Steering wanders

R

rgirardi

Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2021
Messages
37
Location
Raymond NH
Hi,
I have a 1988 YJ that wonders all over the road which causes me to oversteer. Front end parts are new or have been checked. New steering box, I have rebuilt the steering column and have had an alignment and is in specification. The jeep has a 4 in suspension lift. Has the stabilizer and track bar in. I have driven it with and without track bar in, no difference noticed. There is no play in the front end and no worn parts. The tires are smaller than 33"s (I don't remember the size). I am not sure what to check next. The frame had some rot issues but those pieces have been replaced. I was an auto/truck tech and now I just work on my own stuff. I have never had a front end mystery like this. Any thoughts?
Thanks
Ralph
 
Shot in the dark here. I know you said no worn out parts… but have you checked for ball joint wear? Most alignment shops will not align with worn out ball joints but never know.
 
gixxerkid3 said:
Shot in the dark here. I know you said no worn out parts… but have you checked for ball joint wear? Most alignment shops will not align with worn out ball joints but never know.
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Hi, thanks, yes I have checked the ball joints several times just to make sure I am not loosing my mind.
 
Sounds like you have a gremlin. Sorry man. That kind of stuff frustrates me too.
 
A YJ has a non-optimal steering linkage design. At 4" lift, the drag link is at quite a steep angle. The tie rod will roll before the drag link will actually begin to move the tie rod enough to steer the wheels. That problem is felt much more noticeably with tall lift. A drop pitman arm can help but it never fully solves the problem.

also if you have taller than stock shackles, they will make the steering feel loose and like it wanders a lot.
 
machoheadgames said:
A YJ has a non-optimal steering linkage design. At 4" lift, the drag link is at quite a steep angle. The tie rod will roll before the drag link will actually begin to move the tie rod enough to steer the wheels. That problem is felt much more noticeably with tall lift. A drop pitman arm can help but it never fully solves the problem.

also if you have taller than stock shackles, they will make the steering feel loose and like it wanders a lot.
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Hi, thanks, I should have mentioned that it does have a dropped pitman arm. I took the tall shackles off and replaced them with stock ones. That made the most difference. Before I did that you could not go over 30mph, now I can go 55mph. The faster I go the better it feels.
 
rgirardi said:
Hi, thanks, I should have mentioned that it does have a dropped pitman arm. I took the tall shackles off and replaced them with stock ones. That made the most difference. Before I did that you could not go over 30mph, now I can go 55mph. The faster I go the better it feels.
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Does it feel like there is a dead spot in the steering? As in, turn the wheel, but it doesn't turn the front wheels until you've turned the steering wheel a certain amount?
 
machoheadgames said:
Does it feel like there is a dead spot in the steering? As in, turn the wheel, but it doesn't turn the front wheels until you've turned the steering wheel a certain amount?
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Hi, no dead spot. There is something weird that I have noticed. If I have my foot on the throttle and am going say over 25mph and take my foot off rapidly it seems to pull to the right hard. I have adjusted the rear brakes, I have replaced the front axel outer u-joints and checked the brakes and calipers for any signs of sticking. There is no binding anywhere I can see.
 
You havent mentioned tires but some can make a huge difference. I had an old Powerwagon with Bias plys, you could hardly keep that thing in its lane. New radials and it was like new. Alignment may be way off and regarding the "pull to the right" This thing have lockers in it?? Do you get weird pulling to a side upon hard acceleration?? Do a redneck toe check using a nail in a board to scribe a perfect radial line around both fronts then measure at 90 degrees front and back of tire and you should have 1/8 smaller in front than rear measurement. Does it return to center more less after coming out of a turn of is it like its st wheel is stuck in the turn?
 
rgirardi said:
Hi, no dead spot. There is something weird that I have noticed. If I have my foot on the throttle and am going say over 25mph and take my foot off rapidly it seems to pull to the right hard. I have adjusted the rear brakes, I have replaced the front axel outer u-joints and checked the brakes and calipers for any signs of sticking. There is no binding anywhere I can see.
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The improvement you mentioned makes want to agree with @machoheadgames that it'geometry.

But, this symptom sounds like it could, maybe, kinda, be locker related if it has one, and might be in the rear.
Though not quite what I've experienced.
But it's easy enough to check if you have one and if it's working properly if you do, you'll need a helper.
Both tires off the ground, trans in Neutral.
Rotate the wheels, if they both go the same way, you have one.
If so, have a helper hold one wheel and rotate the other the opposite direction from the way they're holding..
You'll get a clicking sound and the drive shaft should not rotate.
Repeat for the other side.
If it "ratchets" and the drive shaft does rotate, it's got problems.

Automatic "Lunch-box Lockers" are a very popular mod to Jeeps, cheap and easy to install.
But they can change handling characteristics and be unruly on the road even when working correctly.
Usually they're just noisy, clicking, bangs.
Additionally, the D35 Rear axle housing is notorious for bending.
just the slightest misalignment will stop one for working correctly.
Been there, done that, bent the left tube 1/8" and it was difficult to make right turns after that.
All I did was bang a shock mount.
 
The locker is an interesting idea for sure, definitely find out if there is one. A rear locker will make for a very interesting drive. If it’s not that, I’d have to lean back on looking at geometry of suspension and steering up front.
 
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