Sloppy steering and wandering on road behavior Gladiator

[4Hi&4lo]

I have a Gladiator Rubicon with 280 miles on it. Today the Synergy JT Front Track Bar and Sector Shaft Brace was installed. I drove it home and I have to say it seemed worse then factory. I was riding on Falken WildPeak M/T tires. So I thought the tires were contributing to the slop so on the way home I stopped and installed Pirelli Scorpion A/T Plus tire. I have no intentions of off roading the Jeep so i was looking for good on road behavior and snow traction. I am in Buffalo, NY so winter is a big deal. Does anyone have any ideas as to why my jeep is wandering all over the road and just generally very sloppy with the steering wheel. It has gotten to the point of rowing back and forth. I think if there were passengers in the car they could become car sick. Remwmber the truck is brand new, the Falkens were replaced brand new and now there is new Pirelli rubber on it and it does the same thing even with the Synergy brace in place. What am I missing? Thanks for the help with this nagging issue.

 

[WJCO]

I have a Gladiator Rubicon with 280 miles on it. Today the Synergy JT Front Track Bar and Sector Shaft Brace was installed. I drove it home and I have to say it seemed worse then factory. I was riding on Falken WildPeak M/T tires. So I thought the tires were contributing to the slop so on the way home I stopped and installed Pirelli Scorpion A/T Plus tire. I have no intentions of off roading the Jeep so i was looking for good on road behavior and snow traction. I am in Buffalo, NY so winter is a big deal. Does anyone have any ideas as to why my jeep is wandering all over the road and just generally very sloppy with the steering wheel. It has gotten to the point of rowing back and forth. I think if there were passengers in the car they could become car sick. Remwmber the truck is brand new, the Falkens were replaced brand new and now there is new Pirelli rubber on it and it does the same thing even with the Synergy brace in place. What am I missing? Thanks for the help with this nagging issue.

Sounds like you have play somewhere. Dealer should look at it.

 

[Ddays]

What air pressure are the tires at? Probably 40 or over. try it at 30 or so & see if it improves.

 

[4Hi&4lo]

Tire pressure is 37 all around. i will lower it to 30 and see what happens. if not look like a dealer visit is in order. Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[highoctane]

There is a TSB out for the JL and JT for steering wander that involves replacing the steering box.


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[kpig]

Check your alignment, specifically toe. Mine came slightly toed out causing horrible wandering. Resetting the toe in to about 1/16 to 1/8 helped a lot until I mounted 37s. Will, be doing the PSC setup soon, but if I were not going hydro assist, I would bring it to the dealership for the TSB with new steel gearbox. Best of luck.

 

[DaveL]

TSB from Jeep

https://wayalife.com/showthread.php/60431-JT-Steering-Box-TSB


my post.

Had this done. Jeep is the vehicle we always wanted it to be.


Here's a link. Hope it helps.


click on that and the tsb comes up. It's the only way I know how to show it.

My experience is that it takes a service appointment to have the Wrangler checked out. The dealer needs to see if the tsb applies and work should be done. Then parts are ordered. I *think* that's reasonable, even if it's not in the tsb as I read it. The 2021's have the new steering gear. It's black in colour....the old one was aluminum.

There are lots of good reasons for modifying Jeeps and making them stronger. This tsb works.

Hope this helps.

 

[DaveL]

I have a Gladiator Rubicon with 280 miles on it. Today the Synergy JT Front Track Bar and Sector Shaft Brace was installed. I drove it home and I have to say it seemed worse then factory. I was riding on Falken WildPeak M/T tires. So I thought the tires were contributing to the slop so on the way home I stopped and installed Pirelli Scorpion A/T Plus tire. I have no intentions of off roading the Jeep so i was looking for good on road behavior and snow traction. I am in Buffalo, NY so winter is a big deal. Does anyone have any ideas as to why my jeep is wandering all over the road and just generally very sloppy with the steering wheel. It has gotten to the point of rowing back and forth. I think if there were passengers in the car they could become car sick. Remwmber the truck is brand new, the Falkens were replaced brand new and now there is new Pirelli rubber on it and it does the same thing even with the Synergy brace in place. What am I missing? Thanks for the help with this nagging issue.

Hope my post just above helps you.

The TSB addresses this problem. New steering gear. They replace the steering box and refresh the Jeep. Cast iron steering box. It's black. They supply a different one for every model of jeep.

I'm sure that many will modify and strengthen their Jeep once this new steering box is in. Mods are good.

 

[rockabillyroy]

I drove home a brand new gladiator yesterday. Black steering box. Steering is tighter than my sloppy old JKU, but no where near as tight as our honda odyssey. So maybe that's as good as it's gonna get.

 

[JKwouts]

Know this is an old post but having done this change with the TSB it has been a night and day difference. I drive country roads a lot... and am often in a hurry with Fire response and I can say that it felt beyond loose... was like the blind leading the naked! After the change it is tight, tracks without wander and is predictable.

I would go so far as recommending anyone with a Rubi, Mojave or aftermarket so bigger than 33’s it should be an automatic change! Think the secret is really emphasizing that you tow a lot on highway at it wanders... they will put the TSB through. Best “free” upgrade you can possibly make!

 

[Limpinlobster]

This Thursday April 15th I'm getting the Synergy steering brace, track bar, draglink, and tie rod installed. I'll update as soon as I drive it home. I Still have the aluminum steering box. I haven't done the TSB because my Gladiator drives nice and straight and doesn't have any of the wander. Plus I bought the brace before I knew about the TSB. I have 37s on it and a leveling kit as well.

 

[jasont0311]

This Thursday April 15th I'm getting the Synergy steering brace, track bar, draglink, and tie rod installed. I'll update as soon as I drive it home. I Still have the aluminum steering box. I haven't done the TSB because my Gladiator drives nice and straight and doesn't have any of the wander. Plus I bought the brace before I knew about the TSB. I have 37s on it and a leveling kit

This Thursday April 15th I'm getting the Synergy steering brace, track bar, draglink, and tie rod installed. I'll update as soon as I drive it home. I Still have the aluminum steering box. I haven't done the TSB because my Gladiator drives nice and straight and doesn't have any of the wander. Plus I bought the brace before I knew about the TSB. I have 37s on it and a leveling kit as well.

You should just get the box replaced. You seem on a steering mission to make things better. I had a brace on mine before the replacement and it felt a lot better. Its free and only costs a half day in being without your Jeep.

 

[Limpinlobster]

LOL, I'm a man on a steering mission. I've been planning on doing this for a while. I went this route because I had just got done with trying to get a full size spare tire that I was promised when I bought the Gladiator. Took 2 months for them to get a tire that was in stock at Discount tire. I was utterly fed up and done with that dealership. I haven't been having the wander that everyone says happens. I've watched the videos, even tried to make the steering wander happen by turning back and forth at freeway speeds but nothing. I didn't want to have a whole new argument with the dealer when they say that they can't recreate the steering wander. This is just the way I went with it. I will say that when I drove this home, the steering felt like it was on a whole other level. It feels nice and tight, and tracks very well. I plan on lifting 4.5" in the future. So when that time comes, the steering is beefed up and taken care of already.

 

[tysongladiator]

I'm not saying check behind your shop's work, but I am saying check all bolts for proper torque. Had the TSB done and steering was worse. Thought of different reasons and changed different things. Turns out the pitman arm nut wasn't even hand tight. That nut requires 177ft/lbs. I tightened it up and it was good for a day or so. Then back loose again. Did some checking and that nut requires loctite. So, check all bolts steering and suspension related for proper torque. Everybody makes mistakes.