RENIXBEAST

I've had my cherokee for a little over a year. It's an 89 auto with a 6" lift. I cannot get it to drive straight. I've put over 2 grand into it and I'm about to light it on fire. Everything in the front end has been replaced. New ball-joints, all tie-rods, every bushing, adjustable track bar, stabilizer, steering box, steering column, tires. No matter what I do it won't track straight down the road, yes I got an alignment also. It feels like the front axle is moving side to side but its not. I will be driving and the faster I go the more it wanders side to side. The steering wheel doesn't move just the front end seems to drift from white line to the yellow line. I can barely keep it on the road. I don't know what to do. I am really considering selling this p.o.s.. Any ideas would be greatfull. I'm on my last nerve with this thing.

Hommersimpson

what kind of bushing set up on the track bar... reason i say.. when i got mine.. it would wonder a little...and the new 4.5RE lift was not old... after looking everything over and having someone wiggling the wheel i noticed the fairly NEW RE track bar on the housing was moving a little...replaced the soft black bushing i with new one from parts store that was much much harder... and tighten the liven crap out of the bolt...
solved problem..

93XJLI

2 grand eh?

bet your using ****ty parts and stock steering.

caged

yup, get rid of that crap inverted Y steering.

if not already, get new ball joints and upper control arm bushings in the axle mounts. maybe new shocks.

what is your tire pressure?

offroadnut36

Have you takin it to a body shop to see if the body is tweaked? Or the rear end could possible be crooked a little bit. You could have a bent knuckle, a bent front axle, there are many possibilities.

RENIXBEAST

All Moog parts. My cousin owns a parts store. The lift came with the truck. I will try a new track bar bushing, I have no play in it but I will try putting a new bushing in it. Heres my list, I'm sure theres more but this is what I remember off hand.
1989 Jeep Cherokee 234,000 miles.
What I've done so far.
Parts/Price/Labor time

Front brake pads/ $20 / 1hr.
Rear brake shoes with hardware/ $30 / 1hr.
Rear brake line/ $10 / 30min.
New muffler/ $40 / 1hr.
Front driveshaft U-joints(3)/ $60 / 2hr.
Rear driveshaft U-joint(1)/ $20 / 1hr.
Valve cover gasket/ $10 / 1hr.
Oil pan gasket/ $60 / 2hr.
Cap,Rotor/ $20 / 30min.
Plugs,Wires/ $50 / 30min.
Air filter/ $10 / 10min.
Fuel filter/ $10 / 30min.
Transmission cooler/ $15 / 30min.
Rough Country Nitro shocks/ $170 / 2hr.
2" Rough Country lift shackles/ $70 / 1hr.
1" Drop Pitman arm/ $40 / 30min.
Steering box(used)/ $40 / 1hr.
Steering box pressure line/ $30 / 10min.
Drag link(used)/ $30 / 1hr.
Pitman arm tie-rod/ $40 / 30min
Trac-bar tie-rod/ $50 / 30min
Control arm bushings/ $50 / 1hr.
Heater Blower motor/ $30 / 30min.
2 tires (used)/ $60
1 brand new cv drive shaft/$75 / 1hr.
1 transfercase output seal/$10 / 30min.
2 axle shaft u-joints high strength non greasable,
2 upper/ 2 lower ball joints/$135/ 4hrs.

Upgraded to 91+ open cooling system: 3hr.
Radiator/ $120
Water pump/ $60
Heavy duty Thermostat/ $12

Drained ALL Fluids: 3.5hr.
Front,Rear Diff/ $25
Transfer case with Lucas/ $25
Transmission fluid flush/ $50
Transmission filter/ $50
Power steering fluid/ $10
Brake fluid/ $10

Spray can Paint job: 5hr.
fiberglass,bondo/ 30$
Olive green(6)/ $20
Bedliner(3)/ $20

RENIXBEAST

I was wondering about the front axle housing maybe being bent. I assumed the alignment shop would have told me if it was bent but who knows. I know not all cherokee's are crap but this has been the worse lifted vehicle I've owned. It's awesome off-road, nothing even compares but on the road its just plain scary.

RENIXBEAST

If I didn't get parts at cost I would have had to take out a second mortgage.

89eliminator

whats your caster set at?

poppajeep

ask your alignment man how much caster is in the front end. sounds like an arm system with not enough adjustment. your steering gear may have a little wear after many miles, but enough caster, proper toe in and out, and you should be rockin'. some short arm systems don't have quite enough adjustment for caster. also, if using non radial tires like swampers, etc. need creative alignment settings. radials are a little more forgiving. also, an alignment shop that deals in large trucks, and motorhomes might have a few more answers than just an auto alignment facility

cherokee77

Like a previous poster said, It could be the rearend is misaligned and dog tracking.

cherokee77

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 14 (10 members and 4 guests) cherokee77, 96Cherokee113, Bustedback, DRHouse822, Hommersimpson, poppajeep, REWSTER, The91XJ, TrekkerJmm, xj_maniac_newb


LOL.

Bustedback

Your ball joints may be a little tight and causing the steering to not center itself. Smack the steering knuckles and inner C with a ball peen hammer and see if it loosens up.

RENIXBEAST

I checked the ball-joints cause that was the first thing I thought about. They were torqued to 100 foot pounds, that's what the book said. I will whack them and see if it makes a difference. When I replaced the ball-joints the front end actually got worse.

RENIXBEAST

I knew if I wrote that title I would get people's attention. So many newbies ask stupid questions without even researching first, every time I ask a question it ends up on page 3 within 2 minutes and I get no response. Thanks for the help from everyone, I will bring it to a better alignment shop and hopefully I get someone who knows what there doing.