• 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.

RR HD Steering...Popping

C

Cherokeekid88

NAXJA Forum User
Location
North Carolina
Well i installed my RR HD steering setup yesterday with the help of my buddy, and install was very smooth and simple. got everything tightened up and took it for a spin around the parking lot. it felt good. Well i also noticed that before i installed it, my tires were rubbing up against the back part of my front fender, but now i am able to turn the wheel to full lock without them rubbing at all. Dont know if that had anything to do with having a knuckle to knuckle tie rod or not. but the issue that im running into is, whenever i go to make a left or right turn from a slow speed or a dead stop, i get a single popping noise that i can feel from underneath. Sounds like its coming from the drivers side. Just wondering what it could be and what i should check first. Getting ready to try and go out there in the dark to figure it out, so i want to be able to have an idea since its going to be hard to see and cold.

Thanks
 
check your trac bar first.

Get under the XJ while someone else sweeps the wheel, look for any movement.
 
Well it would seem to me that it must be either the draglink or the tierod. since i did swap those 2 things out yesterday. didn't touch the trac bar, now the axle side of the trac bar was loose, so i tightened it down good and then i checked it again while i was out there and it was nice a snug. but here are some pics of my setup that i just took about 10 minutes ago, so maybe someone with a good eye might be able to point out the problem.
100_2309.jpg

100_2310.jpg

100_2311.jpg

100_2312.jpg

100_2313.jpg
 
my only guess would be as mentioned above, the track bar. Or, could the bracket on the draglink for your stabilizer be a bit loose possibly??
 
Well i tightened down the trac bar on the axle side really snug and also adjusted the stabilizer to a lower position. (it was hitting the bottom of my oil pan) This morning i noticed that when i backed out of the driveway and then went to put it in drive, there was a pop that hadn't been there before, but everytime it does pop, it feels like its coming from right under the drivers side floorboard, because i can feel it.
 
Trackbar at the frame mount, the bushings could be bad! just because the bolt is tight doesn't mean everything is okay!
 
guess to me, it just seems wierd that it started happening right after i put the new steering setup on, so thats what makes want to believe its something to do with the draglink or tie rod. Now i know that tie rod roll is a issue for some people, what tie rod roll make a sound or is it a feeling?
 
So i called a buddy of mine to see what he though it was. he said that the trac bar is either loose at the frame mount or the bushing is bad. Now before i put on the steering setup, i did notice that from a dead stop, there was a light pop sound when i started to go from a dead stop, could the new steering setup just opened up that movement even more ?
 
Cherokeekid88 said:
guess to me, it just seems wierd that it started happening right after i put the new steering setup on, so thats what makes want to believe its something to do with the draglink or tie rod. Now i know that tie rod roll is a issue for some people, what tie rod roll make a sound or is it a feeling?
Click to expand...

Weird! try disconnectiong the steering damper and try it?? I don't even know why its there! I run without it on my rugged ridge. (well did, its u shaped at the moment) sucks!, I ran stock for 3 years and just bent it here and there, run this for a few months and tacoed it.
 
On the road, it feel great. Although i have my sway disconnected atm, do to problems with my discos but as far as driving manner, i am very pleased. Im not really sure what the dead spot feels like, but it feels like stock steering, only easier to turn to wheel and more responsive. If i can get this whole popping noise situated, everything will be fine.
 
xjh3 said:
Off topic, but how does it handle now? Is the dead spot as bad as everyone makes it out to be?
Click to expand...
mines brutal, learned to llive with it. I dont even risk a beer and drive though!!! kinda fun trying to go straight and pre-steering before corners!
 
I am getting some pops when turning. I will check out my track bar tomorrow. I have the RR steering also and I do not have any of the dead spots, but I did put a spacer on the passenger side of the tie rod.
 
craminator66 said:
I am getting some pops when turning. I will check out my track bar tomorrow. I have the RR steering also and I do not have any of the dead spots, but I did put a spacer on the passenger side of the tie rod.
Click to expand...

Did you use a home made spacer or did you use the one form JCR? im thinking about going ahead and getting some spacers just to eliminate any problems, but not sure if the JCR will fit this setup.
 
99% sure it is the track bar bracket that mounts to the frame, mine does it all the time. I tighten it up and in a cuople weeks its loose again.
 
I would only assume yours drives well because your not lifted very tall. I am yes to see this succeed if your above 5 or more inches of lift. Then like someone said its like playing pong between lanes.
 
Yeah i mean, when im driving down the street it feel great. Today when i was driving, i only felt the pop maybe twice, and it wasn't very noticeable. I greased the TRE on the frame mount of the trac bar, don't know if helped, but i need to tighten it down some and see if that helps.
 
Cherokeekid88 said:
Did you use a home made spacer or did you use the one form JCR? im thinking about going ahead and getting some spacers just to eliminate any problems, but not sure if the JCR will fit this setup.
Click to expand...

I cannot remember now, but it seems like they were from JCR. They are red. I did have to hammer them on because they were really tight.
 
I was having a large pop right under the drivers floor and but it would only happen when I was taking off and turning slightly. I got under the front end and had a buddy rock the jeep back and forth and had 2"s of lateral movement from the frame side of the tracbar. I am sitting about 4.5" of lift and was on the stock tracbar so I called Treks and ordered one of thier tracbar and brackets. Set me back alot but since I did that, and thier steering, no more popping. They make a good solid product.
The mount for the tracbar is 1/4" thick I think and not going anywhere. That also gets you away from a TRE and gives you a flex joint on the frame side. I did thier OTK steering at the same time so I got the "builder" trac bar. The steering kit came with an over the axle trac bar bracket so I now have a trac bar with a flex joint on both ends.



Parakeet
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

E
Steering Redo.... Questions before I dive in.
2
Replies
28
Views
1K
RCP Phx
R
R
Which steering box brace? Bearing or not?
Replies
7
Views
379
75SV1
7
my2monkeys
Lower ball joint nut? Supposed to turn with the knuckle?
Replies
4
Views
688
kastein
kastein
H
Can a bad power steering pump make a belt hop??
Replies
8
Views
221
RCP Phx
R
T
1 Ton steering clearance issues
Replies
9
Views
855
XJChang
X
Back
Top