Just bought a liberty

[Madlh24]

Hello, just bought a 2004 jeep liberty. It runs great! I'm having an issue with it though. During acceleration the jeeps body feels like it shifts to the right and during deceleration it shifts to the left. It pulls on the steering wheel. It only does it when switching between deceleration and acceleration. So if I'm going at a constant decel or acceleration it feels fine. If I'm going a constant speed it feels fine and Once I let off the gas it shifts and when I get back on the gas it shifts again. When going down hill in neutral it goes back and forth. I checked the sway bar links and they feel solid.Any ideas? Again, the steering only pulls when transitioning from either deceleration and acceleration vice versa.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Check the rear trilink. Sounds like those bushings are shot.

Replace with a Mopar one...the aftermarket ones don't last. Welcome to the forum!

 

[tommudd]

Does it clunk when taking off or decelerating?
OR
When getting on it does it seem to pull some to one side and when you let off sort of want to go the opposite way ( the rear end) ??

 

[Madlh24]

Sway bar link

Upon further examination,I missed it the first time I checked apparently, the nut for the bolt on the front right sway bar link is loose, the bottom one that connects to the lower control arm. Would that be enough to cause such dramatic results?

Now that I've been driving it more, when under no load and in gear( deceleration) the steering wheel is straight, no veering or pulling. But under load(acceleration) and cruising the steering wheel is like 5 degrees to the right. It doesn't pull/veer to the right though, only when transitioning from decel and acceleration and then the car travels straight, even though the steering wheel is about 5 degrees to the right.

 

[Madlh24]

No noises and the jeep doesn't pull or veer once it's settled into the decel/accel position

 

[Madlh24]

Just checked the rear upper control arm, the bushings and the ball joint don't look worn or loose, felt them and they feel solid, no wiggle or tearing.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

You'd definitely see some movement in it if it were bad.

What about the rear LCAs? 04 might be covered for the recall, get some free parts.

 

[Madlh24]

The RLCAs look ok too . Is there a way to check if they got replaced with the recall? Other than actually going to the dealership.

I tightened the sway bar link but seems the bushing is completely shot regardless. I have some on order now. I'll see how it rides with it tightened now, I'll get back on the results.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I think you can run the vin on Jeep's site

 

[tommudd]

To check out the LCAs try this
With the KJ in park , ebarke off, on level ground, take a 4 way or socket with long extension and rock the Jeep back and forth. You'll be able to see and feel the LCAs move if bad

 

[Madlh24]

Ok, after tightening the link the jeep stopped doing the twisting, for a bit, but after a while it started coming back, not as bad though.
I went ahead and ordered 2 New links, no parts stores had them in stock in my area not to mention they're like $15 less on Amazon.

 

[Madlh24]

Tommudd, what do I do with the socket and extension exactly?

I checked their recall site with my vin and only shows the gas fire recall as incomplete. I'll be taking it in to take care of it. But, there was no mention of a Ica recall, just the front ball joints(complete).

 

[tommudd]

Tommudd, what do I do with the socket and extension exactly?

I checked their recall site with my vin and only shows the gas fire recall as incomplete. I'll be taking it in to take care of it. But, there was no mention of a Icr recall, just the front ball joints(complete).

If it was always in Az then you wouldn't of had that recall, mainly Midwestern states
Use

 

[TwoBobsKJ]

Put a socket that fits your lug nuts on one of the lugs, and connect it to a long extension/breaker bar. Rock the Jeep back and forth and look/feel for looseness on the lower control arms. The bushings go bad and get elongated giving you the kick to the side when you accelerate.

The bushings are available separately and can be installed at any tire shop.

Bob

 

[Madlh24]

Ok, when I did the test I felt a bit of wiggle,I got underneath again but they look ok. I took out my camera and got as close as I could and I was able to see some tears . On both sides. I'm looking at the bushings on rock auto but I'm getting 4 different ones from mopar and when I look at the whole arm (bushings included) there's only one. Are the control arms identical on both sides? If so, it would be cheaper? Since there are 4 different bushings listed for it and each at a different price. I wouldn't know whether to get 4 of one, 1 of each, to total up a price. The mopar bar is $67

Any other brands that are comparable, moog? Dorman?

 

[tommudd]

Personally i would just replace the whole thing.
There were two different styles of LCAs 02 and 03 were the same, then they switched which later on during a recall they went back to the original style

 

[Madlh24]

Ok.just ordered the mopar arms, should be here in a week. The sway bar links should be here today, will be installing those today. From the tightening I did earlier, they should at least help.

 

[u2slow]

The LCAs that came out of our '05 were u-channel. The recall-replacements were rectangular tubing.

 

[Madlh24]

Got the new sway bar links installed and now the Jeep rides more stable, I'm still getting the kick in the rear from the worn LCAs but I'm no longer feeling it throughout the whole body and in the steering wheel. It just feels like it's wagging it's tail now.

The LCAs will be here next week! So excited!

 

[Madlh24]

LCAs are in early, I will be installing them this evening. Will update once done.\\/