JKSTI&R1

Hey guys,
Ok so It all started last Friday going to So Cal for a wedding this weekend and the truck seemed a lot more flighty ( than normal ) and pulled hard to the left the whole drive. I just got my alignment done a few days before then and it all seamed fine. I thought it might have been the wind, as I was also getting 9 mpg. So on my way home tonight ( with my wife and kids in the truck ) it was flighty again. But a few times it was so bad it threw me like 5-6 feet and my ESC flash and the brakes went on.I had to fight to keep it from hitting the 18 wheeler next to me.I was in the middle of the 18 wheeler, not just behind it and not passing the cab. Any ways got home and checked everything out. Nothing looks broken or lose but after looking at my rear tires, from behind the truck, the driver side looks like it moved. It looks 1-2" more than the passenger side does.I do have the TF bb with the trackbar bracket ( did the lift weeks ago and it was fine then ) but I thought the rear should move to the passenger side when lifted not the driver side.I look at the track bar bracket and its not broken.I have the TF monster track bar up front and like I said I just had it aligned, so I think they would of said something if it wasn't right or something was wrong. Can the rear end even move that way?Im going down tomorrow to have the alignment guys look at it, but would like to tell them what to look for if you guys have any suggestions.Any help would be awesome guys

wayoflife

first off, the only thing an alignment shop can do is set your caster (something that can only be done with adjustable control arms), set your toe (something that is not needed unless you have a bent tie rod), center your axle (something that can only be done if you have an adjustable track bar) and, recenter your steering wheel. being that jeep's have a solid front axle, camber cannot be set. having said all that, flightly steering at highway speeds is typically a result of not having enough positive caster. again, unless you have adjustable front upper or lower control arms, this is not something that can be addressed.

regarding your rear axle, if you have both the relocation bracket and adjustable track bar installed, you more than likely have too much correction and that is why you are seeing the shift in the direction that you are. unfortuantely, most adjustable track bars cannot be set shorter than stock and, with the relocation bracket installed, that's what you would need in order to position your axle correctly. still, your rear axle would have no bearing on your flightly handling.

JKSTI&R1

The adj track bar is on the front not the rear. On the rear I just have the factory track bar and the TF bracket. So did the alignment shop make it worse? It seems to just started happening and the rear tires were even before my trip to Cali. I don't know if the rear even has anything to do with the steering, but it all happened at the same time....
It also seems like it might also happen at lower speeds (45) when I hit a bump

wayoflife

so, are you saying that your front axle is centered but that your rear is off and if so, do you have the rear bracket that mounts to the axle? if so, there are multiple settings and you probably just have the track bar attached to the wrong position for the amount of lift that you have. still, this should have no bearing on your jeep's flightly handling.

jksteve89

Here in Alaska I experience this all the time (pulled into lanes) on high traffic volume roadways, especially here around Anchorage. This is do to ruts being caused by people being allowed to run studded tires 7 months out of the year and soft ground under the pavement (or so I think).

wayoflife

on another note, i see that you said that nothing looked broken or loose but, did you actually take a torque wrench to your bolts and double check them to see if they are tightend to the proper torque setting?

JKSTI&R1

Yes. The front is centered and the rear was centered before my trip. I have the TF 2.5" BB with shock adapters and the rear track bar relocator bracket that comes with the kit. It only has 1 hole to mount it.

wayoflife

well, unless the bracket or your track bar is bent, i don't see how your axle could have shifted like this. did you do any wheeling recently that might have caused either to bend?

JKSTI&R1

NO. just by feel. I am tired from the drive LOL. But I will tomorrow before I take it back to the shop. It pulls very very hard to the left, I hope its just I hit a pothole and knocked the alignment off. Hopefully that fixes the pulling problem, but I don't know about the rest of the problems......

JKSTI&R1

NO. I was on the hwy only. It a 2011 and has 2600 miles now and I have never had a chance to get it off road yet. Bought it new in March.....