Hey guys,
I'm new to this forum, this is my first thread. Been lurking for a while though...
I have a 2011 4 door Rubicon, dual tops, 6 speed manual, Black on Black (not sure if there are other combinations though)
I was waiting for a special order of Sport S, manual black on black but the dealer really screwed up the delivery and it was 2 weeks overdue and my birthday was coming up and I really wanted a toy. So luckily, some other guy ordered this Rubi, and changed his mind when it got there, instead went with a sahara I think. So I was in luck and got it!
Now, here is where the story begins.
When the jeep was new, I loved the way it drove. It was steady on the highway and the steering wheel did not require any force to keep it going straight.
Then one day in June I did a little off-roading. There is a trail near my house through the woods, nothing major, some mud, some fallen trees, some small rocks. I did get stuck in the mud a little bit but got out after about 10 minutes of rocking and spinning.
As I got back on the road, I immediately felt that something was off. The steering was a little rubbery and it wasn't going straight as it did before, hitting a bump or a pothole made it lose direction. It was slight, but I was concerned. Back on the highway the steering now required force to keep it straight when there was a crown on the road.
When I stopped hard I could see that the driver front side dove deeper and the body rocked diagonally, not front to back. I thought it was the suspension.
I took it to the dealer and they said I needed a wheel alignment. $150 and 2 hours later I'm back on the road, same problem. (Don't you hate that?)
I decided to change the shocks and the steering stabilizer. I went with Bilsteins HD. The guy who changed it did suggest that my tie rod end bushings hae too much play in them and might cause the disconnected feel. So I'm keeping that in my mind.
With the new shocks, I drove it again, same feel. Its just not the same anymore... frustrated as hell. Hoping at this point that when I get the lift with some new components something is bound to change.
So now, this past weekend, I go offroading again with my friends. Same trail, same mud. Except its deeper now, got seriously stuck (no winch, yeah I know). After about 40 minutes of rocking and spinning (smashed front bumper on the dirt bump) we pull out. 2 of my friends had to sit in the trunk and 3rd guy was hugging the spare in the back like a monkey to put the weight on the rear tires.
We drive out of the woods and I'm back on the road and I feel like the jeep is really wandering side to side. It feels like somebody is pulling the car to the left, I turn the wheel almost 30 degrees to the right to compensate for the pull and the car is going straight. I turn it a little more and now the car makes a sudden sharp right turn and I suddenly have to compensate to the left. At the same time the body rolls in the opposite direction of the turn. Lots of body roll. I am really scared now. I stop and visually inspect everything. Lots of mud but nothing seems to be broken and the wheels seem straight.
When I get on the highway, its constant left and right. When I gained some speed, at 40 - 50 mph I can get it to kinda go straight. But if there is a turn, the car catches that turn and keeps turnin, I have to really compensate out of t...
So now I know there is something really wrong with it.
I pulled into gas station and put it in 4wd hi, to see if it makes a difference. As I am pulling out of the gas station, I hear a snap and metallic part hitting the ground. I stop and find a piece of cast metal. It turns out its a part of the stub shat ear, the part which the U joint is spinning. :banghead:
So I parked it and called the road side assistance.
I'm going for service in the morning.
What do you guys think is going on? I might have snapped the shaft ear by turning hard left, because I wanted to see if the wheel wobbles too much, so it may be unrelated to the steering problem... or is it?
The whole underside of the car is muddy, will the dealer say that I broke the thing off roading?
I can't believe the shaft can break so easily. Will warranty cover it?
I feel like an idiot. :facepalm:
Did this happen to anyone else, both the steering and the snap?
I'm new to this forum, this is my first thread. Been lurking for a while though...
I have a 2011 4 door Rubicon, dual tops, 6 speed manual, Black on Black (not sure if there are other combinations though)
I was waiting for a special order of Sport S, manual black on black but the dealer really screwed up the delivery and it was 2 weeks overdue and my birthday was coming up and I really wanted a toy. So luckily, some other guy ordered this Rubi, and changed his mind when it got there, instead went with a sahara I think. So I was in luck and got it!
Now, here is where the story begins.
When the jeep was new, I loved the way it drove. It was steady on the highway and the steering wheel did not require any force to keep it going straight.
Then one day in June I did a little off-roading. There is a trail near my house through the woods, nothing major, some mud, some fallen trees, some small rocks. I did get stuck in the mud a little bit but got out after about 10 minutes of rocking and spinning.
As I got back on the road, I immediately felt that something was off. The steering was a little rubbery and it wasn't going straight as it did before, hitting a bump or a pothole made it lose direction. It was slight, but I was concerned. Back on the highway the steering now required force to keep it straight when there was a crown on the road.
When I stopped hard I could see that the driver front side dove deeper and the body rocked diagonally, not front to back. I thought it was the suspension.
I took it to the dealer and they said I needed a wheel alignment. $150 and 2 hours later I'm back on the road, same problem. (Don't you hate that?)
I decided to change the shocks and the steering stabilizer. I went with Bilsteins HD. The guy who changed it did suggest that my tie rod end bushings hae too much play in them and might cause the disconnected feel. So I'm keeping that in my mind.
With the new shocks, I drove it again, same feel. Its just not the same anymore... frustrated as hell. Hoping at this point that when I get the lift with some new components something is bound to change.
So now, this past weekend, I go offroading again with my friends. Same trail, same mud. Except its deeper now, got seriously stuck (no winch, yeah I know). After about 40 minutes of rocking and spinning (smashed front bumper on the dirt bump) we pull out. 2 of my friends had to sit in the trunk and 3rd guy was hugging the spare in the back like a monkey to put the weight on the rear tires.
We drive out of the woods and I'm back on the road and I feel like the jeep is really wandering side to side. It feels like somebody is pulling the car to the left, I turn the wheel almost 30 degrees to the right to compensate for the pull and the car is going straight. I turn it a little more and now the car makes a sudden sharp right turn and I suddenly have to compensate to the left. At the same time the body rolls in the opposite direction of the turn. Lots of body roll. I am really scared now. I stop and visually inspect everything. Lots of mud but nothing seems to be broken and the wheels seem straight.
When I get on the highway, its constant left and right. When I gained some speed, at 40 - 50 mph I can get it to kinda go straight. But if there is a turn, the car catches that turn and keeps turnin, I have to really compensate out of t...
So now I know there is something really wrong with it.
I pulled into gas station and put it in 4wd hi, to see if it makes a difference. As I am pulling out of the gas station, I hear a snap and metallic part hitting the ground. I stop and find a piece of cast metal. It turns out its a part of the stub shat ear, the part which the U joint is spinning. :banghead:
So I parked it and called the road side assistance.
I'm going for service in the morning.
What do you guys think is going on? I might have snapped the shaft ear by turning hard left, because I wanted to see if the wheel wobbles too much, so it may be unrelated to the steering problem... or is it?
The whole underside of the car is muddy, will the dealer say that I broke the thing off roading?
I can't believe the shaft can break so easily. Will warranty cover it?
I feel like an idiot. :facepalm:
Did this happen to anyone else, both the steering and the snap?