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Jeep is wandering like mad

D

Doyle

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Gilbert, AZ
I have decided to keep my Jeep, it just has got me frustrated, I am trying to figure out why it wanders in the lane when I drive it, I got new hubs, wheel bearings, u joints on the axles and new tie rods, and that made it a whole hell of a lot better than before, but it still wanders.

Any ideas on what needs to be fixed/replaced to make it drive better down the free way?

its got 5 inches of lift, on stock arms with drop brackets, and I am running a 33x12.50 tires if that makes a difference. Rides fine, steering just wanders.
 
Yes, that castor can be a big point.

But I have another one for you. What TIRES do you have?

I've known a guy with Bias 33" TSL's and that thing wandered like nothing else, just becauseof hte tires.
 
GSequoia said:
Yes, that castor can be a big point.

But I have another one for you. What TIRES do you have?

I've known a guy with Bias 33" TSL's and that thing wandered like nothing else, just becauseof hte tires.
Click to expand...

On that note, what's the tire pressure at?
 
I have wild country txr's and run 34 psi, they wear pretty decent with 34 in them so I figured that was a decent tire pressure.

I will have to find the print out from when I got it aligned, I got it aligned about 200 miles ago when I got that junk in the front axle replaced.
 
Doyle said:
I have wild country txr's and run 34 psi, they wear pretty decent with 34 in them so I figured that was a decent tire pressure.

I will have to find the print out from when I got it aligned, I got it aligned about 200 miles ago when I got that junk in the front axle replaced.
Click to expand...

Check the contact patch on the tire. Your entire tread should be making contact with the pavement. I like to make a 6" wide strip of chalk across the tread, then drive forward 20ft or so. Wherever it's contacting the pavement it will wear chalk off. Let a pound out at a time until you're wearing evenly. My MT/r Goodyears are happy at 24-25psi. 34psi is great for a fullsize truck, but not your light Jeep. ;) The bigger the tire, the lower the pressure. :) It steers great and all, but it WILL wander all over hell and back with overinflated tires. Harder to stop, too.

Try that first. :)
 
sounds like a good plan,

Also, Part of the problem may be my front tires, when I had bad wheel bearings it wore them unevenly, I just went out and played looked at them for the first time in a while and the front are worn kind of like an upside down "w". guess its time for new ones.

anyone have any experience with the super swamper sts? From online reading they are supposed to be great on road and in sand, but get vey mixed reviews in mud/dirt/rock.
 
Caster, Caster, Caster!!

If you haven't had it aligned in a while, have it done again and make sure the place you take it knows what Caster is, how to adjust it on the jeep!!!!!

If you question the wear on the front tires, put them in the back and see if there is any difference.

Michael
 
It was aligned less than 200 miles ago.
 
Doyle said:
It was aligned less than 200 miles ago.
Click to expand...

That doesn't mean that it was aligned properly or that the Caster was checked or adjusted.

I can't count the number of times someone has gotten their Jeep aligned and the people working at the shop didn't even know what caster was. Or said it wasn't adjustable. Or never checked it. If you can find the printout with the info it would be very helpful!!

Michael
 
I rotated the tires and it seemed to lessen the problem quite a bit, so I think the front tires were the major culprit. I ordered new tires, got 4 maxxis bighorns 33x12.50x15, should be here soon, I will get it aligned when I put the new tires on it, and for reference when I get it aligned what is the correct castor for these things to be at?

And yes, it is stock steering.

thanks for all the replies and suggestions.
 
I grabbed the alignment sheet for my jeep,

castor-----initial-----specifications-----final
min max
left--------3.9 deg---6.1---8.1--------3.8
right-------3.8-------6.1---8.1--------3.7

camber
left-------(-0.8)----(-0.8)--0.3-------(-0.8)
right------(-0.7)----(-0.8)--0.3-------(-0.7)

toe is set to 0.00 degrees
I just had them align the front.


Out of curiousity if the castor is between 6.1 and 8.1 why did they not adjust it to within spec?
 
Doyle said:
I grabbed the alignment sheet for my jeep,

castor-----initial-----specifications-----final
min max
left--------3.9 deg---6.1---8.1--------3.8
right-------3.8-------6.1---8.1--------3.7

camber
left-------(-0.8)----(-0.8)--0.3-------(-0.8)
right------(-0.7)----(-0.8)--0.3-------(-0.7)

toe is set to 0.00 degrees
I just had them align the front.


Out of curiousity if the castor is between 6.1 and 8.1 why did they not adjust it to within spec?
Click to expand...

This should give you some good insight as to how to set it up yourself. Skip over the 'toe' part of it and read up on the caster alignment. It's really easy to get an angle finder and find a 'zero' point somewhere on the housing. http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoAlignment.htm

The reason the shop didn't set it is because you don't have 'easy' adjustment. Shops won't touch control arms for various reasons. That's OK...there's a reason you get a printout. ;) Read that link above and come back if you have questions!

Phil
 
I think my dog has more mechanical aptitude than I do, anyone know of any shops in the Portland area that will actually set me up properly?

I read through that, it does not look too difficult, I may try and have a buddy of mine help me out if I don't find a shop that can do it for me.


All the help is greatly appreciated thanks.
 
Well at least we now know that the Castor correction should help out significantly.

Really it isn't that difficult to do and you can't really go too wrong because you can always put it back to the way it is if you get "confused" in the middle ;)

You shouldn't have too much trouble finding an alignment shop that will adjust the castor for you. If know one posts up some suggestions of places to have it done, call around some high performance type shops and ask who they recommend. The better shops shouldn't have an issue doing it for you.

Michael
 
2xtreme said:
You shouldn't have too much trouble finding an alignment shop that will adjust the castor for you. If know one posts up some suggestions of places to have it done, call around some high performance type shops and ask who they recommend. The better shops shouldn't have an issue doing it for you.
Click to expand...

As I said before...good luck with that. :)
 
ECKSJAY said:
As I said before...good luck with that. :)
Click to expand...

I agree, every shop I have called has told me that its not adjustable first off, then after I ask them why its not adjustable they say that on a lifted vehicle you don't need 6-8 degrees of castor, then when I ask why not they say when you lift a vehicle its not going to drive or ride decent anymore.

that was three shops including les schwab, americas tire or something local like that double O maybe, they keep changing their name, and a local shop.

So I guess when they lift the rigs and you come back to them because its no longer driveable on the freeway they say oops, forgot to tell you that a lift ruins a vehicle.

I know lifting or modifying a vehicle doesnt ruin them, this is my 5th lifted rig and the only one thus far I have had this kind of problem with.

guess this weekend I will be trying to adjust castor myself.
 
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