Axle drift?

[hightime81]

Evening all!
93' XJ 4.0HO, 4x4, AW4, NP231 120K.

Just replaced my TRE's and did the Go-jeep home alignment. While that was definitely needed, i feel like maybe my axle is drifting ever so slightly one way or another and that will pull my steering off. If the road is flat and i am at speed, i can track straight all day long, however with the natural curvature of most roads to channel water, that seems to be enough to re-direct my axle.

left or right (more left than right since i am always in the left lane it seems), i seem to drift and need to correct the steering.

When i replaced the TRE's, i greased the ball joints, new and old TRE's (drag link and pitman arm) and found that the pitman arm TRE boot is torn and will need to be replaced. it however was still tight, no noticeable slop.

upper and lower passenger control arm bushings have been saturated in oil for quite some time do to my OFA gasket (now fixed), and i checked the Track bar and it was nice and tight.

i had a buddy turn the wheel while i was under it and everything looked pretty tight, but i did notice 'bounce back' after he would stop turning the wheel some, so im sure there is slop in the box...

all that being said, other than the steering box probably being a bit sloppy, what are likely culprits to check for the drift (is that even the right term??)?


thanks for your help!

[Matthew Currie]

Slop in the box can cause some of this, because if the gears are adjusted well, it has some resistance on center. If there's also slop, for example in the pitman bearing, it will tend to have a dead spot on center, and when you hit a cambered road it will pull it to one or the other side of that.

Road camber will often pull a little, but you don't ordinarily notice it when your steering is tight, because you don't see the different wheel position. You keep holding the wheel straight and you keep going straight. If you have steering box issues, you'll see it in the wheel position even if alignment is good.

Are you really sure about the track bar?

[hightime81]

Thanks for the info. I'm going to take a closer look at the track bar tonight. Would it be a benefit to lift it to see the linkage move more freely?

the deadspot is definitely on center, and you explained it exactly how it feels. My pitman arm TRE has a bad boot at the least. i greased it anyways until i get a chance to replace it, but that could be a factor.

for steering box replacement, i will do some research. i kind of like the idea of the durango box, but this is my DD and doesn't see enough off-road use LOL! I'm basically shooting to get a nice tight factory steer again. I've also seen box rebuild kits on rockauto, is something like that worth a shot?

thank you for your input!

[93gc40]

Your camber may be off, also. If you are stock,Go back to go jeep site for the adjusting shims.

[joe_peters]

Originally Posted by 93gc40

Your camber may be off, also. If you are stock,Go back to go jeep site for the adjusting shims.

Caster, not camber.

[SFW516]

I got a XJ that does the exact same thing you describe. I am going to try shims to adjust my caster angle and see if that does anything. Same as you though everything seems real tight I even tried adjusting my steering box and nothing seems to affect it.

If I get it fixed I'll get the results on here.

[Matthew Currie]

Originally Posted by SFW516

I got a XJ that does the exact same thing you describe. I am going to try shims to adjust my caster angle and see if that does anything. Same as you though everything seems real tight I even tried adjusting my steering box and nothing seems to affect it.

If I get it fixed I'll get the results on here.

Just remember that adjusting the steering box will not cure side play in the pitman shaft. The gears may be tight as new, but it will still take up that lost motion before it starts to turn the crank.

I might also add that some tires seem to amplify this effect.