So the subject is a 2001 XJ 4wd. A little over 215,000. In the past few years have replaced ball joints, all steering linkages and rod ends. New trac bar and sway bar links. Also rotors and hubs fwiw. A few months ago the steering pump.

So the steering has always felt heavy like as if the tires were soft is all I can compare it to. The tires have also scrubbed badly when turning tightly. Now that everything has been replaced it’s a little better with scrubbing but still doesn’t feel as light as my other stock XJ.

After I did the ball joints and hubs and rotors and new tires I had it aligned and now it’s been almost feeling as though the steering box has play. Then I was moving the steering wheel while parked the other day and the wheels are moving without much steering wheel movement so I’m beginning to think it’s something else. Problem is when driving I need to make a lot of corrections to keep it tracking straight. And it’s the same cornering. And after corners I need to sometimes steer it back straight.

Last weekend I topped off the diff and greased everything and it got slightly better. I can’t move the tie rod or drag link at all by hand and all the joints are tight. I rotated the tires and I noticed if I ran my hand circumfrentialy along the front tires the tread is wearing to points on one side. If I run my hand front to back all the front parts of the tread are higher. Running my hand back to front it’s smooth. I also just took a quick toe measurement. I got 58 5/16 front of tires and 58 9/16 aft. So that’s a quarter inch toe in. Is that too much? Also the coil springs are original and may be sagging and I have not changed the sway bar bushings or the control arm bushings. I used a big prybar to check the controlnarm bushings and they feel about the same as my other stocker which is a 98 with 163,000.

 

Some more to add. Drove about 150 miles with it yesterday. Usually when going straight I need to turn the wheel slightly right. Going into a right hand turn it will start turning immediately. But going from straight into a left corner I need to turn the wheel a bit before it starts turning. Also right hand turns feel a little more normal. Left hand corners the steering needs more correction. To best describe it if a cop was behind me they would probably think I was intoxicated the way im swerving all over the road. Going to have my wife wiggle and turn the wheel after and ill get under there to see if anything is obvious. I did read that toe should be an 8th inch or less. All I know is the WJ we had the steering felt heavy also so when we got this XJ i assumed it was normal. Then I picked up one of my 98's it steers like it has a rack and pinion. .

 

So the steering wheel won't center. I'd check the front end for stiff components. Also I'd get that alignment rechecked.

 

I’m beginning to think the very saggy rear springs are causing too much caster. Upon researching it seems that more positive toe should result in better straight line stability. Straight line is very unstable in this case so that kinda takes the blame off the toe in. Here is what I read about caster.

Positive caster will also affect camber when steering;
The outher wheel will get more negative camber as the inner wheel's camber will get less negative.
One could think, "the more positive caster the better" but that's not really the case.
It would make steering harder as the steering force will increase.
Also there's another disadvantage;
While steering; positive caster will cause the inner wheel to rise and the outher wheel will drop.
This again will transfer "corner-weight" from the inner to the outher wheel, causing a loose feeling in the car.

 

So it’s most likely too much positive caster. Question is though whether or not it’s the sagging rear or something else causing it. Only other cause I could think of that would change caster is worn control arm bushings. It had been steering fine the last few years aside from the heaviness. The springs are definitely sagging a lot more now though that and I’m sure the control arm bushings are probably also more worn. We got the Jeep almost 5 years ago and it then had 165,000 now it’s a bit over 216,000.

Guess I’ll have to do the springs before I can really tell. And maybe I’ll throw on some knee control arms and have the bushings in the axle brackets replaced. I’m taking a trip into the Adirondacks at the end of the month. It’s just under 200 miles away and I’ll be there for 4 days and not very close to many places to get parts or repair done. It’ll also be one fatiguing drive if it’s not fixed by then.

 

I'm going through something similar. I replaced the steering box , all steering components , track bar bushings. I also went with a Fox Steering stabilizer. The steering is much heavier feel but the XJ now tracks better in a straight line. Maybe you should look into replacing yours.My next step is to replace the upper control arms.

 

Yup. The only things I haven’t replaced pertaining to steering and front suspension is the steering box and the control arm bushings. Aside from shocks and springs. I’m afraid to spend the time and money on the steering box if I’m not 100% certain it will help. Especially when other things are more pressing. It was pristine when we got it but after 4 winters in CT and 50,000 miles have taken its toll. I’m actually thinking I might just sell it now and let someone else start fresh with it. Fully disclosing everything I know about it of coarse. Not sure if it’s worth putting another $1000 into at this point for me.

 

 

 

Positive castor is a good thing. Have you checked your sector shaft for play?