Your steering is not loose. Rant warning.

[Reasons]

Noted and my apologies. Was never meant to dismiss the capabilities of others only as a PSA for the hundreds of people who are jumping on the "Jeep steering sucks let's sue" bandwagon when the only issue was lack of understanding. Im not generally an ass altho I have an abrasive streak. Can I blame it on being a bit frustrated at the time cause I had been doing this battle round and round with another guy before even getting on my rant.

The guy claiming to be suing Chrysler over his loose steering..... Well his Jeep is driving fine now. Finally listened to me and took his 37s down to 26cold and it acted better. Still flighty. Finally convinced him to measure his toe in with a tape measure. It was out of spec.

How do you measure toe-in? I would love a tutorial please. Where do I find the specs?

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[Oscar Indy]

How do you measure toe-in? I would love a tutorial please. Where do I find the specs?

Find a repeatable spot on the front and rear of the tire. Like a mold seem or a lug. Measure the front compared to the rear of the tire. Front edge should be 1/8th of an inch narrower than the rear edge.
I need to make a YouTube video for doing this but I'm sure one could be found that's close enough.

 

[Scrubb84]

Find a repeatable spot on the front and rear of the tire. Like a mold seem or a lug. Measure the front compared to the rear of the tire. Front edge should be 1/8th of an inch narrower than the rear edge.
I need to make a YouTube video for doing this but I'm sure one could be found that's close enough.

I used 2 4foot levels, 1 friend, & a tape measure on level ground. 1/8” toe in on the money.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

A good tape measure, the type that doesn't easily sag, like a quality 25 footer - but any would do with help. (a cheap tape measure could sag enough to throw your readings off more than the 1/8" you are looking for in difference so pull the tape tight and straight)

Start at either the front or rear of the front tires, doesn't matter. Then move to the other - if you measured front first now go to the back of the front tires.
Best to do it half way up the tire for most accurate reading, not at ground level, but as close as you can get to hub level if that's possible.

g

 

[5JeepsAz]

Very glad everybody is back to argying in a nice civil manner. The only thing that sucks worse than jeep waves is Not jeep waves. Having said that, I have two points. First, when did 25' measure replace driving onto a paper bag and marking off the tire width? Did I miss something?

Second, what the hell is the explanation of when you go under water? Does that effect (a) death wobble and loose steering (b) psi?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Very glad everybody is back to argying in a nice civil manner. The only thing that sucks worse than jeep waves is Not jeep waves. Having said that, I have two points. First, when did 25' measure replace driving onto a paper bag and marking off the tire width? Did I miss something?

Second, what the hell is the explanation of when you go under water? Does that effect (a) death wobble and loose steering (b) psi?

HUH? Ya try to be nice, help a guy who had a very simple question about a simple single topic and you get BS back???
I give up. Sh!t responses if you do, sh!t responses if you don't. Smacked for even trying to help an innocent with a question.
I didn't see you trying to answer the question.
No comments about levels? I see - it's a personal attack, figures.
Screw it.

 

[Oscar Indy]

Very glad everybody is back to argying in a nice civil manner. The only thing that sucks worse than jeep waves is Not jeep waves. Having said that, I have two points. First, when did 25' measure replace driving onto a paper bag and marking off the tire width? Did I miss something?

Second, what the hell is the explanation of when you go under water? Does that effect (a) death wobble and loose steering (b) psi?

Had a water crossing try to take me for a ride once.... got lucky and was able to back out but I got pushed several yards downstream first. Not sure pressure or volume would have helped me there.

 

[5JeepsAz]

HUH? Ya try to be nice, help a guy who had a very simple question about a simple single topic and you get BS back???
I give up. Sh!t responses if you do, sh!t responses if you don't. Smacked for even trying to help an innocent with a question.
I didn't see you trying to answer the question.
No comments about levels? I see - it's a personal attack, figures.
Screw it.

Nah. I'm just being a jackass. I like your responses. I do not understand always, but I am glad you and others do understand these things. My only deal here is this has been an issue for some time, and it must have multiple causes and a solution for each. Hope you stick to explaining, good stuff!

 

[Southbayglad]

Find a repeatable spot on the front and rear of the tire. Like a mold seem or a lug. Measure the front compared to the rear of the tire. Front edge should be 1/8th of an inch narrower than the rear edge.
I need to make a YouTube video for doing this but I'm sure one could be found that's close enough.

Im running BFG KM2's on 18's. Whats your recomendation for psi in those daily temps 50's. Also leaving soon to go back home and temps will be around 20 degrees, what would be recommended psi for there?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Nah. I'm just being a jackass. I like your responses. I do not understand always, but I am glad you and others do understand these things. My only deal here is this has been an issue for some time, and it must have multiple causes and a solution for each. Hope you stick to explaining, good stuff!

Sorry, not a good mood - huge close deadlines on some restoration stuff and coming up on Christmas knowing Dad isn't around, Guilty feelings.
Reading, posting, etc. in between plating processes and while powder coat jobs are cooking or cooling, parts are in the tumbler or acid bath, sort of a distraction from real life now I guess.

I also feel that there are multiple causes - same or similar symptoms (like having a cold, or something that is like a cold only bacterial - oops, medical stuff now)
It doesn't help that we - you, I, none of us can actually DRIVE one of those JTs having that issue.
I'd LOVE to get one in my shop - because there MAY actually be some cases where it is described as "loose" but it's not, or "wandering" but it's not, while there are times at least I am convinced there ARE loose steering issues.

OK, so ya know - I do have a genetic condition that leaves me totally lacking in social skills. People should know it. As I have heard it said, I am incapable of making decisions that are in my own best interest socially. And don't ever ask me if that dress makes you look fat - if I think it does I will say so in no uncertain terms.

 

[5JeepsAz]

Had a water crossing try to take me for a ride once.... got lucky and was able to back out but I got pushed several yards downstream first. Not sure pressure or volume would have helped me there.

My question is why no list of solutions after all these years? I vote for design flaw

 

[5JeepsAz]

Sorry, not a good mood - huge close deadlines on some restoration stuff and coming up on Christmas knowing Dad isn't around, Guilty feelings.
Reading, posting, etc. in between plating processes and while powder coat jobs are cooking or cooling, parts are in the tumbler or acid bath, sort of a distraction from real life now I guess.

I also feel that there are multiple causes - same or similar symptoms (like having a cold, or something that is like a cold only bacterial - oops, medical stuff now)
It doesn't help that we - you, I, none of us can actually DRIVE one of those JTs having that issue.
I'd LOVE to get one in my shop - because there MAY actually be some cases where it is described as "loose" but it's not, or "wandering" but it's not, while there are times at least I am convinced there ARE loose steering issues.

OK, so ya know - I do have a genetic condition that leaves me totally lacking in social skills. People should know it. As I have heard it said, I am incapable of making decisions that are in my own best interest socially. And don't ever ask me if that dress makes you look fat - if I think it does I will say so in no uncertain terms.

All good with me, my friend. This is a jeep forum so we all fit it just fine with our idiosyncrasies. Sort of like Jeep's parking next to Jeep's, IMHO.

 

[Oscar Indy]

Im running BFG KM2's on 18's. Whats your recomendation for psi in those daily temps 50's. Also leaving soon to go back home and temps will be around 20 degrees, what would be recommended psi for there?

What size?

 

[FL Handle Guy]

I haven't been proven wrong yet.
Show me a chalk test, 1/8th toe in,(using a tape measure not an alignment machine), and caster set between 6 and 7 deg on the driver side and if it's still loose I'll concede.

Lots of complaints but no one else is attempting to help fix this shit.

No one is attempting to fix it? Go read JL wrangler forum. They have the same problems, the final fix is to adjust the lash yourself and void the warranty on the box, redneck ram or psc. FCA has replaced the stabilizer, trackbar and made 5 revisions to the steering box and have stated there is another revision coming out soon. What about that speaks trouble free? What about the boxes that are locking up on people in turns?

How can explain the changes in steering from hot to cold? Below 60 degrees it drives so much better for about 30 minutes until it warms up. I have dropped my pressure on a road trip to troubleshoot if it was the cold tires, it didn't help.

I have a JT that I have tried multiple pressures from 28psi to 38psi cold and hot. It didn't fix the problem, only slightly lessened it. I have had alignments done by the dealer and a local shop and done my own with a tape at 1/16th and 1/8th of toe and guess what? Still there. I have my toe, caster and camber within spec. When you can turn the wheel 3" from left to right with the engine off and the input shaft moves but the sector shaft doesn't move it's an improperly adjusted or designed box, not tires. This is the first jeep with a SFA with an aluminum box with a new power steering pump and new fluid.

A buddy of mine has a JLU and adjusted his box and it fixed everything and voided his warranty in the process. Drives like a champ and like a SFA should. He had to do two adjustments of 1/8th of a turn and it took out most of the slop in the wheel. Before he adjusted it his drove like my JT did stock. I have replaced my trackbar with a currie (JJ ends) and synergy tierod and draglink with minimal improvement and his still drives so much better than mine. I have removed all rubber bushings from my steering and will eventually do the same to LCAs and UCAs just to remove all play from the other parts.

My Jeep LJ with full currie steering and control arms and new ball joints drove like this when I hit 120k miles. I replaced every connection point on the axle trying to fix the problem only to realize it was a simple fix. I adjusted the lash on the box and it fixed the sloppy steering. Hell, that 05 LJ with a 4" lift and 35"s drove better than my JT does.

 

[jurfie]

And don't ever ask me if that dress makes you look fat - if I think it does I will say so in no uncertain terms.

And here I thought this dress was slimming.

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