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Street Manners

Spitzer

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Colorado
So here is my problem..I have a 97 Cherokee Country with a 8" Skyjacker lift (the old style with the axle cradle) on 35 MTR's. 8.25 rear detroit locked/HP 30 open front. Ballistic 3/4" heim HD steering. Front and rear sway bars removed. PO cut everything off the axle to make room for the new steering and got rid of the sway bar

I really like this rig, it's very capable on the trail, but I'd like to be able to throw the dogs and the wife in the jeep and run a 100 or 200 miles without feeling like my life is in danger. Just doesn't feel real stable on the road. The steering is tight, no dead spot, I can't really put my finger on it but up over 55 or 60 it wanders a bit and I just don't get that stable feeling.

What do you guys think?
 
try toe and caster first. probably needs a touch more caster. also, it's going to be a bit sketchy without a sway bar no matter what.
 
not sure i totally subscribe to the too tall thing, to some extent. i went from 3" to 5" to about 6.5" and i hardly noticed any difference in drivability. the only thing i notice is i don't get hung up as much. spring rate seemed to have more of an impact than the lift itself.
in fact, i just lifted mine 1.5-2" and it's more stable than before because i went with siffer spring rates.
 
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Skyjacker stuff has always been super soft in my experience.
the taller you are the more profound the wobble feel is. If the axle moves an inch - 3" away isn't moving nearly as much as 8" away. lowering it reduces the feel of the wobble
 
I have the same tires on full widths at 5 1/2" lift. I had the same problem. I added a front sawybar ( currie antirock, but a stock one that can disconnect would work even better on road) one other thing we found is when you lower it make sure the rear as about a 1/2" taller while sitting still. Mine was squating when power was added and it made the front end feel like it was on ice due to the front end being taller under power not to mention the body roll without the sway bar. Mine will go down the highway at 75 all day long now......all good points above
 
I have a disconnect front sway and removed the rear, if the front is disconnected and I drive on the street it feels like the rig is riding on marshmallows, Haha... that's the best way I could describe it.

Maybe try grabbing a sway bar from a jy and see what it would take to fit one back on the front with some extended discos? All the axle needs is a couple tabs, I don't think stock tabs are necessary. You could possibly get away with using something like a tab for limiting straps and modify some ends to fit? Or find a small tab that would work with your set up (can't see it so we don't know what room your working with)

Just another suggestion
 
Lets see pictures of your steering setup? What is your trackbar angle like?
 
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I'd expect it to wander with the angles that steep.

Look at some kind of high steer and get that trackbar up a few inches..
 
with only 35s drop it down to 3.5 to 4.5" of lift, that will do a ton for you. dont worry abotu sway bars at that point. Check castor and toe in . if the axle is tilted too far forward at 8" to get a decent pinion angle im sure castor is screwed up, putting it down to 4.5" will help alot.

also check control arm bushings, TREs, ball joints, tire pressure, trackbar mounts, trackbar bushings, rear leaf bushings, slop in the steering box,unit bearings, loose steering box bolts.

i know its a band aid, but on my old cj5 , after dialing in new tires, built all new steering, flat steering angles, new leaf bushings all around, new bearings, box was ok, the only thing that really made it reasonable to drive was welding up a couple mounts for a steering stabilizer. Some will flame this as a band aid, but when everything else was brand new(except column and sector shaft) , the stabilizer was the last thing, and it finally drove straight no more squirrrelyness
 
On my 77 wagoneer, I fought the death wobble fight off and on for years. Installed ram assist and never had an issue again. Not only does ram assist make turning a locked jeep in the rocks easy, it takes strain off the steering box and track bar, and acts as a steering stabilizer on steroids.
 
Update:

Problem solved....raised the track bar didn't really notice any change. Played around with the castor and got that all dialed in, running at 7 degrees right now. Installed a V8 heavy duty sway bar off a Grand Cherokee and quik discos, drives like a dream now.
75 down the freeway no problem. :D

Thanks again :wave1:

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