Jeep Steering Wandering problem
- Thread starter rentfred
- Start date
- Mar 23, 2021
- 138
- 301
- Current Rides
- 2021 Rubicon392, 2015 JK Willys Edition, 2014 RAM 1500 Limited, 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8
There are two potential solutions to the notorious jeep steering wandering problem....
1) There is a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) for Jeeps that address this.... https://www.tsbsearch.com/Jeep/08-074-20-REV-C:
Replace the steering Gear. Refer to the detailed service procedures available inDealerCONNECT>Service Library under: 19 - Steering / Gear / Removal and Installation.NOTE: The steering gear frame bolts and I-shaft pinch bolt will need to be replaced with newbolts
2) Install dual steering stabilizer shocks. I did this on my 2015 JK and it helped significantly. I am scheduled to have these put on my 392 this coming Friday. See pictures of my JK attached for an example.
I have not approached my dealer about the TSB, yet. My 392 is not too bad and hoping the dual steering stabilizer gets it where it needs to be. I don't know how familiar you are with Jeeps, so I respectively add this caution.... It's a Jeep not a SUV, and these are improvements, probably not complete fixes.
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I do understand it’s a Jeep. Driving this one is like pulling double tractor trailers in a wind storm. Someone thought that flashing the power control module to reset electric steering motor? I go to the dealer tomorrow. Thanks
- Mar 23, 2021
- 138
- 301
- Current Rides
- 2021 Rubicon392, 2015 JK Willys Edition, 2014 RAM 1500 Limited, 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8
Please let us know how this get's resolved....
check the tire air pressure as mine did the same thing when I got it, having had a 2018 rubicon, I found tire pressure is crucial. The tire pressure chart recommends 37 lbs, my 392 had 46 lbs when it came so I dropped it to 38, and the wandering is almost nonexistent.
- Mar 8, 2021
- 657
- 693
- Current Rides
- 2005 LJR and a 2021 JLR392, "True Wrangler Unlimiteds Only Have 2 Doors"
Is this on a 392 or some other model Wrangler? I have no problem with my 392's steering up to 99 MPH even with 37" MT tires. Drives so much like a car it's scary.
That TSB is the tail end of the problem that started in late 2019, I have had three Gladiators and a JL during that same time period that the TSB applies to and never any issues. That bulletin does not apply to 392's, they started using different parts.
When I took delivery of my launch Gladiator it wandered to the right and we put it on the alignment rack and it was out of whack so far it wasn't even within spec. we adjusted it and it ran fine. My friend now owns it and it has been across Country and no problems.
There were countless people that were reading the bulletin and social media and all the sudden their steering was so bad they couldn't drive it.
Jeep said the fix was a steering dampner which mechanically the tech guys know is not a VIABLE fix for that but as soon as people got it their Jeep drove perfect.
Was their a change from the old steering box to electronic variable, yes. Which feels very different also.
What Jeep also kept very quiet was the fact that they by accident programmed 2dr steering to 4 door jeeps and possibly vice versa and since the steering is adjusted by a computer as you go faster and faster they used the TSB and the hysteria to get people to bring their Jeeps in so they could do a software check and a steering dampner was a cheap easy thing to add to help them try to eliminate the possibility of a major class action product liability lawsuit after the first steering related accident.
Will a steering dampener/stabekizer fix the problem- NO but it will make it feel better and is a good band aid- yes
Steering and brakes are two components that you dont want to band aid.
A 2 dr Jeep with 4 dr steering parameters would probably be a Jeep that drives like crap.
IF YOU HAVE A 392 AND HAVE A STEERING ISSUE AND BF GOODRICH I WOULD DEMAND THAT THEY RE-BALANCE THE TIRES AND GIVE YOU A REPORT THAT TELLS YOU HOW MUCH ROAD FORCE EASH TIRE HAS. IF ITS MORE THAN 25 THE TIRE IS JUNK.
When I took delivery of my launch Gladiator it wandered to the right and we put it on the alignment rack and it was out of whack so far it wasn't even within spec. we adjusted it and it ran fine. My friend now owns it and it has been across Country and no problems.
There were countless people that were reading the bulletin and social media and all the sudden their steering was so bad they couldn't drive it.
Jeep said the fix was a steering dampner which mechanically the tech guys know is not a VIABLE fix for that but as soon as people got it their Jeep drove perfect.
Was their a change from the old steering box to electronic variable, yes. Which feels very different also.
What Jeep also kept very quiet was the fact that they by accident programmed 2dr steering to 4 door jeeps and possibly vice versa and since the steering is adjusted by a computer as you go faster and faster they used the TSB and the hysteria to get people to bring their Jeeps in so they could do a software check and a steering dampner was a cheap easy thing to add to help them try to eliminate the possibility of a major class action product liability lawsuit after the first steering related accident.
Will a steering dampener/stabekizer fix the problem- NO but it will make it feel better and is a good band aid- yes
Steering and brakes are two components that you dont want to band aid.
A 2 dr Jeep with 4 dr steering parameters would probably be a Jeep that drives like crap.
IF YOU HAVE A 392 AND HAVE A STEERING ISSUE AND BF GOODRICH I WOULD DEMAND THAT THEY RE-BALANCE THE TIRES AND GIVE YOU A REPORT THAT TELLS YOU HOW MUCH ROAD FORCE EASH TIRE HAS. IF ITS MORE THAN 25 THE TIRE IS JUNK.
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- Mar 23, 2021
- 138
- 301
- Current Rides
- 2021 Rubicon392, 2015 JK Willys Edition, 2014 RAM 1500 Limited, 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8
Appreciate much all the information from your experience! Are you a Jeep dealer, sales, service?
I've had experience with a 2002 TJ , a 2015 JK 2-door and now my 392. I don't remember ever having a steering drift problem with my TJ. Factory tires when I bought it new were Goodyear Wrangler's, not sure but think they were street tires. I only drove it on the street. My JK had the steering wandering problem from the beginning. It came with 31" BFG MudTerrains. I changed to 33" KO2's and it seemed to get better. Then I added the dual steering stabilizers and FOX shocks all around and it improved significantly. Not perfect, but acceptable I never did a road force on the tires. I have put about 17k miles on the KO2's on and off road and I am very pleased with them.
I changed my 392 tires from the 33" BFG's to 35" BFG's and have been very satisfied with them for the 898 miles I have put on them. This has only been on the street. I am going off road the last week of July in Colorado. My steering is much better on the 392 than the JK, but still has some drift, so scheduled to put dual stabilizers on this Friday and expect improvement. BTW, my tire pressure is set around 38psi.
So I understand that the launch Gladiator would wonder to the right and alignment correction would fix that. My JK and 392 have left and right drift, so I do not believe it is an alignment problem. When I upgraded to 33s on my JK, I had the alignment checked and it was good. I know nothing about the TSB other than what it says, and I have not discussed this with my dealer. It seems like Jeep would have just done a recall for the steering programming problem instead of generating a TSB, but I don't know the inner workings of Jeep/Chrysler/Stellantis. I have no experience with any tires on a recent Jeep except with KO2's, so it could be tires as you suggested. However, I do have a friend running a 2019 JL with 35's (that are not BFGs, don't remember what) and he is having steering drift issues. From his description his is much worse than my 392.
I would be interested in hearing from anyone else that has changed from BFG to a different tire brand and is or is not having some minor steering drift problems. Thanks all, I truly respect and appreciate this collective knowledge about Jeeps!
392’s dont have the issue that your friends 2019 JL might very well have so I was saying if a 392 is acting up I would look at tires first. KO2 is the only tire I have every owned that had road force so high from day one it was junk. I had a set of Nittos that were garbage but that was over 10yra ago with their older gen tires.
the 2019/20 Jeeps have electronic steering is the easiest way to explain it and for the first time and just the nature of it can feel slightly different than what people are used to. As you have experienced the more footprint on the road the less wander and more tightness you will feel if all is good.
Jeep didnt want every JL and Gladiator back in the shop and recalls are only required due to certain perameters so they only wanted to address those that were bitching but there were a lot of people experiencing things that were not even there because they read it on the internet
the 2019/20 Jeeps have electronic steering is the easiest way to explain it and for the first time and just the nature of it can feel slightly different than what people are used to. As you have experienced the more footprint on the road the less wander and more tightness you will feel if all is good.
Jeep didnt want every JL and Gladiator back in the shop and recalls are only required due to certain perameters so they only wanted to address those that were bitching but there were a lot of people experiencing things that were not even there because they read it on the internet
I have two things that interfere with my objective evaluation of my 392’s steering: 1) The last Jeep I owned was about 6 years ago; and 2) My daily driver is a high end SUV that tracks like a cat and has really good lane keeping assist software, so I my expectations for all other vehicles may be distorted.
The front/lower control arms in the Mopar lifts are known to be too short, resulting in a inadequate castor, and thus some wandering in the steering. I already have figured I will have to replace them with longer arms.
You lift a Jeep the front axle rolls forward increasing castor, the lower control arm being too short will magnify that issue. Jk’s with castor over 5.5 would death wobble. I had a 2 dr with 4.5 of lift and the moron that installed the lift left the castor at high fives. The lift company said put it at 3.5 as it was a 2dr.
castor and ball joints have been a huge source of death wobble. The Gladiators longer wheel base is probably letting it get away with more castor than a JL would be able to get away with. And thats why its wandering not death wobbling
when I asked the guy why he left the castor at such a high number he said the drag cars he used to race loved lots of castor to keep the front tires on the ground. I explained that a drag car and a lifted Jeep are different animals.
i have watched people talk about tire pressure and stabelizers and I mention castor and they say their alignment guy said its a solid axle he can only adjust toe. So between the tire pressure guys and the bad alignment guys castor always gets overlooked.
good info to know about the Mopar lift. I have one on both behicles but the alignment specs were perfect but the guy that built the truck knows the castor issue.
too littlw castor and the steering wheel wont recoil. Too much and death wobble or a wander on a longer wheel base. Easy fix
on the Jk forum every guy that installed a 3inch evo got death wobble after. We found out Evo 3 is like everyone else 4. You lift, the arms dont get longer. Thats why Aev has been selling the geometry correction kit since 2008-09 for any lift over 2.5.
castor and ball joints have been a huge source of death wobble. The Gladiators longer wheel base is probably letting it get away with more castor than a JL would be able to get away with. And thats why its wandering not death wobbling
when I asked the guy why he left the castor at such a high number he said the drag cars he used to race loved lots of castor to keep the front tires on the ground. I explained that a drag car and a lifted Jeep are different animals.
i have watched people talk about tire pressure and stabelizers and I mention castor and they say their alignment guy said its a solid axle he can only adjust toe. So between the tire pressure guys and the bad alignment guys castor always gets overlooked.
good info to know about the Mopar lift. I have one on both behicles but the alignment specs were perfect but the guy that built the truck knows the castor issue.
too littlw castor and the steering wheel wont recoil. Too much and death wobble or a wander on a longer wheel base. Easy fix
on the Jk forum every guy that installed a 3inch evo got death wobble after. We found out Evo 3 is like everyone else 4. You lift, the arms dont get longer. Thats why Aev has been selling the geometry correction kit since 2008-09 for any lift over 2.5.
Where did you learn of the control arm issue?
Which dual steering stabilizer shocks do you recommend for my Rubicon 392?
- Mar 23, 2021
- 138
- 301
- Current Rides
- 2021 Rubicon392, 2015 JK Willys Edition, 2014 RAM 1500 Limited, 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8
@cbn: Short answer is FOX....
The complete answer is: about a month ago I took my 392 to an Off-Road shop to have dual Fox stabilizers installed with a BDS bracket kit. It was ordered for a regular JL Rubicon assuming it would fit. The brackets would not work because the 392 has a much thicker/stronger steering bar (honestly don't know the right term for this) that would rub on the passenger side shock bracket. So, now I am ordering a single FOX stabilizer to replace the factory one. Maybe there is a dual stabilizer bracket kit that will fit a 392, but my Off-Road shop could not find it.... If you find dual setup that works for the 392, please let us all know!
Which Fox stabilizer did you order?
A lot of guys on JL Wrangler Forum were reporting the issue. I have never used the Mopar Lift before. I prefer to pick and choose my components and build a “bastard lift”. That way, I don’t have to settle or compromise.
Lundy
Member
Has anyone found a dual stabilizer that will fit the 392?
yes there is a thread on it, search for it
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