pretty much been listed.

One thing to have a dealer check is to see if your 2020 Gladiator still has the original steering gear.
the reason I mention is because there is a TSB (technical service bulletin) that describes a lead or a pull as one of the symptoms - note the words below "has a lead/pull to the right or left". So it's possible a steering gear can cause this according to Jeep.

 

[cuteangel1007]

Front right tire pressure lower than the front left?

additionally, roads are typically shaped with a crown, in part for water shed, and if a driver becomes incapacitated then their vehicle should wander to the ditch on the right ( rather than head-on traffic ).

so what are we talking here, all roads, wind conditions, and how much of a pull? If you were on the most level of level 4-lane ( 2 each direction ) how many seconds at highway speed before you would be crossing a line?

As far as how many seconds at

Absolutely not normal on these.
I've had two Gladiators and a Wrangler, and have driven them each across the country (some trips were literally almost non-stop, save for fuel). No pain, no aches, other than sitting too long on a 20 + hour drive from Florida back to Iowa.
It's going to require a dealer who will spend the time and effort and energy as all of the possible causes have pretty much been listed.

One thing to have a dealer check is to see if your 2020 Gladiator still has the original steering gear.
the reason I mention is because there is a TSB (technical service bulletin) that describes a lead or a pull as one of the symptoms - note the words below "has a lead/pull to the right or left". So it's possible a steering gear can cause this according to Jeep.

that is great information! Thank you. I kinda hammered the dealership on price for Trixee, they don’t seem willing to do much more for me after new tires and an alignment from a shop down the street, as these issues are happening not 2 weeks from purchase and it’s supposed to be a “certified” vehicle. They didn’t even replace the visors that keep popping out of the frame (was gonna chat at y’all about that one too, but I saw a fairly inexpensive solution online today, and it’s apparently a common problem), they just tapped the visors back in place and the first time I touched them they popped out again. Ugh Actually the visor popped out during my test drive. ?

 

[cuteangel1007]

Hey look everybody!! I’m learning!! I printed these definitions from a website, can’t remember which, but from a guy/company that does many educational trips and classes. Now I just need to see a drawing/picture of what it looks like.

 

[PuddleJumper]

So,,,, what is the cross castor?
What is the toe?
Too bad y'all live so far away. I wish I could have someone help to educate me and coach me in person on these issues so that I know what y'all are talking about! I eventually would like to do the work myself,, if I ever learn enough.

THANK YOU to all who have answered!! ?

here, ask the dealer to loosen all the front control arms and retorque to spec. this should realign all the arms. then get an alignment to center the wheel. after that it should only have pull to match the grade of the road your on. grade being the slope they build roads to assist water runoff. you'll never get away from that counter steer to stay straight on some roads. Thats just the nature of Solid axles. I hope they resolve your issues. but tbh this is one of those thing where internet diagnoses can only go so far. we can't turn the bolts, or get eyes on the actual problem. This is all just imaginative speculation on our end.

edit: After looking at @ShadowsPapa respones (educational and informative as always). And noticing your truck is a 2020. I would also like to suggest having them check to see if you have the aluminum steering box that may be going out, or the the steering gears like others have mentioned.

 

[PuddleJumper]

Alignments are done for no drift or pull.

Some of the interstates here are flat in between where they have a slop to the left or slope to the right, but interstates aren't generally crowned so much as slanted - at least around here.
State and county highways and roads, yeah, a "crown".
Part of the "plus/minus" bit is so when doing an alignment (at least on IFS) is so you can tailor the split for caster and/or camber so that there's zero pull.
it's a wives tale that "the crown is so a car will drift to the right".
It's purely snow/ice/rain/water.
Align for zero pull or drift. If the test drive (which no one does these days) shows that there's still a bit of pull, adjust the caster split or camber split, or both, to get zero drift or pull.
All cars were to be neutral pull or drift when we let go of the wheel. If the majority of driving was on crowned roads, the alignment covered for that. We talked to customers, we test drove after alignments.
Sadly, those pages have been ripped from text books.

If a driver becomes incapacitated they almost always lean or pull a bit on the steering wheel. Few let go or fall back in the seat. (towed in too many accident vehicles back in the 80s)
Two good examples are the accident where a guy fell asleep and crossed the center on the moron trail (what our mayor called 141 years ago) and hit a teen girl head-on. He was against the steering wheel so it wasn't a drift either way.
The other is the guy that fell asleep and killed my father - wasn't a drift, it was a fairly quick crossing of the center line clear over to the other shoulder. The road had a good crown but he was still holding the wheel a bit and woke up too late.
No crown or "drift" would have mattered. The trooper who did the accident investigation had an incredible amount of details in that, including exacting speeds, angles and other things.

mine follows the grade BUT only with my 37s mounted is it a bit more noticeable. I run them at 27 psi to get a proper contact patch. but that also means they aren't very stiff and tend to wander vs 37 psi in the stock 33s. adding caster with longer LCAs helped a lot though.

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