JeepMoreDoor

I finally set my thrust angle straight and toe is good, caster might have to be adjusted more to the stock 7 degrees but Im not sure if I can set it at stock caster with a 4 or 4.5" lift up front and not get a drive shaft vibration...? Caster is currently about 5.80 degrees equal on both sides. MY 2000 XJ STILL DRIFTS SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT! And I have to hold the steering wheel a bit to keep straight, but not a death grip. I have noticed the jeep does lean about 1/2 on the passenger side, maybe thats why its drifting right?

I wanted to ask can I add more positive caster on the right side to help the car steer straight? Has anyone else done this? Im just not sure why it keeps drifting right, the outer tread is 1/32 lower than the inner tread.

JeepMoreDoor

BUMP. Anyone?

Radi

First thing I'd do is rotate the tires and see if the problem changes.

BotakBeng

^this

then this>

FL Denmark

are brakes ok ? if it sticks on the right it can be it?
tyre pressure ??
what about the rear end ? is it straight with the front end ? a rear end is as steerkng as the front ?

good luck with it

gmv93

i faced very similar situation on 1997 GZ laredo.


please check my thread with updates. i corrected this problem with excess caster angles. it wont harm your steering parts.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/veh...3/#post1199341

JeepMoreDoor

I have rotated them and it still drifts to right. SO my next to I guess try and adjust caster....

tiwvr1

Been working at a alg shop for 10 years Caster pulls to the low side, camber to the high side. So yes, add positive caster on the right, or neg on the left. You usually always want it to be a half degree more positive on the right then the left. Most roads crown to the right, so u need to do this to compasate for a pull.

At 5 degrees positive you should be fine, if you notice alot of wandering on the high way you should adj it more positive. If steering is difficult at low speeds, then adj more negative.

JeepMoreDoor

I just added postive caster on the right and still drifts right! Im not the best alignment master so IDK whats going on. I will say this though...

When I turn right on a curve on the freeway the tires are really quiet. When Im having to hold the steering wheel to go straight the tires are really loud. When I turn left the loudness is still there. Maybe I should replace every single ball joint and tie rod then try it again!

gmv93

a standard car, except some modern ultralight electric steering system equipped positive caster adjustmentent required ones, has negative caster on both sides and tend to pull a side which has less negative caster angle. ( when there is difference between two sides this is called cross caster and required to make car to be able to go straight) if you want to adjust it to overcome the drift to a side, you need to adjust opposite side at less negative.

here are my values to correct my problem. those are all negative values since car needs negative caster adjustment. we need to accept them as absolute values.

on my experience, we adjusted caster settings to 6.9 left to 7.3, and 7.2 to 7.55 on right. so (-7 degree 30 minutes) vs (-7 degrees 55 minute) helps car to follow a straight line.

there are basic alignment related videos in this link. i learned a lot from them.

http://www.hunter.com/videos/index.cfm?cat=2

tiwvr1

This would mean your Right front wheel bearing is bad. When you turn right it takes the load off the right front, so it is quiet. When you turn left it puts a load on the right front and will make it louder.

BotakBeng

Good reading stuff!
TY.

gmv93

you are welcome.
it is ok to align it to excess caster angles like -1 degrees than reccomended values. It only cause you to feel that car is less responsive(stiff) to steering wheel movements at higher speeds than at highway speeds. (which is actually not so bad for a XJ or ZJ especially if you fo not have speed sensitive steering pump).

what you feel at normal speeds is more stabilized straight line cruising. to visualize it, think caster angle as cart wheels at back of cart. longer the difference on axis of wheel and pivot point on body of cart, better straight line and correction on direction after turning the cart to a direction.

i also highly reccomend to check track bar bushings.

JeepMoreDoor

Ill have to check the wheel bearings. Im not sure if the noise is just the tread hitting the road?? They are goodyear wrangler authority, and the right side tire is wearing by 1/32nd more on the outside tread.

gmv93

jack the car up and try to move wheel by hand back and forth. if we assume no play due to ball joints on knuckle, you must not feel any play on wheel. try to rotate by hand and you must not hear any metallic noise.