CONSTANT steering input and Adjustment TJ

[DKR]

I'm really scratching my head on this one..

I have a 99 TJ with a 3" BDS lift, RE adj trac bar, black diamond steering stabilizer, new TRE's (but stock Tie rod/drag link), STOCK pittman arm.  My steering is WHACKED.  I've tightened the sterring box adj, but it's not play in the wheel.

The problem is that I can be going straight down the road and the jeep drives pretty straight, no real alignment issues. But the second I put my hand on the steering wheel to make any kind of turn, it turns further than I want and I have to correct it again and then I'm constantly adjusting to stay between the lines.  It's really driving me nuts.

Can someone think of anything else I should check?  Anyone else had the same issue and got it fixed?  Thanks!

[TJ-2thousand]

U-TURN :beerchug:

[slurveysTJ]

check you track bar. my re kept coming loose on the axle until i used an impact on it.

[DKR]

Just installed it today from my stock bar, so it's tight as @#)  :agree:

[bradrenea]

Do you have the drop bracket for the track bar? If so then that could be your problem.
When you installed the track bar did you measure how much longer it was then the stock bar and adjust the drag link accordingly? If not, that could be your problem.
If you change the geometry on one (track bar or drag link) but not the other it will cause strange things to happen due to bump steer. You start to turn for a corner and as the body leans it causes the steering to change, making the jeep steer itself. Then you have to constantly correct with the steering wheel.
Generally, if you install a drop bracket for the track bar then you also need to install a drop pitman arm to keep the geometry correct. And if you install an adjustable track bar you need to adjust the drag link accordingly.
Maybeb this helps, maybe not.

[bradrenea]

Also, if you overtighten the steering box adjustment, it can make things alot worse. You probably adjusted it when the problem was actually something else, and it is now making the problem worse. I recently overtightned the box on my blazer and it made the steering input seem over exaggerated. I would start to turn and it would not turn as much as I needed it to so I would turn the wheel a little more, then it would suddenly turn way too sharp and I would have to turn the wheel back. Couldn't even keep it between the lines around a corner.

[DKR]

Thanks for the reply man.  I think what you're asking is if my axle is centered and if my drag link mount to pittman arm and mount for track bar are parrallel, and they are, so I'm good there.  

I'll try to loosen the steering again, sounds like that might help.

If it doesn't, does anyone know what the proper toe in should be for a TJ lifted 3"?

[bradrenea]

Yeah, they have to be parallel. But also, if you had to adjust your new track bar out so that it was one inch longer than the stock one to center the axle, then the drag link needs to be lengthened out one inch too so that they swing on the same arc. If one is longer than the other, they will not move up and down on the same arc and it will cause bump steer.
I am not a front end guy, but I have always set the toe in between 1/8" and 1/4" on my rigs and had pretty good luck.

Another thing to check: I am not positive but I think your Jeep might have a variable ratio steering box, meaning that the farther you turn the wheel the faster the steering ratio (sort of). If the steering is out of adjustment to where the steering wheel is 360 degrees from where it should be when you are going straight, it would not take as much steering input and it would turn farther. Probably doesn't make much sense. You can check it pretty easy. Get the wheels straight and turn them all the way to the right, counting the number of rotations on the steering wheel. Center it back up and then turn it all the way left. If it takes more turns of the steering wheel one way than it does the other then you need to adjust the drag link to center it up.