Alignment...Again - P!ssing me OFF
#21
JK Junkie
How can you disagree? Crawl under it and LOOK. One end of the stabilizer is mounted to the axle housing. The other is mounted to the drag link. If the stabilizer is bent, it is the same as shortening the stabilizer, and WILL pull the drag link to the right AND cause the wheel to be off center. There's NO way around it.
#22
JK Junkie
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Catonsville, MD
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How can you disagree? Crawl under it and LOOK. One end of the stabilizer is mounted to the axle housing. The other is mounted to the drag link. If the stabilizer is bent, it is the same as shortening the stabilizer, and WILL pull the drag link to the right AND cause the wheel to be off center. There's NO way around it.
#23
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.
#24
JK Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Mount Carmel, PA
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You may have the twisted steering sector WOL was speaking of. It takes a HARD lick to do that, though. What happens is, the sector can become twisted causing the wheel to be off center. The steering box is the recirculating ball type, which always "hunts" for the center of the sector shaft while the pump is energized. They all do it. It is an inherent design concept. Since the sector shaft is now twisted, the steering box "thinks" the center is still in the same place, but it's not. So, the Jeep will have a slight drift because of this. I've seen it on more than one occasion, though it is RARE. You probably have another problem causing it, but it is a possibility.
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!
#25
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!
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!
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.
#26
JK Junkie
Check Everything
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....
#27
JK Enthusiast
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Tonopah, Arizoooooooooonaaaa
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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
#28
JK Junkie
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