1978 Jeep CJ5 road wandering

DREICH690

MEMBER
1978 JEEP CJ5

Shakes or Wobbles problem
1978 Jeep CJ5 V8 Four Wheel Drive Manual

1978 cj5 304 4x4 manual trans 2 1/2 lift 33 inch tires, tight front end nothing loose, wandering occurs at high speeds, steering tight no play in wheel, front end aligned, do you have any ideas?

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CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
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See my profile,

Remember you are in a "5" not a "7" or "8"

I drive a "5" and a "2A", about 30 inch tires.......your bigger tires and higher center of gravity ain't helping things. Is your Sway Bar in play, or removed?

You may have a "CASTER" thing going too (sorta a shopping cart front wheel action, built into your front axle housing, by rolling it back slightly. (usually works, to keep front wheels, wanting to track straight (own their own, hands off)......[your mods, may have changed its geometry]

See reputable alignment shop, they may be able to "wedge" (shim) More caster in, with wedges under the axle blocks (front of front axle, on the springs, to "CANT" your front axle housing Clockwise, as viewed from drivers side front wheel (sideview).

Remember, "Engineers" figgered this stuff out and Tested it.......The Alignment shop people are not as "Qualified" but do the best they can.....Some refuse to Modify from Stock!.....Liability.

I do not believe, CAMBER, would be adjustable---without major modification to your axle, [I, not being an alignment guy], I do not think that "camber" would play into this situation anyway!

That is, if you have not made a axle under spring modification, with your lift. Then more involved.

Alignment shop will have to modify toe in/out if you roll the axle as I described, you may think you can shim it yourself, but it changes EVERYTHING when you do, and I feel sure you do not have the proper calibration tools to make these "CRITICAL" adjustments "SAFELY" on your own!

What do you consider HIGH SPEED?

With the Mods low speeds are more suitable, at highway speeds your center of gravity and bigger tires, really makes your rig want to wander

If you are having these problems now, Heaven Forbid, you attempt to tow something!

My "5" has a 1 inch spring lift...235/15" tires---MY Wander occurs at about 70 MPH+, [with this relatively, LOW "CG"].

We have a close, center to center front to rear axle.....cannot be helped, JUST THINK of how bad it would wander, if you got the wheels (axles), lets say, 2 feet closer to each other!

Respond? (reply to question)

The Medic

My 1977 CJ 5----1 inch spring lift---235/75/R15 tires......has its limits---A CJ is not a corvette on highway, corvette is not a Jeep, Offroad!