• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Steering after RE4.5 lift

S

skyh

NAXJA Forum User
Location
PA
I just got a RE4.5 lift with 32' BFGMT's and its awesome. but, the steering is now alot looser, i have to turn it much more then i used to prior to the lift.
any ideas as to why? is that normal?
 
a drop pitman arm should solve my problem i'm told. anyone else done this and been happier with the steering?
 
I don't have an answer but I have been told that a 4.5" drop shouldn't require a dropped pitman arm, I would go to RE and ask for there tech dept and grill them on what it could be, HTH
Daniel
 
Mine did that after my lift and tires too. I fixed it by getting an aftermarket steering stabilizer (much stiffer) and by rechecking the torque on all the linkages especially the track bar.
 
jonbob said:
Mine did that after my lift and tires too. I fixed it by getting an aftermarket steering stabilizer (much stiffer) and by rechecking the torque on all the linkages especially the track bar.
Click to expand...
Don't forget to tighten the trackbar frame mount too (not that that is your problem just that it is notorious for being lose)

One other point make sure you have it aligned and your alignment spec should be 0* toe / 5-7* caster, with a lift that high it will screw up your alignment!
 
I have a 98 4 door, and a 4.5 lift. I have Rubicons dropped pitman arm, but it didn't help as much as I hoped. I'm still frying drag links like crazy! I think rusty's has an even bigger dropped p.arm. I know that I'm in the same boat you are, and I don't know what else to do???

If you figure it out, please let me know! I'm pulling my hair out!:gonnablow
 
what do you mean frying drag links? what are they? you've had to replace them?
i called rubicon and they told me to check my caster. my front left caster is 3.9 and toe is .11. my front right caster is 4.5 and toe is .12. the caster range is 5.3 - 8.5 though. can this be the problem?
 
skyh said:
what do you mean frying drag links? what are they? you've had to replace them?
i called rubicon and they told me to check my caster. my front left caster is 3.9 and toe is .11. my front right caster is 4.5 and toe is .12. the caster range is 5.3 - 8.5 though. can this be the problem?
Click to expand...

Drag links are your steering arms, the ball joint that goes from your pitman arm down. I just replaced all the ball joints, and I still have play! I need to do an alignment (which I've never done before) but when I installed the new parts, the rubber boot is pinched on the pitman arm end, and the RT tire! I wish I new what to do??? I found a link through a different forum to do an alignment myself. Which I have to do myself since I'm in stationed in Italy and I'll be damned if some Fiat shop is going to screw up my front end!!

I'm seriously considering upgrading the steering to something aftermarket! Just got get the old lady to sign off! LOL
 
I have a 92 xj with the same lift. I put a new pro comp steering stabalizer on it and had no real steering problems. It is not recomended to put a drop pitman arm on unless you go over 5" of lift, and if you put one on you should drop your track bar to match it. Yes definatly re-check your track bar bolts they like to loosen up.
 
XJLaredo said:
I have a 92 xj with the same lift. I put a new pro comp steering stabalizer on it and had no real steering problems. It is not recomended to put a drop pitman arm on unless you go over 5" of lift, and if you put one on you should drop your track bar to match it. Yes definatly re-check your track bar bolts they like to loosen up.
Click to expand...

I don't get it? I just installed a new steering stab. and sure it absorbs the shock better now, but the play is still there? When I look at my Jeep, the upper drag link looks like it's at a SEVERE angle and doesn't seat fully. Why does the trac bar mount, and pitman arm height have to be the same? I'm confused??
 
They are put at the same height by the factory, when you change that you can get "death wabble" in the front end(and that term is no joke). I am not 100% sure why but i have read it many times in multiple forums. It might not be true in every case but i personaly would not differ there height. Overall my steering is not the same as before i lifted it, but that might just be somthing that comes with modifing your steering and suspension from factory settings....:confused:
 
I was killing upper DLE's on my draglink every 500-900 miles for a while. Turns out the rubber bushing at the axle end of my RE trackbar was shot, so the draglink was taking all of the side to side force the trackbar should have taken. Put a new bushing in, steering is tight as can be now and all is back to normal.

-C
 
I've got the same kit, but haven't noticed major problems. I did notice however a little more steering required going into a curve at speeds above about 35 or so.... I put on new MT/R tires at the same time and found them to be flexing more than my stock worn out tires with less tread depth. Since I have driven a few thousand miles on them, the new "oils" and such are no longer there and it seems to have tighened up somewhat. If you have new tires, it could be that also... For the first 2 weeks after putting mine on, I could break them loose easily on takoff. They are 32's and I had 3.55 gears at the time... Now I can't do that with 4.10's!! Just a though...
 
i did a little testing based on what i've seen here so far. the steering has no play at all in actuality. as soon as i begin turning the steering wheel, the heels begin to move. they just move slower, equating to having to turn the wheel more to acheive the same turn that once required less. that is done to make turning the bigger tires easier.
also, based on what's been said on this thread, a drop pitman arm would allow the turning of the wheel to turn the tires more, bringing it closer to stock feel. the lift actually raised my vehicle more then 5" in the front and back.
does that sound right?
 
kleake, im in the same boat as you pretty much. new 32's (BFGMT's) and stock gears.
what do you mean, "break them loose"?
 
skyh said:
i did a little testing based on what i've seen here so far. the steering has no play at all in actuality. as soon as i begin turning the steering wheel, the heels begin to move. they just move slower, equating to having to turn the wheel more to acheive the same turn that once required less. that is done to make turning the bigger tires easier.
also, based on what's been said on this thread, a drop pitman arm would allow the turning of the wheel to turn the tires more, bringing it closer to stock feel. the lift actually raised my vehicle more then 5" in the front and back.
does that sound right?
Click to expand...


It does sound a bit right. I've installed the RE 6130 lift 4 times, two with a drop pitman and two keeping stock. I didnt notice a difference either way. I put a mako drop pitman arm on mine (5/8"). You don't want to drop it too far and put your draglink/trackbar angles off.
 
skyh said:
kleake, im in the same boat as you pretty much. new 32's (BFGMT's) and stock gears.
what do you mean, "break them loose"?
Click to expand...


Basically pull up to a stop sign,,, stomp it to the floor and spin the rear tires.... I could do that pretty easily for the first week or so, now I can't, they are hooking up much better... When the tires are new, they have oils on them that make them slicker... On the front that means around corners they have more push and a slicker feel, so you are actually turning sharper to make the same corner.... I don't know about the BFG's, but on mine, they got much stickier after about 2-3 weeks of daily driving...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
XJ shackle with custom springs question.
Replies
11
Views
206
XJlimitedx99
X
T
1 Ton steering clearance issues
Replies
9
Views
849
XJChang
X
E
Steering Redo.... Questions before I dive in.
2
Replies
28
Views
1K
RCP Phx
R
M
Steering wheel stuck after sitting outside a few days
Replies
2
Views
1K
maxbraketorque
M
C
How bad was my toe?
2
Replies
21
Views
6K
Evan03
E
Back
Top