Steeing issues with a lift kit installed

cs1841 · **Joined:** Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:29 pm **Posts:** 6

steering issues: I installed a Daystar 2 1/2" lift kit, relaced all shocks and struts with monroe sensitrac, and replaced front control arm bushings with polly Daystars, inst. 265x70x16 tires, also had it realigned. Jeep has very sharp feel now in almost any driving conditions, pulls to the left or riight, have to always have hand on wheel, it has 70K miles on it could the steering rack possibly be going bad? not sure where to go from here!

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 10:43 pm

Sounds like alignment first
Did the shop set it to regular specs or ??
Did it start right away after the lift?

cs1841 · **Joined:** Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:29 pm **Posts:** 6

not sure if they did to stock specs or not, allignment shop was just around the corner from tire store, so I didn't have any drive time on it, will most shops allign according to a lift, or only to factory specs?

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 11:16 pm

The alignment specs are the same no matter if lifted or not.
Problem is some if they have not done any lifted KJs think it is different for some reason
If they get the toe in and camber within the specs you should be good
Cross camber should not be anymore than .5 degrees and at least 2 to 3 degrees

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Tue Mar 30, 2010 1:39 am

You should've waited a couple weeks with plenty of driving miles on it before getting the alignment. Let the lift "settle." it is natural for a company to not get the alignment right the first time. I suggest going to a reputable shop that does alignments and get a lifetime alignment package. Firestone shops seem to vary by the staff they have hired. Mine pulled to the right after an alignment, now to the elft just a little after the next alignment (though different tires and new tie rod ends).

VoodooMann · **Posted:** Tue Mar 30, 2010 3:05 am

daystar lifts don't really settle...

unless you replaced the springs too

STINGN · **Posted:** Tue Mar 30, 2010 3:20 am

VoodooMann wrote:

daystar lifts don't really settle...

unless you replaced the springs too

daystars dont settle, the stock coils settle quicker tho

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:16 am

Everyone I do gets aligned right away, toe in and everything is so far out of specs it would handle real bad and chew your tires off right away if you didn't
Of course after a few thousand you need to do it again.
Daystar will still settle some after everything breaks in, nature of the beast

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:19 am

Atleast with mine, the alignment wasn't 'that' bad after a lift

after new UCA's (jba) however... i was dog tired after driving it half an hour home in the rain, it wanted to follow every seam and tar patch line in the road - quite squirrely

Also had the 'opportunity' to drive mine around for a week with just the rear lifted :lol:

I think that got more looks than after the front was finished

cs1841 · **Joined:** Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:29 pm **Posts:** 6

thanx for the info, have about 2K miles on it since the lift, couple good alignment shops by me, think i'll let them take a look

wilpwr78 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:27 pm

My Renegade has needed a hand on the wheel since I brought it home. That being said, I am not getting any uneven tire wear. I attribute my attention needing steering to 1. Michigan roads 2. Short Wheelbase and 3. More Aggressive Tires.

Adding the DayStar kit this weekend, then I'll put about 1K miles on it before I have the alignment checked, unless I feel it's completely unsafe to drive.

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:54 pm

Toe in will be off by some so at least set it before driving any after a lift its about 1/8 to 1/4 toed in

ShafferNY · **Joined:** Wed Dec 26, 2007 3:51 pm **Posts:** 88

Ever since I lifted mine I've had to keep one hand on the wheel while braking. Sometimes she goes to the right, sometimes she wants to pull to the left. It seems to depend on the road.

When I had it aligned, the alignment shop said they couldn't get the caster back to factory spec, but it was close. If I wanted them to keep tweaking it they would, but it was close enough for me. Other than that, she goes down the highway straight as an arrow. The tire wear is dead even too.

I think it's your caster adjustment that causing your 'squirliness'.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 01, 2010 6:23 pm

ShafferNY wrote:

I think it's your caster adjustment that causing your 'squirliness'.

That would be correct.

cs1841 · **Joined:** Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:29 pm **Posts:** 6

thanks for all your input, alignment shop said it was way off, other shop had everything set wrong, handles much better now

Steeing issues with a lift kit installed

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