I have a 05 LJ Rubicon. It has had a handling issue since I bought it 2 years ago.
The rear end will "get loose" whenever it is on a slippery surface - rain or snow. It also does it when I hit a bump in the road. Hard to describe but it feels like the rear wants to spin around.
It has 49,000 miles on it. I thought the problem was in the front suspension. I rebuilt the entire front - upper and lower ball joints, new track bar, axle joints, axle shafts, tie rod ends and hubs. I had the front end aligned and my thrust angle was off - the rear axle was cocked to one side. I have a 2.5" lift with fixed control arms, so I purchased adjustable arms for the rear and the alignment shop got all of my specs in line. I thought problem solved.
I can drive it down the highway at 70 miles per hour - no handling problems or issues. But if it rains, the rear feels loose and I cant drive over 45. It snowed here yesterday and I drove the Jeep and sure enough over 30 and it started to feel loose. I thought it might just be me, so I kept in it and it started to spin around at about 40. It acted the same in 2 or 4wd.
I am also experiencing some weird tire wear - my rear tires are wearing bad on the inside. My alignment shop said my axle is not bent. I would think if my shafts were bent I would see some leaks.
Then I took my 2 door JK out and it crusied through slush at 45mph and never felt loose. So I don't think it is just because it is a Jeep (short wheelbase, light weight, etc)
I am at a loss on what to do now. I think it may be the limited slip in the rear loading and unloading. When I hit a bump the Jeep kicks like a Detroit Locker.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
The rear end will "get loose" whenever it is on a slippery surface - rain or snow. It also does it when I hit a bump in the road. Hard to describe but it feels like the rear wants to spin around.
It has 49,000 miles on it. I thought the problem was in the front suspension. I rebuilt the entire front - upper and lower ball joints, new track bar, axle joints, axle shafts, tie rod ends and hubs. I had the front end aligned and my thrust angle was off - the rear axle was cocked to one side. I have a 2.5" lift with fixed control arms, so I purchased adjustable arms for the rear and the alignment shop got all of my specs in line. I thought problem solved.
I can drive it down the highway at 70 miles per hour - no handling problems or issues. But if it rains, the rear feels loose and I cant drive over 45. It snowed here yesterday and I drove the Jeep and sure enough over 30 and it started to feel loose. I thought it might just be me, so I kept in it and it started to spin around at about 40. It acted the same in 2 or 4wd.
I am also experiencing some weird tire wear - my rear tires are wearing bad on the inside. My alignment shop said my axle is not bent. I would think if my shafts were bent I would see some leaks.
Then I took my 2 door JK out and it crusied through slush at 45mph and never felt loose. So I don't think it is just because it is a Jeep (short wheelbase, light weight, etc)
I am at a loss on what to do now. I think it may be the limited slip in the rear loading and unloading. When I hit a bump the Jeep kicks like a Detroit Locker.
Any ideas would be appreciated.