So I finally got done installing a rough country n2.0 steering stabilizer, an iron rock adjustable track bar, and new terraflex shocks on the front. I installed the stabilizer and track bar to fix my death wobble. I did manage to get rid of that but my jeep seems to be all over the road. The steering seems really loose and just squirrelly. I tried to center the axle the best I could by just moving the steering wheel slowly and popping the track bar in place. But why would my jeep be all over the road? The guy before me lifted it but never upgraded anything else really. Such as the track bar and stabilizer. I'm really new to my jeep and still figuring it out since I only got it back in November. Any help is greatly appreciated.
How did it drive before you installed the new parts? You made a mistake buying a front track bar that wasn't either Currie, Metalcloak, or Jks, but that as it may be, it shouldn't be the source of your squirrely steering. Does your Jeep have a dropped pitman arm on it? Take some pictures of your front end and post them up.
Also, has it ever been aligned since it was lifted? What size tires are on it, and what air pressure?
Yes it does have a pittman arm. I included it in one of the photos. And I'm on 33s with about 30psi in each tire. I did have an alignment done when I bought it back in November. And I knew somebody was gonna say something about the track bar haha it's a sturdy piece of equipment, we will see how it holds up. But anyways...it drive pretty squirrelly before but not to bad, now it seems worse though. So I'm so confused on what to do. I'm praying it's nothing serious.
Replace that dropped pitman arm with a stock one and lower your air pressure 3 or 4 pounds, and most of your issues will likely disappear. Be sure and check your toe-in also. Write up below.
The track bar will likely work fine on the street. It's on the trail when you have your sway bar disconnected that you will likely run into clearance issues between the track bar and the differential.
Thanks for the reply. I'll definetly give that a try. I got a quick noob question...why would I replace the dropped Pittman arm with a stock one? Is it pretty easy to install? I haven't looked much into it.
The dropped pitman arm produces bump steer. If you draw an imaginary line between the two ends of the track bar and through the two ends of the drag link, they should be as parallel as possible for proper steering geometry. By installing a dropped pitman arm without a corresponding drop on the track bar you are moving those two lines further from being parallel. Here's a picture that demonstrates what they should look like. The yellow line is the track bar, and the green, the drag link.
Absolutely replace the pitman arm wih an OEM style. I thought that it was one of those message board myths until I actually replaced the dropped arm that the PO had installed and my steering was instantly better.
Thank you guys so much. I get it now and totally makes sense why it seems so squirelly and all over the damn place. I'll be throwing a new one on asap. Also thanks for drawing the lines. Way easier to see what is going visually.
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