04 Liberty is wandering on the road

[Milesvdustin]

My 2004 4x4 liberty feels like it is self steering on the road. It feels just like a motorcycle catching a crack or bump in the road and following it. This happens at speeds of at least 50 and over. Has anyone had an issue like this before? I had the alignment checked and it was good, as well as the tires re-balanced and rotated and no change in the problem. Im supposed to drive it 700 miles tomorrow, and it wont be fun like this!

 

[tommudd]

Mine felt like that when the rear lower control arm bushings were bad. The rear would follow the grooves in the road as well as the whole rear diff would go back and forth on take off and when slowing down. It was like something was shifting back and forth in the rear, at times would actually throw you pretty good

 

[Milesvdustin]

It's definitely feeling from the front, it even jerks the steering wheel around some as it does it. I also just noticed that while turning during slow corners the wheels feel like they want to pull straight again instead of easily negotiating the turn.

I had the recall on the rear lower control arms done over a year ago so they should be good?

 

[tjkj2002]

Sounds like the alignment is bad,low caster will cause high speed wondering.

Did you get a alignment printout when it was done? If so post a pic of it.

 

[Milesvdustin]

I didn't get a printout but they said my alignment was good, I had it done about six months ago before the one I did a couple days ago. It feels like it's steering itself, very odd. I'll go back and see about the printout.

 

[tjkj2002]

I didn't get a printout but they said my alignment was good, I had it done about six months ago before the one I did a couple days ago. It feels like it's steering itself, very odd. I'll go back and see about the printout.

If you did not get a printout assume they did not do the alignment let alone check it.Always demand a printout as proof of the work being done.

At my shop we must printout 2 copies,1 for the customer and 1 gets stapled to our copy of the invoice.No print out means the customer does not pay for the alignment.It has happened that our printer crapped out and we would bring the customer out to show the before and then after on the screen to show them it was done but we could not charge them for the alignment without a print out.

 

[Milesvdustin]

The shop I use is very reputable and do the best in the area. Besides, I stood there and watched them five feet away through the glass window as they did the alignment on it both times.

 

[Hedsic]

If you did not get a printout assume they did not do the alignment let alone check it.Always demand a printout as proof of the work being done.

At my shop we must printout 2 copies,1 for the customer and 1 gets stapled to our copy of the invoice.No print out means the customer does not pay for the alignment.It has happened that our printer crapped out and we would bring the customer out to show the before and then after on the screen to show them it was done but we could not charge them for the alignment without a print out.

I wish more shops had that kind of integrity.

 

[Milesvdustin]

Well I have a 6 month warranty on the alignment so I am at the shop now having them do it again and I will request a printout this time. Could ball joints cause an issue like this? The passenger side joint has a tiny tiny tear in the boot.

 

[tjkj2002]

Well I have a 6 month warranty on the alignment so I am at the shop now having them do it again and I will request a printout this time. Could ball joints cause an issue like this? The passenger side joint has a tiny tiny tear in the boot.

Low caster,worn balljoints,worn tie rod ends(inner and/or outer),bad tires,worn control arm bushings(front or rear),bent suspension parts,and more can cause high speed wondering.

 

[Milesvdustin]

Hopefully this alignment fixes it this time. I'm having them check the ball joints and tie rods and associated components as well. I would fix this myself if I had time, but I'm doing a pcs move tomorrow and all my tools are packed up. Shouldn't have anything bent, it never goes off road more than through the grass and my wife or I haven't hit anything. I'll post up the printout here as soon as they finish with it.

 

[tjkj2002]

Shouldn't have anything bent, it never goes off road more than through the grass and my wife or I haven't hit anything. I'll post up the printout here as soon as they finish with it.

I've seen bent parts on brand new vehicles,I mean brand new vehicles with less then 25 miles on them.Caused by being tied down to tight on the transport trucks.Your normal daily driving can be harder on your suspension then offroad,high speed impacts from hitting potholes will bent parts pretty easy.

 

[Milesvdustin]

Well my alignment is under way. I brought it to a different branch of the auto store this time to see if I would get different results. The guy is halfway through and he said the passenger side was almost a half inch out and the driver was bad too. Manager is giving me half my money back on it for their screwup. I am going to road test it here as soon as they are done and I'll report back.

 

[Hedsic]

Well my alignment is under way. I brought it to a different branch of the auto store this time to see if I would get different results. The guy is halfway through and he said the passenger side was almost a half inch out and the driver was bad too. Manager is giving me half my money back on it for their screwup. I am going to road test it here as soon as they are done and I'll report back.

I'd be asking for all my money back if the first time was completely false data they gave you and it was in fact not alligned to correct specs.

 

[Milesvdustin]

Well they finished and it drives great now so problem solved. As far as a 100% discount goes, I wouldn't think that's right considering it needed the alignment originally, this wasn't a problem they caused, it just took them an extra try to correct the issue that was originally there. So I feel like half my money back for an hour of my time was fair.

 

[Hedsic]

Well they finished and it drives great now so problem solved. As far as a 100% discount goes, I wouldn't think that's right considering it needed the alignment originally, this wasn't a problem they caused, it just took them an extra try to correct the issue that was originally there. So I feel like half my money back for an hour of my time was fair.

The fact that there may be damange that will creep up from driving it with the allignement so off under the assumption it was correct. I'm hoping no damage is/was done. The risk it put you in in the first place from driving it with the allignment off like that. The time of having to go back when it should have been done right the first time. I don't know, Me personally I would have demanded my money back. Maybe i'm in the wrong I don't know.

 

[Milesvdustin]

In that six months I have put almost 20k miles on it. I has them check the tie rods, ball joints, steering rack and everything to verify nothing was broken, bent, worn, etc. I'll keep an eye on it and see how it goes.

They did say the caster was off and the toe was a smudge off, but mostly the caster.

 

[Milesvdustin]

Well I drove it to Illinois today, put just under 700 miles on it. The freaking thing started it's bs bump steer shit again. I will have to put it up on jack stands to get under there. I did grab the tie rods, is it normal to be able to roll them front to back easily by hand? I couldn't feel any lateral movement in the joints with the tire off the ground, but I can roll them front to back easily, especially the driver side. Also, my steering rack bushings are on the way out. Lemme know about the tie rods, if they are shot I'm making some angry phone calls tomorrow. Thanks again guys.

 

[TwoBobsKJ]

The tie rods are easy to roll front to back - when you do that check for tears in the boots.

Bob

 

[tommudd]

This is one to follow
be interesting in what it actually is
but I'd be checking other things that are worn as well