Can I improve the ride quality anymore?

[13jkjunky]

I have a 2021 JTR. It has a Metalcloak 3.5” GC lift, 37” c rated bfg ko2’s, bilstein 5100 shocks, MC rear track bar relocation, MC tie rod and drag link with steering stabilizer relocation kit, dynatrac ball joints. I’m running 6 degrees of caster. Originally had MC Rocksport red shocks and swapped to the 5100’s as I felt the rocksports were a bit too soft and only added to the issues.

My complaint is that even with all this the jeep still doesn’t drive the way I wish it would. Maybe I’m expecting too much and maybe it’s “just a jeep”. It doesn’t drive terrible but when hitting bumps I get a pretty good amount of bump steer and there’s still 1-2” of play in the steering wheel when moving side to side where nothing really happens, a dead spot so to speak.

I know it’s a jeep but I have to imagine it could drive better than this. I let my wife drive it for the first time this evening on a decently long trip. Overall she didn’t have much to complain about but when she’d see a bump coming she’d put 2 hands on the wheel to hold on and in her words she felt “when we hit a bump she was afraid of it throwing the jeep to the side of the road”. To be clear, it doesn’t throw the jeep, but it does throw the steering wheel (bump steer) a good bit.

Any ideas or recommendations?

 

[bobfriesenhahn]

Can you post a photo of the front suspension (from the front) so we can see how well things are aligned?

Have you tested the steering while parked, with someone inside making small left/right steering inputs and someone outside seeing what is (or is not) moving among the front suspension/steering components?

 

[13jkjunky]

Can you post a photo of the front suspension (from the front) so we can see how well things are aligned?

Have you tested the steering while parked, with someone inside making small left/right steering inputs and someone outside seeing what is (or is not) moving among the front suspension/steering components?

Yes I have done that. Nothing is noticeably loose. Everything is new. Not even 1k miles on the lift, steering etc.

I’m thinking of trying the drag link flip, seems many people report good luck with it above 3” lift instead of the typically recommended 4.5. Only reservation is that I can’t go back once I drill the knuckle. Unless I can flip the sleeve to the stock under mount location I don’t see why not actually since it will be a straight drilled 7/8 hole and not tapered anymore since the sleeve is the taper.

 

[bobfriesenhahn]

Yes I have done that. Nothing is noticeably loose. Everything is new. Not even 1k miles on the lift, steering etc.

I’m thinking of trying the drag link flip, seems many people report good luck with it above 3” lift instead of the typically recommended 4.5. Only reservation is that I can’t go back once I drill the knuckle. Unless I can flip the sleeve to the stock under mount location I don’t see why not actually since it will be a straight drilled 7/8 hole and not tapered anymore since the sleeve is the taper.

You definitely have a geometry issue with the drag link since things are not horizontally aligned. That would surely cause bump steer. But you also mentioned a "dead spot" in the steering, which seems like something else.

 

[jeeeep]

with 3.5" lift, drag link flip and track bar relocation bracket to keep them parallel, look at Syngery

may be the photo but the SS also appears to be at a pretty steep angle.

both would contribute to a dead spot feeling, have you cycled your steering to make sure the SS is centered properly?

 

[wayoflife]

You definitely have a geometry issue with the drag link since things are not horizontally aligned. That would surely cause bump steer. But you also mentioned a "dead spot" in the steering, which seems like something else.

Not sure how you can tell that from those photos. Unless some kind of track bar relocation bracket was installed without addressing the drag link as well (and I can't see anything like that) all should be fine with the geometry.

 

[wayoflife]

My complaint is that even with all this the jeep still doesn’t drive the way I wish it would. Maybe I’m expecting too much and maybe it’s “just a jeep”. It doesn’t drive terrible but when hitting bumps I get a pretty good amount of bump steer and there’s still 1-2” of play in the steering wheel when moving side to side where nothing really happens, a dead spot so to speak.

It's not just a "Jeep thing" but rather, a "dead spot" in the steering wheel is what you feel with ANY vehicle with a solid front axle that uses a steering box, drag link and tie rod to steer it. I know you don't want to hear this but the steering you're used to is what you last felt on whatever IFS rack and pinion steering car you had before.

As far as bump steer goes. Could you elaborate what exactly you think that is? What exactly happens when you hit a bump?

 

[13jkjunky]

You definitely have a geometry issue with the drag link since things are not horizontally aligned. That would surely cause bump steer. But you also mentioned a "dead spot" in the steering, which seems like something else.

The drag link and track bar are at the same angle. They’re not horizontal as none would be after a lift. There’s play in the wheel about 1” left to right and you can feel this with the engine off. I know jeeps have some play, not sure what’s normal.