Steering stabilizer bar

[LC0013]

Sadly that is not everyone's experience. Some are even finding the steering to be borderline dangerous at speed.

I actually find that hard to believe. Wife and I drove 4,000 miles last summer for a trip out west. Just took 10 days. No issues at for me driving 10 hour days and never once felt that it was dangerous. However, at almost 70 years of age perhaps my experience driving exceeds most on here.

 

[Dokatd]

Or you are a Real Man brought up on Armstrong steering

Well, somehow I must have dodged that classification because I ran no power steering most of my 20's with 40" tires, clearly I'm no real man.

 

[Dokatd]

I actually find that hard to believe. Wife and I drove 4,000 miles last summer for a trip out west. Just took 10 days. No issues at for me driving 10 hour days and never once felt that it was dangerous. However, at almost 70 years of age perhaps my experience driving exceeds most on here.

Or you sense of lane control has diminished over time

 

[LC0013]

Or you sense of lane control has diminished over time

No wrecks in my 56 years of driving. You?

 

[Tazzieman]

Well, somehow I must have dodged that classification because I ran no power steering most of my 20's with 40" tires, clearly I'm no real man.

Neither of us are young pups now.
Do you take the steps or look for the elevator?
Greetings from Dubrovnik!

 

[Zimm]

I don’t mind the stiff steering wheel in local driving and helping with the return to center. My main issue is the squirrel like steering on the highway. When I look down to adjust air and look back up, I notice I’m wandering out of my lane!

you gotta keep at it with the dealer. They replaced a bunch of rear control arm bolts on mine and did a whole procedure to align the axles from the beginning like it was just built, and now I'm running a stock stabilizer, higher pressure in the tires, and it stays in its lane, tracking like a Ford e350 thats new, not 50000 in where where you feel like you're in a 2 hour tennis match with your left arm.

I suspect some of these came like mine, with a rear axle slightly out creating a thrust angle, and they fixed it at the factory by jiggering with the front alignment, which due to SAI and other angles will not work 100%. Insist on a complete alignment.

 

[Logsplitter]

Neither of us are young pups now.
Do you take the steps or look for the elevator?
Greetings from Dubrovnik!
View attachment 7907867

Steps every time

 

[Chadd7]

you gotta keep at it with the dealer. They replaced a bunch of rear control arm bolts on mine and did a whole procedure to align the axles from the beginning like it was just built, and now I'm running a stock stabilizer, higher pressure in the tires, and it stays in its lane, tracking like a Ford e350 thats new, not 50000 in where where you feel like you're in a 2 hour tennis match with your left arm.

I suspect some of these came like mine, with a rear axle slightly out creating a thrust angle, and they fixed it at the factory by jiggering with the front alignment, which due to SAI and other angles will not work 100%. Insist on a complete alignment.

Interesting. Thanks for sharing this.

 

[Grey Wolf]

I have no problem with my steering and feel comfortable at 70mph on motorway. The only time I felt wandering was when I first got the vehicle and the tires were pumped up too hard.

Same. With a lower tyre pressure and a few thousand miles on the clock, personally I don't see what all the fuss is about. I don't have any issues with the steering. The turning radius could be better but you can allow for it in most situations.

 

[TCMColorado]

There is a definite variability between vehicles. My Grenadier with the OEM stabilizer requires constant corrections when on the highway and has a pronounced pull that multiple alignments have not rectified. A loaner Grenadier that I was given during a service appointment suffered from no such issues. It tracked perfectly straight with no need for constant corrections. Other than the wide turning circle and limited return to center it felt like any other modern car. The question is what is the cause of such disparities between different Grenadiers.

 

[Dokatd]

No wrecks in my 56 years of driving. You?

None here.

 

[Dokatd]

Neither of us are young pups now.
Do you take the steps or look for the elevator?
Greetings from Dubrovnik!
View attachment 7907867

As I am walking through the Denver Airport I am wishing I could catch a ride on one of those carts.

 

[LC0013]

None here.

Have you got a drivers license or using a learners permit?

 

[Dokatd]

Have you got a drivers license or using a learners permit?

You assume I have either.

 

[RobP]

I've had the adjustable Fox stabilizer on for almost a year and it still wanders on the highway. Tire pressure is 34 all around and I've had it aligned. Maybe I don't remember how it was without it, but my two Jeep JL Wranglers with 35" tires actually wander a bit less on the highway. It's a MASSIVE improvement around town and I highly recommend it, but it didn't make the gren a one handed drive on the highway. I think it really comes down to what you're used to driving or what you're comparing it to.

 

[landmannnn]

There is a definite variability between vehicles. My Grenadier with the OEM stabilizer requires constant corrections when on the highway and has a pronounced pull that multiple alignments have not rectified. A loaner Grenadier that I was given during a service appointment suffered from no such issues. It tracked perfectly straight with no need for constant corrections. Other than the wide turning circle and limited return to center it felt like any other modern car. The question is what is the cause of such disparities between different Grenadiers.

I think you are correct.

Mine self centres unless a sharp turn out of a junction, then needs the last quarter of a turn to centre.

On faster roads I can happily steer one handed. (KO2s at 34psi)

I don't think I am any better/different driver than most on here, so, yes there must be some variability in the setup.

 

[DenisM]

I've had the adjustable Fox stabilizer on for almost a year and it still wanders on the highway. Tire pressure is 34 all around and I've had it aligned. Maybe I don't remember how it was without it, but my two Jeep JL Wranglers with 35" tires actually wander a bit less on the highway. It's a MASSIVE improvement around town and I highly recommend it, but it didn't make the gren a one handed drive on the highway. I think it really comes down to what you're used to driving or what you're comparing it to.

You might find it worthwhile to experiment with tyre pressures. 36-38 psi (cold ...say 50-60 degF) all around rather than 34psi which is a tad on the low side. Slightly higher pressure will harden the side walls and may help reduce the wandering. Also, have you experimented with different stabiliser settings?

 

[RobP]

You might find it worthwhile to experiment with tyre pressures. 36-38 psi (cold ...say 50-60 degF) all around rather than 34psi which is a tad on the low side. Slightly higher pressure will harden the side walls and may help reduce the wandering. Also, have you experimented with different stabiliser settings?

I installed the stabilizer using the stock setting which I think is somewhere in the middle and haven't tried different tire pressures. Maybe I'll try a firmer setting and raise the tire pressure a few psi. Thanks for the recommendations.

 

[kuau]

I have fitted the OEM Fox Steering Stabilizer from AO and found a solid difference...and allows steering to re-center, most of the way. It is about a 85-90% return to center after a turn. Also makes steering on interstate speeds a bit lighter requiring less input. Finally, adjusted the steering stops down to allow a much tighter turning radius...but be aware they made it where it is from factory as if you try to turn sharp with front axle locked on high grip terrain, you have a chance of breaking something. The only other thing I know of to improve steering even more is to adjust caster slightly...by 1-2* max...more positive...like wheels on shopping cart. Will reduce sensitivity a bit but allow to track truer.

I did the exact same on my Grenadier and after 2 wheel Alignment’s at the dealer I’m really happy how my wagon runs now

 

[Chadd7]

I could use some help please. I got the stock stabilizer bar off but the passenger side bolt is stuck inside the stabilizer bar. It just keeps turning and turning and the bolt doesnt come out. There is some rust on the end so I sprayed some PBBlaster but still no luck. Help.