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Jeep is swaying down the road.

X

XJjosh

NAXJA Member #1025
Location
USA
Ok. my 2001 xj wont stop swaying driving down the road. my wife cant even drive it. i have a 3 link front long arm with crossover steering, a steering stabiliser (new) 8" lift and 35" tires. i recently drive it to Florida and my arms killed when i got there from trying to keep it on the road. it doesnt seem like there is any slack in the steering. what can fix this? oh, and i have a detroit in the rear. thanks,
 
Sell it and buy a landcruiser... it worked for Safari Ary!

Seriously, do you have an antisway bar and is it connected properly? Same for the track bar. Are your tires properly inflated? Have you checked your rear springs for damage? Are your lug nuts tight? Wheel bearings in good shape? :repair:
 
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XJjosh said:
i have a 3 link front long arm with crossover steering, a steering stabiliser (new) 8" lift and 35" tires.
Click to expand...

Check the relation of your draglink and your trackbar...they should be parallel. With a crossover steering your draglink would be relocated, and if the trackbar was not moved you will get bumpsteer. Take front end pics if you can, we'll see what we can do to help.

Also like Hinky said, check your caster.
 
This is one of those trick questions, isn't it.
With an 8 inch lift, a 3 link front end, 35's and cross over steering it's not supposed to drive like a car.

I have an 01 also, 8+ inch lift, 35's, high steer D-44 front, drop pitman arm, yada, yada yada, lock out front hubs, and I'm lucky to make it to work and back (30 miles round trip) with out the carpal tunnel acting up. And my top speed is 50.

My point is at 8 inches of lift, I wouldn't expect it to handle smooth.

No kidding, at 8 inches or better we're off the daily driver list, in my case I have a trailer queen.
 
DaffyXJ said:
No kidding, at 8 inches or better we're off the daily driver list, in my case I have a trailer queen.
Click to expand...

Not always true, and it doesn't take gobs of money to set it up comfortably either. I know plenty of folks who set their stuff up properly through SOME trial and error...and they have VERY smooth-driving rigs. Probably comes from their years of experience though. :)

XJjosh...another thing I thought of was your tire pressure. Whatcha runnin' for your PSI, dude?
 
I know plenty of folks who set their stuff up properly through SOME trial and error...and they have VERY smooth-driving rigs

Just so I'm clear on this. You think it's reasonable to lift an XJ to 8 inches of suspension lift or larger, and Still take it on a trip from Va to Fla and Not feel the effects of fighting 35 inch tires and all the drag of being that high?
 
DaffyXJ said:
IJust so I'm clear on this. You think it's reasonable to lift an XJ to 8 inches of suspension lift or larger, and Still take it on a trip from Va to Fla and Not feel the effects of fighting 35 inch tires and all the drag of being that high?
Click to expand...

Correct...but on even larger tires, driving halfway across the country, and hauling a 19ft trailer.
 
Also toe-in

When I removed the 4" lift from the MJ last year, I knew the front tires would toe in a bit -- but I expected it to be a LITTLE bit. Couple of days after I had the stock suspension bolted back in I had to drive 2-1/2 hours north to a chapter trail ride.

OH ... MY ... GOD!

"Twitchy" doesn't begin to describe the steering. I couldn't relax for a nanosecond without finding myself either in the oncoming lane, or on the shoulder headed for the weeds. Got up to North Adams, grabbed a tape measure fom one of the guys, and found that the toe-in was a full inch. Couldn't budge the adjuster with any tools we had up there, so i had to drive it home like that. Soaked it with PB Blaster for a week, used a 24" pipe wrench on it, and got it to move.

Now it drives just like an MJ :)
 
DaffyXJ said:
My point is at 8 inches of lift, I wouldn't expect it to handle smooth.

No kidding, at 8 inches or better we're off the daily driver list, in my case I have a trailer queen.
Click to expand...


with 12+, long arms, and tie rod flips, and 37's it is my daily driver and at 80+ on the freeway for my 30 mile commute everyday it drives like a cadilac....
 
If you are running stock style steering, the alignment can change pretty drastically when you load up the cargo area with weight. I've often found that my Jeep can drive fine on highways when empty, but load it up and get some side wind and it takes a lot of work to keep it going straight.
Just something else to consider...
 
Eagle said:
Also toe-in

When I removed the 4" lift from the MJ last year, I knew the front tires would toe in a bit -- but I expected it to be a LITTLE bit...

...grabbed a tape measure fom one of the guys, and found that the toe-in was a full inch.
Click to expand...

was that toe-in? or toe-out?

I would expect removing a lift would cause toe-out.

speaking of air pressure, I run 25 lbs or less in a 12.50 width tire. 35 psi must ride like a rock.
 
MaXJohnson said:
was that toe-in? or toe-out?

I would expect removing a lift would cause toe-out.
Click to expand...
Good catch.

It was toed out, of course. This is what happens when trying to write something sensible while the guy who owns the computer you're borrowing is standing there saying he'd like to use his computer.

Of all the nerve!
 
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How about an adjustable track arm, dropped pitman arm, is your front diff off center? I realize its only a 2001 but that is 4 years old and how much off roading do you do? maybe some of your suspension is worn and has play. Is your steering wheel off center? This is just some things to look at.
 
I had the same problem at 6.5 inches of lift and 35's, I made some caster shims had the aligment done twice (once before the shims and once after) and I was good to go. It still rides like a lifted XJ but it isn't too bad.
 
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