Steering very light at 80khp after lift
08-29-2011, 05:14 AM
#1
JK Freak
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Brunei - Expat
Posts: 528
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Steering very light at 80khp after lift
Over the weekend I finished lifting my Jeep Unlimited Sahara 2010. Having installed a 2.5" coil lift already for several months I decided to add another 1.5" lift using the TF leveling kit. So with the rear coil and leveled already, this weekend I added 1.5" to the front. All did go very smooth and including painting the chassis, cross links etc it took me only one day.
Coming to the point, I straight away notice something while going for a test drive yesterday, at higher speeds, almost exactly at 80 kph my steering gets very light, basically no feedback through the steering what so ever. It is rather scary though as I don' have a clue where the car is going next. OK it is not that dramatic but still I don't like it, so what should I change? I have adjustable upper and lower control arms, front and back. I didn't adjusted any of the front control arms installing the leveling kit, I assume it has something to do with caster or camber? The jeep goes straight no problem at all but at 80kph it feels like it want to fly (wheels of the ground feeling) no vibrations at all, any one recognized this condition?
Coming to the point, I straight away notice something while going for a test drive yesterday, at higher speeds, almost exactly at 80 kph my steering gets very light, basically no feedback through the steering what so ever. It is rather scary though as I don' have a clue where the car is going next. OK it is not that dramatic but still I don't like it, so what should I change? I have adjustable upper and lower control arms, front and back. I didn't adjusted any of the front control arms installing the leveling kit, I assume it has something to do with caster or camber? The jeep goes straight no problem at all but at 80kph it feels like it want to fly (wheels of the ground feeling) no vibrations at all, any one recognized this condition?
08-29-2011, 05:26 AM
#2
JK Jedi Master
You need to add a little more caster, Mark. Check out the write-up on the Project-JK section of the website.
http://project-jk.com/jeep-jk-write-...-end-alignment
http://project-jk.com/jeep-jk-write-...-end-alignment
08-29-2011, 05:38 AM
#3
JK Freak
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Brunei - Expat
Posts: 528
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You need to add a little more caster, Mark. Check out the write-up on the Project-JK section of the website.
http://project-jk.com/jeep-jk-write-...-end-alignment
http://project-jk.com/jeep-jk-write-...-end-alignment
Cheers !!! I'll have a read and report back
08-29-2011, 06:10 AM
#4
JK-Forum Founder
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Laguna Niguel, CA
Posts: 36,534
Likes: 0
Received 16 Likes
on
15 Posts
as mentioned, a bit more positive caster will help out a lot here. also, make sure that you're not running too much air in your tires. with 305's, you'll want to be closer to 30 psi. that will help too.
08-30-2011, 06:22 PM
#5
JK Freak
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Brunei - Expat
Posts: 528
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Update / solution
Referring to the start of my thread, lifted my jeep to 4" and my steering went very light (no feedback through the steering) at higher speeds.
As everybody suggested my caster was out, it was at just over 4deg and by setting the caster to 7deg all was fine, however as my Jeep tended to pull to the left I increased the length of my bottom left control arm by two turns from the right bottom control arm (initial they were the same length)
So increasing the caster to 7-8deg and having the left bottom control arm 2 full turns longer made my Jeep drive like new again. I wanted to give you the lengths of my control arms but it is difficult to measure without taking them off. I remember actually both top front control arms are as short as possible with the bottoms approx 8 full turns out, 6 on the right, 8 on the left (hope I am making sense)
My baby drives like a beauty again !!!
As everybody suggested my caster was out, it was at just over 4deg and by setting the caster to 7deg all was fine, however as my Jeep tended to pull to the left I increased the length of my bottom left control arm by two turns from the right bottom control arm (initial they were the same length)
So increasing the caster to 7-8deg and having the left bottom control arm 2 full turns longer made my Jeep drive like new again. I wanted to give you the lengths of my control arms but it is difficult to measure without taking them off. I remember actually both top front control arms are as short as possible with the bottoms approx 8 full turns out, 6 on the right, 8 on the left (hope I am making sense)
My baby drives like a beauty again !!!