Guntar13

Heres the lowdown on my current build
6 inch total lift
HD 6 5/8 arch crown springs with 3 inch aal
RE 5.5 coils with stock insulator
bilstein 5100's all four corners
Rocky Road CAD brackets and control arms (adjustable uppers fixed lowers)
Dropped pitman arm
Iron Rock double shear track bar with bracket
Rustys HD Tie Rod
Iron Man shackle relocation
JKS Disconnects
33/12.5/15 on stock ecco rims (yes they rub a little)

Heres the issue I'm having it is just downright a bear to drive on the highway
I am getting some slight bump steer but not terrible, the issue is it just sways where it wants to. The tires are the correct pressure, I believe the sway bar links are adjusted properly (going to get under when its done raining and check again) But it is like im driving drunk! Just kinda floats and wanders where it wants to. I am kinda lost on where to start trying to pinpoint. I have checked all the busings and bolts and everything on the front end is tight and where it should be. I had a thought that maybe the RE Springs are just a bit soft? Maybe they are allowing too much roll? But then who would make a stiffer spring that is not teeth jarring? I don't know I'm kinda clueless...
Any help and further information you may need is much appreciated. Thanks

toasterknight

I would get an alignment to start. The floating could be a lack of caster cause the steering to center more slowly. If that's the case you steering may feel light as well. To fix you may need to sacrifice good pinion angle or cut the axle c and reweld with better caster.

DirtyKK

Agree with checking Alignment. Adjustable Long arms would help get it into a better Alignment Any play in the steering?

Guntar13

Alignment is spot on had it done by a very reputable shop, they didn't say anything about needing an adjustable camber balljoint though, wonder if that would affect anything but would have to know the degree

thebyus

I have a very similar setup (35" tires instead of 33") and have a very similar issue.

I'm in the midst of replacing the axle for a built HP 30 with truss, gussets, Johnny joints on the top and a locker.

I have been tracking this problem for a while and have reduced it down to 4 basic areas -
1) Ball joints - A lot of the cases where people have been having these problems comes down to ball joints EVEN when you do the lift the wheel and rock it test and NOTHING appears wrong. For a good number of people, new ball joints, even when it appears the old ones are just fine, seem to do the trick.

2) Caster - Apparently, as you start to go big in the front, it starts pulling the bottom of the axle back. There are numerous threads about driveway alignments and what the numbers should really be. I changed my caster from about +1 to +4, and it took away a good amount of the wandering - for a while

3) Aligning the the drag link and the track bar. As mine sat before I ripped everything out, because of the drop-pitman arm, my drag link and track bar were REALLY close to parallel but were still off by 3/4". I'm seriously considering grabbing a stock pitman arm from the JY and see what happens if I put that on and find the REAL length drop I need.

4) Steering stabilizer. I know, I know, they only mask problems, BUT from what I can deduce, they also do exactly what the name implies - stabilize the steering. I pulled mine off and it was SHOT. I can move it with easily with one hand, and it DOES NOT move back. Compare that to the new one I just picked up - with BOTH hands, and I can BARELY move it, and it SHOOTS back to full extension. I am going to need a CROW BAR to install it.

If NONE of those are the issue, the final place I have found can be the culprit is the control arm bushings on the CHASSIS end. If those are worn, it can create slop.

Understand that I personally have NOT yet eliminated my issue, but I have hunting for information on this for 18 months. This a DEVELOPED problem, this I know - it has gotten worse for me in this time period, and the P.O. I bought the heap from was selling it specifically because his wife (whose DD it was) was fed up with the handling and he wasn't interested in tracking it down.

Honestly, if I HADN'T already been planning the axle swap, I would have started with lowest cost, first - probably a driveway caster adjustment, then a steering stabilizer, and then probably ball joints.

Good luck - I hope you are able to figure it out!

toasterknight

The alignment may be fine for a stock vehicle. I prefer to have the spec sheet in hand before I'm confident its where I want it.

Guntar13

I forgot to post that I did all new spicer ball joints about 6 month ago and no offroad since then

andrewmp6

Did you chalk test the tires to find the right pressure for you,Or went by whatever is wrote on the tire?

Guntar13

I never go off the tire I always keep them at what the vehicle recommends, the sticker in the door

SteveMongr

X2 This 'stock' alignment could be causing the issues.

The door sticker of 33 psi is for a 215 or 225 size tire.

Fred/N0AZZ

Well there is part of your problem with the tires your running.

Tsaani97xj

First thing I would do is lower your tire pressure to around 25-28 and take it for a ride. You could be experiencing tramming or tram lining. This type of suspension is notorious for it. Stock JKs will do it off the lot with over inflated tires. Im not saying it is you're only problem but likely contributing. The larger tire takes less pressure to inflate properly. There is math you can calculate to determine proper tire pressure based on tire size and vehicle weight. Sorry I dont have the formula but somewhere mid twenties should be close.

Hope you get it sorted out.

Dumajones

^^^^ this

For my tires I did a chalk test at 33psi on a 33 12.5 15 / 15X8 wheel and the test showed I was way to high in pressure.. Im sure yours are way over inflated being 33" 12.5 15 on stock rim(7" wide if I remember correctly) using the door sticker PSI.

This is 25psi Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac 33"-12.5- 15 on 8" wide wheel.. Pretty decent, the far outer part of the lugs will touch when the Jeep is loaded with stuff. But doing the chalk test is the best way to check your tire PSI to find out whats good for your setup.
I'm sure different brand tires the same size as mine will be a little different in PSI due to load range specs/ side wall thickness and so on.



I'm not saying this will fix the sway,, I'm just commenting on the tire PSI.

andrewmp6

I'm betting its tire psi or your steering box its self is showing its age.I have never trusted the door sticker or what is wrote on the tires both are just a wild guess.Remember the ford explorers rolling over from blowing out tires years back?Part of that was ford saying to run the tires with less air so the suv rode better,But that caused the tires to wear uneven.If you never done a chalk test its not hard just takes time and dry roads.Draw a line across the treads and drive around the block and look at it the line when you get to stop.If the chalk is gone on the middle only you got too much air,If its gone on the edges but still in the middle you need more air.Once you get it all gone even like just see what psi you got in them and stick to that.

toasterknight

The number on the tire is just the maximum operating pressure. Never go there unless you are running the tire at max weight.