A little confused. Help greatly appreciated.

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Dayspring78

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I’ve been all over these forums and other KJ forums and I can’t understand my issue. My 2004 Jeep Liberty has pulled to the right since I bought it November 2016. My friend who is my mechanic told me the front lower ball joints are fine, he replaced both UCA’s with JBA UCA’s and all rear control arms are fine. So, a few weeks ago he replaced the pinion seal when I mentioned to him I’d like to figure out why my Jeep still pulls to the right. He says, “I thought we fixed that?” Uhh, nope! So, I mention that the steering wheel goes straight and the Jeep goes straight under acceleration. Coast or cruise it pulls right with steering wheel slightly turned right. Brake and it pulls harder and steering wheel goes more right. So, he thinks it’s possibly a wheel bearing or a stuck brake caliper. I ask him how the control arms look in the rear to which he replies, “Oh, the upper arm is trashed.” Trashed?! I thought you said they’re fine! LOL Anyways, I have a new boomerang tri link to have installed. Will that fix the pull to the right? The rear lower controls arms, according to Mopar, were replaced under the recall in 2012 and I crawled underneath and they “look” fine. Maybe I’m wrong, but can the bushings “look” fine and not be? Sorry for the long post but I really want this fixed. I need tires and I found a good deal that ends the end of this month and I’d hate to ruin a brand new set of tires. Thanks for all the help in advance and thanks for reading.
 

wheeee32

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If your rear control arms are both good then yeah the upper tri-link (boomerang) is the culprit.
 

tommudd

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Most times rear LCA's will give you a pull one way when on the gas, and the opposite way when you let off the gas.
Bad tri-link does not usually give a pull one way or the other.
What brand of tri-link are you getting? MOPAR I hope, rest last a few months at best.
Does it pull hard when braking ?
 

Dayspring78

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Wheeee32, you’re sure it’s the tri-link while tommudd thinks it wouldn’t affect it. I really appreciate you guys answering quickly and providing help, but this same thing has happened in the forums before. Respectfully, I have to ask which of these are correct?

If it’s a stuck caliper, would it pull worse when applying brakes? I did take my temp gun out and the front right rotor measured around 50 degrees higher than the left.

Could someone tell me the purpose of the tri-link? What are the symptoms of the ball joint and both bushings being completely ruined? Thanks again for all the help.
 

HoosierJeeper

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Best thing to do with the trilink would be to get under it and have someone roll the Jeep back and forth (with it in park of course). A little movement is normal, but watch to make sure it moves in unison if that makes sense.

That caliper thing is interesting. Any extra brake dust on the hot wheel? I'd think it'd pull even under braking as it's still probably clamping more than the other side.
 

wheeee32

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I only said the tri-link if the lower control arms checked good. As mentioned by Hoosier check the tri-link for abnormal movement.
 

Dayspring78

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I know the tri-link is bad. Both bushings and the ball joint are completely shot. I was under it yesterday when I was looking at the rear LCA’s. I have a brand new tri-link waiting to be installed that I ordered last week when my friend told me it’s shot. It looks really bad. Sometimes looking at my Jeep from the rear it appears my Jeep is sagging or leaning a bit left. I’m assuming that’s the tri-link? I could get some pictures if that helps.
 

tommudd

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I know the tri-link is bad. Both bushings and the ball joint are completely shot. I was under it yesterday when I was looking at the rear LCA’s. I have a brand new tri-link waiting to be installed that I ordered last week when my friend told me it’s shot. It looks really bad. Sometimes looking at my Jeep from the rear it appears my Jeep is sagging or leaning a bit left. I’m assuming that’s the tri-link? I could get some pictures if that helps.

Your tri-link would not make it lean one way or the other.
Springs are shot of course need new shocks as well
The tri-link only centers the vehicle and keeps the rear diff in a straight line. Sort of the same as the rear LCAs, but they will also give you the one way when on the gas and the other way when you let off.
But what do I know :happy175::happy175:

AGAIN what brand of tri-link? Some are not worth the time to install them
 

Dayspring78

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Tommudd, you’re not going to like this, but the tri-link is not a Mopar. My wife is in nursing school so I went with one from AM Parts. If it can last til when she graduates this August, I will gladly buy the Mopar.

Also, I really appreciate everyone’s help with all sincerity. I wasn’t implying or insinuating that you were wrong and Wheeee32 was right or vice versa. I’m just a bit frustrated with this issue not being resolved and with money tight, I don’t want to waste money by ruining a brand new set of tires. In fact, the frustration isn’t with anyone. Just trust me when I say that it’s going to be so much easier when my wife is done with nursing school!
 
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tommudd

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It'll last a few months
Trust me everyone has bills etc. I have a step son in college, paying for him to go to school, paying for his apartment, etc plus paying my bills etc so know where you are coming from.
Thank goodness for my part time fun job in the evenings / weekends
 

JasonJ

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You said you needed new tires... I've seen excessively worn or abnormally and unevenly worn tires do just this as well.

TO test this, have you replaced the tires yet with an alignment (check)? If not, Might be worthwhile to swap the tires, left to right and see if the pull moves or changes in any way.
 

Dayspring78

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When I got the Jeep it had LT265/75 R16 Bridgestone APT’s on it. My dad is friends with some people who own a salvage yard and he found a Jeep Liberty that had just come in with 245/70 R16. My friend is also the alignment tech at the local tire shop and he also rotated the tires. Still pulls to the right. I may need to take it to a different place and have someone else look at it. With the amount it pulls you’d think it would be obvious. It’s like if you were changing lanes when you let go of the steering wheel. It’s not jerk you into the ditch fast. I hope that makes sense. It’s not too difficult to drive either. It’s just annoying that you always are holding the wheel slightly left to center the steering wheel and if you let go you start to drift right.
 

HoosierJeeper

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I wonder if the the steering wheel isn't centered. My parent's had an Envoy that the wheel wasn't centered right on, the alignment was right but to go straight you had to have it turned to about 1:00.
 

Dayspring78

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What about a bad steering rack? I remember my friend saying the steering rack is leaking and if the bushings are bad would that cause my problem too?
 

JeepJeepster

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My 04 does the same thing... Sometimes... It comes and goes... If you let go of the steering wheel it will move back and forth on its own but the Jeep stays somewhat straight. This happens without changing throttle position.
 

HoosierJeeper

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What about a bad steering rack? I remember my friend saying the steering rack is leaking and if the bushings are bad would that cause my problem too?

I could see that if the bushings are bad. When mine were bad, you'd feel a clunk in the steering wheel as you turned it. If they're worn I could see them allowing some slop (my steering was still pretty good but it had some slop).

Do you have the clunk?
 

Dayspring78

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Rear passenger tire has a lot of positive camber and the inside tread is wearing. What causes that?
You must be registered for see images attach
 
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tommudd

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Rear passenger tire has a lot of positive camber and the inside tread is wearing. What causes that?
You must be registered for see images attach

If its really doing that its a bent diff, highly doubt it is unless its been wrecked or abused
 

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