New tires now jeep wanders

97TJGUZZY

97TJGUZZY

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So i just put new ATs on the front...and after having no tread for so long it feels like my jeep wanders all over the road now haha.

I'm thinking my upper passenger ball joint is to blame, I tried to tighten it but thats not happening so I guess its time to replace it.... Anybody want to play Replace the Balljoints thursday night?
 
If I didn't have to work Friday I would. I've never done them and need to learn how. Harbor Freight had a 'super coupon' for the whole ball joint press kit that I'm thinking about picking up. It would probably be good to have one around.
 
With the new front tires that have more tread (therefore taller), it is altering the normal airflow over your fender flares and is acutually causing lift. This is causing the wandering.

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Use a big*** hammer and PB blaster to remove the old one, then stick the new one down in the cooler under ice for half an hour and pop it right in. No vice or special tools required. Takes less than an hour.

Oh wait, I'm thinking trail repair... duh :roll: :flipoff2:

Mine has done similar to that before on the highway after rotating/replacing tires. It always went away after a hundred miles or so once the old wear pattern wore down and the Jeep carves it's own pattern into them. Crappy rear shocks can give the same effect and is more noticeable with the change. Until then, the best thing you could do is ride around with the rear locker engaged on the highway since it'll help keep the vehicle shooting straight. After a hundred miles, check it. I'm sure this sounds really akward, but it works. :la: And no, this isn't interweb folklore.
 
i'm going to rent the tool this time and throw the joints in the freezer...oh boy get to pull the 44 apart again. Anyone want to see how one comes apart let me know. I'll provide the beer.
 
I'd love to help you do it. Drive down here to Beaufort and we can do. I'll even pull the Mustang out of the garage so we could work in there lol
 
When are you planning to do it? Id help ya if I could, but wont be off until Sat. morning so anytime Sat afternoon or Sun
 
Steve97tj said:
I thought you just replaced all of them end of last year? Wish you'd of thrown a 60 in yet :D
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Nah... That'd make to much sense. :flipoff2:

But seriously though, check and make 100% sure the knuckles don't limit out before the ram does. Centimeters are crucial. Nothing will kill a ball joint faster than a ram with more travel than the steering can handle. It took me many a restless nights of planning to get mine measured out right, and that's without the luxury of an adjustable ram mount on the tie rod.
 
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so, replaced the balljoints and that made it worse....so I checked the alignment, it was 3/8" toe in...so i set the to correctly...still wanders... I just want it to work... its like it wants to go left or right but not straight..
 
Check the condition of your bearings when you get a chance. I had an inner hub bearing to start going bad that caused the tire to wobble at speed and wander slightly before it blew up. The other side was a little sloppy because I apperantly didn't tighten the nut down tight enough. Made quite a dramatic difference with good tight bearings all around.
 
what air pressure you running? my km2's want to wander if i run too much pressure on the narrow waggy rims. and by too much pressure for me it is 20 psi .....yikes.
 
If the trackbar axle bolt hole is loose and it makes it wander.. did you check that? or if there is play at the top where its adjustable.. could be that too
 
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