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Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go hereXJ (84-01)
All OEM related XJ specific tech. Examples, no start, general maintenance or anything that's stock.
I think that it should be said that YOU CANNOT ALWAYS TRUST A COMMON SHOP TO ALIGN A LIFTED JEEP PROPERLY. This is not to say they can't ever or that you're the victim of this - only to say that some tire shops do NOT do well with adjusted/non-stock heights and many employ inexperienced young folks and don't train them as well as they aught to. Just be sure that you're using a quality shop or one that specializes in Jeeps if you can do so.
One of the things that gives me confidence in the tire shop I use is the fact the guys working on my Jeep are middle aged professionals that I see every time I'm in the shop and they take pride in their work.
It never hurts to ask the shops about their experience with non-standard suspensions... even if it's only 2".
If it was, I know if someone came into my work just to do that job, they'd not be charged much. An hours labour tops, although I've read a lot of high hourly rates posted in the states. We charge £35 per hour and before this year, it had been £30 per hour for at least 10 or so years.
It's easy enough to check out yourself to rule it out anyway.
Yeah, the labor thing is very true. In the New England area (where I live - you may be familiar with the disagreement with the Crown that occurred in this area some years ago ), the typical skilled labor rates are roughly $100/hr... sometimes with a premium for the first hour (this is common with plumbers/electricians) and has been for a good few years at least.
In addition, measure very accurately the wheelbase, left to right
You may well find they are not the same (even from factory)
This can be corrected as stated above, and/or shim one side, or adjust LCA and UCA just a touch (if you have adjustables)
Unfortunately no adjustable CA's here... that part of my suspension is all stock as there was no need on a mild 2" lift.
Side note... to EVERYONE posting... I greatly appreciate the input of different things to check. That really helps in checking things faster to get to the actual root cause of what is happening with my specific XJ..
I think that it should be said that YOU CANNOT ALWAYS TRUST A COMMON SHOP TO ALIGN A LIFTED JEEP PROPERLY. This is not to say they can't ever or that you're the victim of this - only to say that some tire shops do NOT do well with adjusted/non-stock heights and many employ inexperienced young folks and don't train them as well as they aught to. Just be sure that you're using a quality shop or one that specializes in Jeeps if you can do so.
One of the things that gives me confidence in the tire shop I use is the fact the guys working on my Jeep are middle aged professionals that I see every time I'm in the shop and they take pride in their work.
It never hurts to ask the shops about their experience with non-standard suspensions... even if it's only 2".
^^^ that's also a good point.... there's a LOT that I know how to do on vehicles... I've done darn near everything including engine rebuilds over the years....and if there is ever a time that I either don't have the right (expensive one time use tool) to do the job right and the frequency of using it doesn't warrant me buying it... then when I take my vehicle to a shop, I am VERY selective on who I will allow to work on it. Because I take great care in what I'm doing and only want another very experienced person working on it if I'm not the one doing the work.
Slight update.... schedule hasn't allowed me to pull the front wheels off yet and check the caliper assemblies....
One thing to note... I don't know how it's possible so don't throw anything at me....
I did check all the tires for pressure before posting.... and they were all almost dead on with each other.... Just for giggles I check again the other day... (tires cold of course)... and the rear driver's side was reading around 3 pounds higher than the other 3 tires...
Don't know how I got a false reading I was being careful.... but it did affect the steering after lowering it to be equal with the other 3 sides.
I'm not completely out of the woods on this... I do have to correct, but not quite as much as I did before....
I'm hoping the resolve will be either ultra low or no cost to adjust/fix... as my wife is really thinking now is the time to sell the jeep in favor of getting a full size truck. It makes sense for us, but I love my old Jeep....
So any excuse of needing to repair something on the jeep will put it in favor of that I'm afraid...so... gotta do it on the DL
The best way to check if you have a brake drag issue is to drive at highway speeds for a few minutes, then slowly coast to a stop without using the brakes (downshifting on an uphill stretch works). Get out and feel the temperature of each wheel (they should all be cold) and then the rotor or drum (should all be cool, equally on each axle). That's the best real-world test I know of.
The best way to check if you have a brake drag issue is to drive at highway speeds for a few minutes, then slowly coast to a stop without using the brakes (downshifting on an uphill stretch works). Get out and feel the temperature of each wheel (they should all be cold) and then the rotor or drum (should all be cool, equally on each axle). That's the best real-world test I know of.
I'd be hard pressed to find a road like that here in or near Houston TX... in this mega-metropolis of a city (all 650 sq miles of Houston proper)... my 22 year old XJ I'd almost bet is already the slowest thing on the roads here.. LOL... I know cars/trucks well... and I would say every 9 out of 10 trips I take in the jeep it's always the oldest vehicle on the roads here.... so leaves me feeling a little nostalgic
Plus I don't drive like an idiot with it.. I want her to last... so I figure they can get ticked off... there's always 4 or 5 other lanes they can use to get around my speed limit driving butt.
Hoping someone here can help with this... as I'm not sure what to check next to resolve this pain in the butt steering issue.
99 XJ, 4.0, LHD, 4WD, currently sitting on 235s
Issue: Even with driving a straight stretch of road that does not visually appear to have much or any center crown to it... the jeep slowly will drift to the right and I have to keep about an inch give or take of steering wheel correction to the left to keep it going straight either consistently or fairly short intervals. I don't believe this to be normal. It is starting to cause premature wear on the outside edges of the front tires. Plus the extra stress that it may be putting on the steering linkage as a whole.
Facts: A). 1. Tie rod ends were replaced about 3 years ago with just standard OEM equivalent parts for the orig. 20 yr old worn out parts.
2. Only about 7-8k has been put on her since then so low mileage on the replacements.
3. Visually inspected the boots are all in good condition (didn't disconnect any to see about possible play in the tie rod end itself as low mileage and age since replacement)
4. I did recently have to replace the tie rod end that attaches at the drop pitman arm. The boot was split. I think the over stress from having to constantly correct while driving (not sure)
5. The replacement at the drop pitman arm was done with an upgraded from OEM that looks a lot stronger/beefier than the orig. one that I got from a different source... no dura-crap here...
6. Steering box... about 1.5 years ago I stopped going down the reman. rabbit hole and got a Redhead box. So far seems to be holding up best I can tell. The drifting is only to one side (the right)...not slop back and forth like a worn steering box.
7. Just last week after I replaced the one tie rod end mentioned above, I got the jeep aligned.
8. I had already checked the wheels for play with the ball joints and really didn't feel any play at all on either side. (so think those are still good) This jeep only has about 108k orig. miles on it to date. B). 9. After the alignment, it seems that it cut the issue roughly in half. I still have to correct, but doesn't seem as often.
10. No death wobble either... the track bar was replaced at the same time as the tie rod ends couple years ago.
What the heck do ya'll think needs to be checked out at this point? This is causing undue wear on the tires (which I want to upgrade to different size, but not because something is wrong as it would hose those too)
and yes for the record as to not assume anything... air pressure was already checked to be even.
And as I've never been a fan of the parts cannon, that's why I've posted here ahead of that.......
A). Did you have this "pull" before you started replacing the tie rods 3 years ago?
B). It's possible the shop "bounced" the vehicle into alignment. Did you get a print out of the alignment? What kind of an alignment did you get? Just a "toe & go?" Maybe the alignment rack hasn't been calibrated for awhile? I take it back to the shop & ask questions. I'd also explain to them what you are experiencing.
When is the last time you replaced your brake hoses? Maybe you have a collapsed brake hose?
Failed / Failing wheel bearing, causing a little bit of drag? Over torqued axle shaft nut, pinching the wheel bearing?
Do you have a thermal gun so you can take readings of the temperature, on both sides (front & rear) of the vehicle to see you you have a significant temperature difference?
I just recently found something on this... I don't know if it was like this from the beginning or if this manifested....but would explain pull.
I was under the jeep looking at something else the other day..and discovered that the tie-rod end on the passenger side wheel appears to be completely "unloaded".
The cotter pin is intact... so the castle nut hasn't moved.but now it appears that there is no real (correct) pressure of the boot. Which is why I called it "unloaded". How that happened I dont know. Is it possible for a tie-rod end to fail like that?
The failure would not have been from abuse... just a crappy part.... if that's the case, who makes the best ones for replacement?
Rather that looking at the boot, check for play in the ball joint in the tie rod. Boots do wear out over time, you can buy them at a parts store
I get that... the boot isn't worn out... my concern is that I know it was installed properly to begin with. And the castle nut has not loosened I know this because the cotter pin is still intact. but now it appears that the distance between the boot ad the part of the tie-rod end that attaches to the bar seems like that is increased. It doesnt look like there is any normal pressure on the boot. Like it's no longer snugged down correctly. Is it possible for a link to fail like that? I've never seen it, but I haven't looked at every car on the planet either.
Engine: 4.3L with headers and full 3" exhaust system
I have seen too many boots that have worn out, and a couple of my own. The thing to find out though is whether or not there is play in the joint. If not, it is just s worn out boot
I tried to move it but joint is hard as a rock. I know they aren't super easy to move anyways when new...but guess I'll have to take that link loose to really see about play or the lack there of.
The strange part to me is that it was torqued to the right spec when I installed them 35 ft lbs I think... whatever it was at the time it was spec by the book. And now it looks like the shaft is not inserted all of the way. But the castle nut and cotter pin are intact in place. So i know it didn't come loose that way.
I'll take a pic soon as I can.
@4.3L XJ to address part of what you mentioned.. the boot doesn't appear "worn out"... it looks like what you'd expect a new one to look like before being installed and receiving the grease via the zerk fitting.
More of a "bowl" shape than being like a slightly compressed "donut" shape. You know, how they typically look when installed properly and greased up.
Last edited by RocketMouse; 02-01-2021 at 02:33 PM.
Hopefully these pics will at least somewhat represent what I am seeing with my eyes. There's an obvious difference between the passenger's side tie-rod end and the driver's side
Passenger's side (the one in question) Driver's side - looks fairly normal to me.
12-22-2020, 09:36 PM
