Wandering Jeep

[SciTeach]

I have a ‘99 TJ 4” Sky Jacker lift on 33x12.5 KO2s. All new component’s underneath inc adjustable control arms front and rear. 6 degrees of castor and still spokey wandering- would not trust on the Hwy. Surely it’s possible to drive a lifted TJ safely at 70mph on the interstate… any suggestions? Thanks

 

[GPK03X]

Forum members will need more information to help you. Such as tire pressure and if you have a dropped pitman arm. Will need pictures of your steering set up

 

[Mac57]

I have a ‘99 TJ 4” Sky Jacker lift on 33x12.5 KO2s. All new component’s underneath inc adjustable control arms front and rear. 6 degrees of castor and still spokey wandering- would not trust on the Hwy. Surely it’s possible to drive a lifted TJ safely at 70mph on the interstate… any suggestions? Thanks

Helps if you post pictures showing the entire steering linkage, both sides and center and close up pics so members can see what you have. Typical issues that cause these problems are running a dropped pitman arm, unbalanced tires, tire pressure too high and alignment out. If you have a dropped pitman arm replace it with a stock one. Rotate your tires and set tire pressures around 25 PSI. Do an alignment to set your toe in at 1/8 inch.

 

[TheBoogieman]

Wandering can be fixed by neutering if it's male and MONEY if it's female. Which one is yours?
p.s. Replace the crap Skyjacker 4" lift and the dropped pitman arm it came with.

 

[TheBoogieman]

Forum members will need more information to help you.

Not really. He said Skyjacker.
p.s. @Chris may or may not approve this message.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

First, 6 degrees of caster is fine and is not the cause of your wandering. Two likely causes include your toe-in is not set properly to .30 total toe-in, or a dropped Pitman arm was installed, and may be both of those.

Also check that your tire pressure is appropriate. For your 33" tires 26 psi is appropriate for when your TJ is lightly loaded, 28 psi when it's fully loaded. Tire shops frequently grossly overinflate them so overinflated tires are common. And no, the tire pressure molded onto a tire's sidewall is NEVER correct, that's only the tire's maximum safe air pressure which is never appropriate to use.

Look at these two Pitman arms and tell us which you have installed. If the Dropped Pitman arm is installed replace it with the original Pitman arm. Dropped Pitman arms screw the steering geometry up and cause bump steer where the steering is bumped/forced left/right as the Jeep is driven over bump/dips or undulations on the road surface. For some stupid unfathomable reason Skyjacker usually includes a dropped Pitman arm in their suspension kits but for a TJ, rarely should it be installed.

Second, a bad toe-in angle can cause wandering. You can check and adjust it yourself with the instructions in the following link. And all you need is a tape measure, a big set of pliers, and a wrench. With a modicum of care you can produce absolutely as good as a good alignment shop can produce. Really. https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/how-to-align-your-jeep-wrangler-tj.85/

 

[SciTeach]

I bought it w/ lift already done so I’ll replace drop arm w/ an oem-. I’ll double check the toe but think that’s good . thanks for the advice guys

 

[Blackjack]

That steering conversion you have there is not helping much either. Between it and the drop pitman I am sure it is a handful to drive.

 

[SciTeach]

It is! If replacing the drop pitman w/ oem doesn’t fully correct, what else would? (Assuming correct toe and 6 degrees of castor with proper tire pressure)

 

[jeffmarion]

Your knuckles may have been reamed for 1 ton tre's. Might want to look at that as well.

 

[Blackjack]

Your knuckles may have been reamed for 1 ton tre's. Might want to look at that as well.

It is a Rough Country kit and unfortunately they have.

 

[jeffmarion]

It is a Rough Country kit and unfortunately they have.

Figures...lol.. Going to need TRE inserts to go back to stock steering.
https://www.tmrcustoms.com/products/tie-rod-end-inserts-jeep-taper-tj-lj-xj-zj-mj

 

[Akitadog]

That steering conversion you have there is not helping much either. Between it and the drop pitman I am sure it is a handful to drive.

Isn't that a YJ linkage?

 

[Blackjack]

Isn't that a YJ linkage?

In that it is an inverted T yes but it is a Rough Country kit

https://www.roughcountry.com/hd-steering-kit-10604c.html

 

[SciTeach]

Houston, we have another problem… turns out the drag link end is too big to fit in the new OEM pitman arm hole….

 

[Blackjack]

Houston, we have another problem… turns out the drag link end is too big to fit in the new OEM pitman arm hole….

Yeah if you want to keep your current steering you will have to find a tapered reamer. You could possibly take the drag link end to a parts store and see about getting an end with the stock taper.