Causes for loose/wandering steering?
CF Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 7,874
Likes: 100
From: Northern Ontario, Canada
Year: 1990, 1999, 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
unbalanced tires will give you a shimmy, but wandering all over the road is another issue.
are the tires crowned? i've had bad crowned cheap mud tires make my jeep a handful to drive. maybe see if you can borrow a set of tires for a test drive and see if that makes a difference.
are the tires crowned? i've had bad crowned cheap mud tires make my jeep a handful to drive. maybe see if you can borrow a set of tires for a test drive and see if that makes a difference.
unbalanced tires will give you a shimmy, but wandering all over the road is another issue.
are the tires crowned? i've had bad crowned cheap mud tires make my jeep a handful to drive. maybe see if you can borrow a set of tires for a test drive and see if that makes a difference.
are the tires crowned? i've had bad crowned cheap mud tires make my jeep a handful to drive. maybe see if you can borrow a set of tires for a test drive and see if that makes a difference.
Seasoned Member
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 270
Likes: 6
From: Nebraska
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
FYI, I have a thread with the same "wandering" steering issue.
The best thing my girl just did was install the CURE from RuffStuff.
It's a delrin spacer that makes the tie rod not shift around. Check out their site, or Google the CURE. Believe it or not, it really does work.
She also swapped out the sway bar bushings (they were SHOT).
If you steering box is the culprit, search S10 box swap.
After installing the CURE, we are not looking a changing steering boxes. That's how well it worked for us.
The best thing my girl just did was install the CURE from RuffStuff.
It's a delrin spacer that makes the tie rod not shift around. Check out their site, or Google the CURE. Believe it or not, it really does work.
She also swapped out the sway bar bushings (they were SHOT).
If you steering box is the culprit, search S10 box swap.
After installing the CURE, we are not looking a changing steering boxes. That's how well it worked for us.
Old fart with a wrench
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 14,398
Likes: 740
From: Manlius, east of Syracuse, NY
Year: 2000 XJ Sport & WJ Laredo
Model: Grand Cherokee (WJ)
Engine: 4.0L
the big swap now is a Dodge Durango steering box. It's physically bigger and slower steering (more turns) than the jeep box. I think it's just one more turn lock-to-lock than the jeep.
Ok so news update. I swapped the front right tire with my never before used spare tire,and I've still got the annoying wobble. Same speeds,52-60 MPH is where it will occur and continue happening till I slow down or speed up. I'm at my wits end right now as to what this could be cause I have no clue what side it's happening on now. I wanna say it's the right,but now I don't know. Does anybody know what else can cause this symptom? I got the wandering issue sorted out by getting another alignment. The wobbling is the only symptom.
I noticed there's possibly a missing weight on my left rear tire,so I'll be getting my rear tires balanced when I can afford it.
I'm torquing the wheels in a cross cross pattern to 90 lb/ft of torque.
News update again. Got the rear tires balanced,and it didn't help at all. Only thing I sort of noticed is when they had the driver side rear tire on the machine and spun it,it looked a little wobbly to me. I may swap that tire next to see if anything changes.
CF Veteran

Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,469
Likes: 26
From: North canaan Connecticut
Year: 01, 99, 98, 98,98
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I'm having the exact issue. I installed new UCA bushings on the axle and it was a little better. Then I did both bushings on left LCA and it will sometimes turn into death wobble. Before that it was just a wobble. If I keep it below 52 or above 60 mph it doesn't wobble at all. Need to do the right side LCA bushings and both uppers at the frame still. Everything else is good in the steering and elsewhere. Interested to see if you figure this out before I do.
I'm having the exact issue. I installed new UCA bushings on the axle and it was a little better. Then I did both bushings on left LCA and it will sometimes turn into death wobble. Before that it was just a wobble. If I keep it below 52 or above 60 mph it doesn't wobble at all. Need to do the right side LCA bushings and both uppers at the frame still. Everything else is good in the steering and elsewhere. Interested to see if you figure this out before I do.
CF Veteran
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,029
Likes: 35
From: Colorado
Year: 1991 2-Door
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 liter
Look at the track bar where it mounts to the axle it is labeled in the diagram in a previous post. Have some one turn the steering back an forth and see if it has any sloop. I had to fix that to cure my wondering steering issue.
What could cause that with the track bar sense it's new? It's got new bushings,and the bolt hole didn't seem wobbled out. I'll definitely check though cause I've got nothing to lose at this point.
CF Veteran
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,029
Likes: 35
From: Colorado
Year: 1991 2-Door
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 liter
Sometimes the bracket that the bolt goes through hollows out and it gets sloppy I took thick Grade 8 washer that was the exact fit and welded them to re-establish the right size whole no more movement with the sway-bar at the axle.



