Renegade

Actually it's attached to the tie rod. If the stabilizer bends and pulls the tie rod to the right, the steering wheel will turn to match the angle of the tires/wheels and will NOT be off center.

BaltChief

Correct me if I am wrong, but the stabilizer has give and take in it (it is a shock). So if it is bent it will either compress or extend to make up the difference, unless it is bent to the point that it would limit steering. Your steering would still be straight albeit your stabilizer would be extended to a different point than if it were not bent.

RedneckJeep

Tie rod, drag link...it's attached to the steering linkage. It WILL cause an off center steering wheel. I KNOW because I DID IT.

bly109

Hey man, thanks, I was only jokin with you guys because I completely hijacked the thread with my issues.

Im gonna check the stuff that WOL suggested tonight. It really didnt take that hard of a hit, but its the only impact the front has seen. There is a section of the stump the pic doesnt show that extends up about 5". Thats what I was stuck on. It was wedged between the skid and TRE. I didnt even see it, I was watching a tree to my right and talking to my wife and I just nailed it. IIt was so stupid. I slid over it with my front skid and then wedged there. I was only doing 2 or 3mph tops.

If I cant find anything, I'll try and get it in to the alignment shop and see if they can see anything. Thanks again guys!

RedneckJeep

Don't mention it. WOL had just mentioned the steering sector thing so I thought I would expound a little on it, since it CAN give you both of the symptoms you describe. I still doubt though, that that is your problem.

A note to the rest of you about the stabilizer argument.......I am in AGREEMENT with all of you in THEORY. Please understand that. I am just letting you know what actually HAPPENED to ME. I went wheelin and upon return to the pavement, my steering was off center. I inspected EVERYTHING, and the stabilizer is ALL that was bent. I replaced it with a new stock unit, and touched NOTHING else, and my wheel is in perfect alignment again. Not to mention I have seen this happen almost all my adult life as a mechanic to other vehicles with steering stabilizers. I wasn't trying to be a hard ass, I was merely saying that it DOES happen, that's all.

TINMAN080

I've changed probably 50 steering boxes due to bent sector shafts. Without fail with the steering wheel centered - the vehicle steering wheel will turn farther one way than the other, depending on which way the splines are twisted. This is an excellent test for twisted splines. Also to check for a bent knuckle set the steering wheel into a straight ahead position, walk out in front of the jeep . The undamaged side's wheel and tire assembly will be in it's proper position ( straight ahead) and the damaged side will be toed in or out. A bent drag link or tie rod end will ALWAYS shorten the steering linkage and cause BOTH front wheels to be toed IN. A bent stabilizer will affect the steering geometry and cause an off center condition. Remember the forged iron in your axle ''C''s and your knuckle assemblies will ''shed'' the rust color at the site of a bend. The color is a sandy rust color on a normal part, in a bent area the color will be lighter sometimes going to a silvery blue. Study the parts closely, if they are bent, you WILL see a change. This is why you don't want to paint all those rusty looking parts! LOL Diagnosing and repair of damaged frames and suspensions has been my work life for the last 30 years or so....

Mutts08JK

Take a tape and measure the wheelbase of each side. If there is even the slightest difference between the two it could make your steering off centered as well as handle differently. I know from personal expierence of hitting something at a slow speed and thought nothing of it untill I had to change the bushings that were wearing out. After strugling with one side I measured to see the wheelbase difference and the right side was about 1 1/2" shorter than the left. No amount of alignments helped untill I changed the suspension components that were slightly bent and anything that could possibly be the culprit. After I got it back to the oem geometry it was like it was new again. an easy way to tell if you don't have a tape measure is ask a friend to follow you and ask if the vehicle goes in a sideways travel other wise known as dog tracking like the car is going down the road in an angle. Just a thought

TINMAN080

MUTT- EXCELLENT post, I thought about posting on the wheelbase info but I was exhausted after hunting and pecking what I had already posted above.... Normally on a control arm equipped vehicle 1/4'' difference in the wheelbase generally will not cause a disernible problem but a solid axle vehicle can be a little touchy. When measuring the wheelbase make certain the wheel difference is actually caused by the front wheel being back, I've seen rear axles pulled back enough to lenghen the wheelbase and cause dogtracking also.

jkrubicon08

bump for this thread.