Frusterated with steering issue

[_87_XJ_]

Those angles look terrible without even seeing the rest of it!

 

[XJJunk]

http://i961.photobucket.com/albums/ae91/Jsoderlund84/Photo-0098.jpg thats the best i got...lame sorry

 

[go1lum]

your tie rod angles are horrid also.

 

[whitexj98]

your tie rod angles are horrid also.

What's that going to effect?

 

[go1lum]

Worse steering.

 

[XJJunk]

so bad angles will cause the jeep to swerve erraticly and cause the steering wheel to shift while still driving straight? hard to describe accuately...sorry

 

[go1lum]

Just an idea but maybe like a 1" drop pitman arm would help.

 

[XJJunk]

there is a (i think) 4" drop pitman. came with the rough country kit...could be a 5" not too sure

 

[whitexj98]

Well I don't believe a bad tie rod angle will cause bad steering because mine is just as bad as yours and I have no bump steer or wondering. What you want is to have your drag link and track bar to be parallel,(see pic) this will stop bump steer. If it’s just wondering on the road then you need to look into what your caster is. Do you know what your caster is set at? I'm gussing not, heres how. http://go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoAlignment.htm

 

[XJJunk]

no other ideas...Im thinking track bar or steering box. Would a cracked steering box spacer cause this?

 

[mcantar18c]

Hard to tell because of the glare, but it looks like your trackbar-drag link angles *might* be ok. Yeah, the trackball itself is at a completely different angle than the drag link, but the bar can be any shape you want... its mounting-point to mounting-point that needs to be parallel. If you can get a pic just like that without the glare, we'll be able to tell by drawing lines on the pic.

EDIT: that pic won't work at all. Turning the wheels changes all the angles... your steering wheel needs to be centered.

 

[XJJunk]

caster was only checked by ORW and they told me it was good...the RC kit said to set the length of the upper and lower CA's to a given value and I did the best I could with a tape measure...not too sure that ORW even checked caster

 

[XJJunk]

its a scary wander... I can barley keep it in the lane im driving in...not a death wobble (i dont think) its causes major anxiety while on the freeway(65mph or more)...on surface streets its more manageable.

 

[whitexj98]

Sounds more like a caster problem. Check the link out I posted on how to check your caster, I bet its way low. I was having the same issues, constantly fighting the steering to keep it straight, after I changed it it's much better.

 

[XJJunk]

I will check the caster angle...can i do that with an angle finder?

 

[whitexj98]

yes, did you look at the link?, it details how to do it and where to check and provides a chart on how to figure it.

 

[_87_XJ_]

With that much play, have you checked the tie rod ends? Have someone turn the wheel back and forth while you watch it.

 

[XJJunk]

I dont see the link you posted it in this thread?

 

[XJJunk]

I checked the tre's while stock and they were fine but I opted to replace them thinkng I was getting some flex in the tie rod replaced the stock stuff with the currie heavy duty tie rod and drag link and they are tight as well...ball joints are tight too and the track bar bushings and mount

 

[whitexj98]

http://go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoAlignment.htm