• Notice for iPhone users: DO NOT use the image size reduction option when uploading photos to the forum. This causes portrait images to post as landscape. We have added a warning to the image insert pop-up as well.

Oversteering woes

J

JeepWillis

Basic User
City
Austin
State
Tx
Hey gents, i've just about had it with my steering. I've replaced the entire front end except the axle and my steering is finger sensitive. Seriously, if I move the steering wheel just a millimeter left/right I get action, so I basically either drive with no hands or just my thumb to keep from swerving out of lanes.

4" BDS, 33 BFG brand new no wear, gone thru 2 new steering boxes, MORE steering brace, new tie rods, new drag link, new Borgeson heavy duty steering shaft, new steering shaft bushing, new bearings, shims, castor at 6 degrees, alignment done. No shackle reversal.

I've had it in 5 different shops and all they can tell me how beautiful my Scrambler is and this is how jeeps drive. I know this is in fact false, because i've had 4 other CJs and none with this problem.

Thanks
 
BRKLYNZ28

BRKLYNZ28

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
BROOKLYN
State
NY
Well if you replaced all parts. How about looking in to the axle itself.could be bent? How do the spring perches look. Mine roted away. I had a bent knuckle one time. Rims bent? Balanced? Swap the tires from the rear and see how it runs...

Sent from my SM-N910P
 
J

JeepWillis

Basic User
City
Austin
State
Tx
BRKLYNZ28 said:
Well if you replaced all parts. How about looking in to the axle itself.could be bent? How do the spring perches look. Mine roted away. I had a bent knuckle one time. Rims bent? Balanced? Swap the tires from the rear and see how it runs...

Sent from my SM-N910P
Click to expand...

Not an ounce of rust on my 8. Spring perches look fine, new Ubolts and hardware. Rims are good and balanced. ugh, I'd hate to have to dismount all 4 tires, have the original CJ chrome wagons with centercaps.

Do you think a bent axle would cause oversteering?
 
BRKLYNZ28

BRKLYNZ28

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
BROOKLYN
State
NY
There isnt much more left is there lol.. i would try the rotation. Its free .

Sent from my SM-N910P
 
J

jeepinjosh

Basic User
City
pell city
State
al
mysunnshine said:
So it's like there is too much power assist?

Sent from my SM-G920V
Click to expand...

I have an 81 and it's the same way. The way It was explained to me was the early models had a consistent power assisted turning where you got the same a out of power assist at all times. But, the later model CJs have a variable assist...meaning when your rolling down the highway and don't need much assist..you don't get it. However, at slow speeds turning around in a parking lot it gives you more assistance.

Hope I got this right...but I think this is what Raymond was explaining to me because I was complaining able t my steering.
 
J

JeepWillis

Basic User
City
Austin
State
Tx
mysunnshine said:
So it's like there is too much power assist?

Sent from my SM-G920V
Click to expand...

Well, I'm not sure. Because it's not like I'm making a turn, I literally can't touch the wheel without it oversteering to the point I either don't have my hand on the wheel or I am constantly going back and forth on the wheel the whole time just to keep it straight, literally over-correcting my initial minimal steer.

All this while driving in a straight line.
 
mysunnshine

mysunnshine

Legacy Registered User
City
Phoenix
State
AZ
So you have no road feedback making it hyper sensitive? I asked about the too much assist earlier which I'm implying that you can turn the steering wheel lock to lock sitting still with the motor running with one finger.

Sent from my SM-G920V
 
J

JeepWillis

Basic User
City
Austin
State
Tx
mysunnshine said:
So you have no road feedback making it hyper sensitive? I asked about the too much assist earlier which I'm implying that you can turn the steering wheel lock to lock sitting still with the motor running with one finger.

Sent from my SM-G920V
Click to expand...

Yes, hyper sensitive. As for the assist, I just started it up in my garage, I can't turn it lock to lock with my finger, but definitely the heel of my hand.
 
J

jammer1

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Maple Hts.
State
Oh
I had that with my 2500 gmc truck. Mechanic was thinking I was crazy. I would be on the freeway and if I turned the wheel less than a inch I was swerving into the other lane. He changed all tie rods, ball joints, front end alignment. He refused to believe the steering box (had a rebuilt one put in a few years earlier from him). Finally told him to pull the box and put a new one in. Couldn't find one but was able to get the guy who rebuilds his larger truck boxes to rebuild my box. Got it back and problem solved. When I had a ton on the truck it aggravated the problem to the point the truck with a load wasn't safe and I'd leave the truck sit. If their really new and not rebuilt I would find it hard to believe both would do it but who knows with china made parts.
 
J

JeepWillis

Basic User
City
Austin
State
Tx
jammer1 said:
I had that with my 2500 gmc truck. Mechanic was thinking I was crazy. I would be on the freeway and if I turned the wheel less than a inch I was swerving into the other lane. He changed all tie rods, ball joints, front end alignment. He refused to believe the steering box (had a rebuilt one put in a few years earlier from him). Finally told him to pull the box and put a new one in. Couldn't find one but was able to get the guy who rebuilds his larger truck boxes to rebuild my box. Got it back and problem solved. When I had a ton on the truck it aggravated the problem to the point the truck with a load wasn't safe and I'd leave the truck sit. If their really new and not rebuilt I would find it hard to believe both would do it but who knows with china made parts.
Click to expand...

I've had many shops and other Jeepers tell me this same thing, they all start with "replace the gearbox, then work backwards." So, it's had 3 gearboxes in it since i bought it a year ago and it's the exact same, so I can't do anything but rule out the gearbox.
 
CJ8Rockcrawler

CJ8Rockcrawler

The FABLED 8
Lifetime Member
City
Minneapolis
State
MN
Maybe a stupid question, but your castor is set at a positive 6 degrees, right, not negative?

Have you worked your way through the system with someone else looking for slack? Ie with the Jeep off but steering unlocked is there play in the column? Then steering shaft to steering gear etc. I know you've replaced components, but parts can be bad and joints/bolts can get loose etc.

Last thought is how much air pressure are you running? Too high will cause it to wander and you'll need to constantly correct. This happens almost every time I have the tires rotated on my 3/4 ton truck. They never readjust the pressure and it wanders like crazy until I lower it.

Sent from my SM-G900V
 
mysunnshine

mysunnshine

Legacy Registered User
City
Phoenix
State
AZ
Have you taken it for a drive yet without the power steering belt yet?

Sent from my SM-G920V
 
mysunnshine

mysunnshine

Legacy Registered User
City
Phoenix
State
AZ
Why go thru all of that trouble when you can just pull the power steering pump belt?

Sent from my SM-G920V
 
J

JeepWillis

Basic User
City
Austin
State
Tx
CJ8Rockcrawler said:
Maybe a stupid question, but your castor is set at a positive 6 degrees, right, not negative?

Have you worked your way through the system with someone else looking for slack? Ie with the Jeep off but steering unlocked is there play in the column? Then steering shaft to steering gear etc. I know you've replaced components, but parts can be bad and joints/bolts can get loose etc.

Last thought is how much air pressure are you running? Too high will cause it to wander and you'll need to constantly correct. This happens almost every time I have the tires rotated on my 3/4 ton truck. They never readjust the pressure and it wanders like crazy until I lower it.

Sent from my SM-G900V
Click to expand...

Those are good questions. Positive 6.5 castor. I do have slack when it's unlocked and off, almost a quarter of a turn, which I think is a lot. Tire pressure set to 32lbs
 
DirtyB

DirtyB

Crazy Cajun
Lifetime Member
City
Port Allen
State
LA
CJ8Rockcrawler said:
Maybe a stupid question, but your castor is set at a positive 6 degrees, right, not negative?



Sent from my SM-G900V
Click to expand...

If you are running longer than stock shackles, it will throw off your caster. I had zero caster on my CJ-8 when I first bought it, and it was nearly impossible to drive over 55 mph. Check your front shackles; should be 3" bolt to bolt.
 
J

JeepWillis

Basic User
City
Austin
State
Tx
DirtyB said:
If you are running longer than stock shackles, it will throw off your caster. I had zero caster on my CJ-8 when I first bought it, and it was nearly impossible to drive over 55 mph. Check your front shackles; should be 3" bolt to bolt.
Click to expand...

Again, +6.5 castor
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top