RhuntMT
Jeep Lover
Hello! Hopefully I can get some direction here.
Backstory - I recently installed the Metal Cloak (MC) 3.5" Game Changer lift. After the install I drove it around (local neighborhood) as I knew it would still need an alignment to be finished with the install, but I noticed some wandering and vibrations which I discovered was caused by bad tie rod ends. I then purchased and installed a new MC Tie Rod and MC Drag Link. Upon driving I discovered some really bad Death Wobble at about 45 mph and hitting any bumps would trigger the violence. I ordered and installed Dynatrac ProSteer Ball Joints (upper and lower). After the lift and other maintenance the Jeep was hard to maintain lane and wandered some, but I attributed that to a possible issue with the axles being off center and an alignment being needed.
I took my Jeep to a semi local shop that did the alignment (twice actually, the second one is attached here), centered the axles, adjusted Toe & Castor. The first time they adjusted caster they had it set to 9.7 degrees. After a conversation with MC they stated that it should be in the 4.5-5.5 range. I asked the shop to accommodate this setting and they complied (see attached). Also I had them drop the tire pressure to 28psi to accommodate the 35" tires.
Problem - The issue is now, at speeds of 40 - 50 its a little loose, it wanders a tad, but not terrible. At speeds of 50 - 65 the wheels don't feel like they will center, so a correction to direction of travel to maintain a lane turns into a over correction and then a correction again in the opposite direction which then makes the Jeep hard to steer and swerves as its a struggle to maintain the lane of travel. Using steering inputs to correct and then you end up over correcting and reverse the direction of input. Its a bit scary actually.
Now - I think the ball joints are binding and causing the steering knuckles to be overly stiff, is this a thing? How can it be proved? At this point I can tell the shop to forget about it and I can take it home and tear it apart myself and maybe find something and maybe not, or I can pay them to do the same. They already have it so I am fine with them doing the work, but they want to start disconnection steering components for troubleshooting and they aren't a cheap shop, therefore labor will be expensive, but at this point I am not sure what I can do. Its a 30 miles drive on the Interstate to get my Jeep back home. I am still leaning on the ball joints as the suspect as it started after they were changed. Any advise?
Backstory - I recently installed the Metal Cloak (MC) 3.5" Game Changer lift. After the install I drove it around (local neighborhood) as I knew it would still need an alignment to be finished with the install, but I noticed some wandering and vibrations which I discovered was caused by bad tie rod ends. I then purchased and installed a new MC Tie Rod and MC Drag Link. Upon driving I discovered some really bad Death Wobble at about 45 mph and hitting any bumps would trigger the violence. I ordered and installed Dynatrac ProSteer Ball Joints (upper and lower). After the lift and other maintenance the Jeep was hard to maintain lane and wandered some, but I attributed that to a possible issue with the axles being off center and an alignment being needed.
I took my Jeep to a semi local shop that did the alignment (twice actually, the second one is attached here), centered the axles, adjusted Toe & Castor. The first time they adjusted caster they had it set to 9.7 degrees. After a conversation with MC they stated that it should be in the 4.5-5.5 range. I asked the shop to accommodate this setting and they complied (see attached). Also I had them drop the tire pressure to 28psi to accommodate the 35" tires.
Problem - The issue is now, at speeds of 40 - 50 its a little loose, it wanders a tad, but not terrible. At speeds of 50 - 65 the wheels don't feel like they will center, so a correction to direction of travel to maintain a lane turns into a over correction and then a correction again in the opposite direction which then makes the Jeep hard to steer and swerves as its a struggle to maintain the lane of travel. Using steering inputs to correct and then you end up over correcting and reverse the direction of input. Its a bit scary actually.
Now - I think the ball joints are binding and causing the steering knuckles to be overly stiff, is this a thing? How can it be proved? At this point I can tell the shop to forget about it and I can take it home and tear it apart myself and maybe find something and maybe not, or I can pay them to do the same. They already have it so I am fine with them doing the work, but they want to start disconnection steering components for troubleshooting and they aren't a cheap shop, therefore labor will be expensive, but at this point I am not sure what I can do. Its a 30 miles drive on the Interstate to get my Jeep back home. I am still leaning on the ball joints as the suspect as it started after they were changed. Any advise?
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