Issue after aev lift

irish1371

Adventurer
After installing mu aev 2.5 lift with drop brackets I set the toe to 1/8 and centered the steering wheel.

I noticed mu turn radius to the left seemed short. So I did the lock to lock with the steering wheel and I get about 1.750 turns to right and 1.5 to the left.

I am running rock monsters with 315/70/17 on them.

Any ideas would help thanks
 

goodtimes

Expedition Poseur
Step 1 would be to turn all the way to the left & see if you're hitting the mechanical stops at the knuckle. That stop may or may not be adjustable on your vehicle.

Step 2, if you aren't hitting the mechanical stop, would be to check for other interference that is stopping it. Don't overlook a steering stabilizer that is hitting the end of its stroke.

Step 3 would be to see if the steering box is at the end of it's range. If that's the case, you may be able to move some of the "right turn" travel towards the "left turn" side. Simply move the drivers side tie rod end out, & the passenger side in an equal amount, then recenter your steering wheel with the drag link.
 
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brianjwilson

Some sort of lost...
Check to see if the tie rod adjuster is hanging up on the AEV sway bar bracket.

Also you should buy a quality adjustable track bar to center the axle properly.
 

Reboot11133

Observer
Check to see if the tie rod adjuster is hanging up on the AEV sway bar bracket.

Also you should buy a quality adjustable track bar to center the axle properly.

X2 your track bar is probably pulling the axle towards the driver side so when you centered the steering your steering box was not sitting in the neutral position. I had the same issue when I installed my lift.
 

irish1371

Adventurer
Now talking thru it. I would bet its the track bar.

I will check the stops and stablizer for sure but it makes sense with the track bar. Tyvm for the feed back ot helps alot
 

1stDeuce

Explorer
STOP surfing for adjustable track bars!!! The "issue" you have identified has NOTHING to do with the AEV lift. :)

The phenomenon you are experiencing is most likely due to the asymmetry in the steering system that is inherent to WJ and JK, NOT due to the AEV lift at all! Believe it or not, it was that way before you lifted it too!! (Everyone with a JK or WJ will find pretty much the exact same thing, stock or lifted.) There is nothing about lifting your JK that would affect the lock to lock steering, as the track bar and the drag link are on the same plane, and change angle and effective axle positioning together. (You should have only had to make a VERY minor adjustment to re-center the steering wheel, and the lift actually couldn't affect your toe setting at all.)

<climbing on my soapbox...>
The axle being slightly offset after a mild lift due to the track bar swing is NOT a problem, regardless of what you read by vendors trying to sell you an adjustable track bar to "correct" it. Actually, "correcting" the axle location via an adjustable track bar shifts the axle over and messes up the jounce bumper contact when you go over bumps! It also can cause the springs to rub the frame with some larger lifts. Having the axle 3/8" or so to the left doesn't cause ANY ill handling effects, nor pulling, nor strange tire wear. Save your hard earned money for other things!
<climbing down>

To put your mind at ease, you should go to a parking lot and actually measure the turn diameter both directions. What you should find is that it's basically the same, even though there is 1/4 turn difference in the actual steering wheel revolutions require to get there!!

Explanation: If you look under the Jeep at the passenger side knuckle, you can see where the drag link connects to the knuckle arm. Notice that this arm is actually pointed toward the center of the vehicle, and not straight ahead from the balljoint? That is what's causing the steering to be asymmetric. You'll see that your steering arm is also at roughly this angle. That keeps the asymmetry from being really horrible, but can't correct it. If the knuckle arm and steering arms both pointed straight ahead, then you would have the same number of steering wheel revolutions both directions. As the knuckle arm is pointed to the left, the steering ratio between the steering wheel and the wheels is faster to the left than to the right, meaning it takes less steering wheel turns to get to lock going left than right. You most likely just happened to be looking for things amiss after the lift, so that's when you noticed. As I said above, it was there all along.

If you go to a parking lot and turn circles and find that it really does turn sharper right than left, then do check the things pointed out in Goodtimes' posts above. I don't think any of the steering clamps on a '13 can contact anything, regardless of how they're oriented, but you can check them. If you installed an aftermarket steering stabilizer with the big tires and lift, you need to check it too. If it's too short, it will hit full extension before you get to lock when turning left, and that will limit your steering a bit. (Unbolt it at the axle and see if you can turn sharper.) Conversely, if it's too long, it would limit steering to the right.

Please check these things and post back to let us know what you found. If anyone with a stock WJ or KJ is reading, check turns lock to lock from center and post up what you find for future people who stumble on this after doing suspension work. :)

Chris
 
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brianjwilson

Some sort of lost...
The AEV lift uses front sway bar end link relocation brackets. And yes the tie rod adjuster can get hung up on them. I had this problem on my 2012.

My recommendation for a new track bar comes from the fact that the axle isn't centered, but also because the factory track bar ends up causing a bunch of steering and handling problems with bigger tires and lift. The bushings are soft, and the bar itself bends and flexes causing the steering to be flighty.

I didnt consider the steering damper placement but I have heard that others had it placed improperly restricting steering in one directions.
 

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