94 YJ pulling left when accelerating

[Duceduce23]

What's up guys, just joined the forum. I just picked up my first jeep yesterday its a 94 YJ 4.0. the issue I'm having is I have noticed that when I get on it pretty good the jeep pulls left and when I let off the gas it pulls to the right kind of aggressively (freaked me out the first time). I have been reading that it could be the rear lower control arm bushings or I talked with a mechanic friend and he said that it could be the locker that it has in it also could cause that. Any ideas? Thanks

 

[JPNinPA]

Many things can cause this.tire pressure, alignment, worn parts...


Do a dry steer test. Look for worn parts. Include engine mounts and control arm bushings. Thrust angle from alignment.

Never look down on anyone unless you are helping them up - Jesse Jackson

 

[mark sr]

The first thing I'd do would be to jack up the front and inspect/tug on all the steering and suspension parts.

 

[Duceduce23]

Thanks for the input, I'm going to do just that this afternoon. I'm going to jack it up and see if there is any slop in the bearings. Jpninpa I'm going to check the motor mounts too, that's a good idea if it's shifter when I gas it. They looked tight when I looked but I'll have to get a closer look. Could a rear locker cause this issue? If so how would that get fixed, pull out the locker?

 

[JPNinPA]

What type/brand of locker?


Never look down on anyone unless you are helping them up - Jesse Jackson

 

[Duceduce23]

Not sure on the type or brand. I bought it from a young kid that was selling it for his dad so he didn't know too many specifics of brands or years when they did certain things but I can ask again and report back. This is a project jeep and needs a little bit of love but I need to get this figured out before I allow my kids in the jeep.

 

[Duceduce23]

Had a mechanic friend look at it and he thinks a place to start is to replace all the bushings. Basically all of them on all the leaves have lots of play in them and he said when he was watching the back end of the jeep when I would take off that one side looked like it was torquing. Also I'm not sure if it's normal or not but when I move the wheel when the vehicle is parked the front end flexes. For instance when I turn the wheel left my front right end lifts and vice versa.

 

[JPNinPA]

A soft lift with large tires will do this. You might inspect the frame for cracking. Also a steering box support will help.

Back end torquing is often due to only one wheel doing the work when using a open or slip differential. Is it the same when the locker is locked in posi.

Also worn springs or shocks.

How much of a suspension lift, body lift and what size tires?

What do you want to do with it? Off-road only? Highway mostly???


Never look down on anyone unless you are helping them up - Jesse Jackson

 

[Jeepergeo]

I don't recall the suspension detsils on the 94s. But I'd check the motor mounts and track bars. Sounds like something is twisting up under load and then untwisting when you let off...this can't be a good situation and could be dangerous.

 

[Duceduce23]

Yea I inspected the frame and no cracks there. It has a 3-4" lift on it, shocks seem in good condition and this is mostly for cruising town and going in the riverbed with occasional highway for short periods of time once it's fixed of course

 

[Duceduce23]

So I'm going to have it looked at this Sunday but after talking with the mechanic who knows everything jeep he thinks what's happening is that I have a "lock right" in the rear so when I gas it it lock up and pulls to one side and when I let off it unlocks and pulls me the other way.

 

[JPNinPA]

If you have a locker it should be equal between left and right unless it failed. May need to be rebuilt.

Lock Right Locker - PowerTrax


Never look down on anyone unless you are helping them up - Jesse Jackson