bump steer not the tolerable type

[lowater]

here gos i am writing this again, lost the first one trying to upload photos.
2001 jeep cherokee, 4in spacer lift i believe. i have read tons of info. i want all your expert opinion.

things i know are good, steering box, steering shaft to wheel, tierodends, ball joints, all control arm mounts but one(i know thats an issue), driveway alignment, wheel bearings,......

things i know are bad, draglink and trakbar not parallel, bad contol arm bushing under drivers seat, coil spring looks bowed forward(caster out?) or maybe im out?, 12.5in wide tires

let me know what you all gather from the info and pics
i know its lifted and will never steer like factory but i want the bump steer tolerable.
by bump steer i mean all over the road, shooting left and right, feeling like i have no control, there is not vibration/shaking.
thanks in advance. here are photos. need more photos no problem let me know

 

[desertrunner]

Make sure your caster is right. Mine wasn't right after I installed a 5.5 long ARM and it pulled left and right driving highway until I fixed it. Also, get a professional alignment. I've done driveway alignments but its never quite as good as the professional one and it makes a difference. Third I would recomend an adjustable track bar so. Your axle is centered under your jeep I stead of off to the side and third i know they say a drop pitman ARM makes bumpsteer worse and it does if you get a large one but I find a smaller 2 inch drop pitman ARM helps more than hurts. All things to try

 

[lowater]

o.k. thanks for the quick reply. first, caster, how do i check if its right and do i adjust it?
second, i do have an adjustable track bar (could it not be adjusted right?) and third, in one of the pics i show the pitman arm i assume its a droppitman it hangs down quite a ways. also how would that bad bushing at the rear of the control arm make it act?
and how did the draglink and trak bar look to you?
im a first time cherokee owner i know nothing bout em. thanks

 

[desertrunner]

For caster Look at ur ball joints for your steering knuckles. The top one should be back a bit from the lower. If you were to draw a line through the center of each it should be something like 8 degrees off verticle. Or make sure the spring mounts are horizontal. It would be the reason your springs look to be bowing funny. Adjust it by threading in or out your upper control ARM joints. Your track bar is probly fine and it looks ur pitman arm is too.

 

[desertrunner]

I would put my money on caster. The more it leans back the more stable it becomes at speed. But too much and it messes other stuff up.

 

[lowater]

great thank you. gonna run out and have a look. i suspect the bad caster could also be why the ujoint in front drive shaft at axle was bad creating vibration. correct me if im wrong. thanks

 

[lowater]

I would put my money on caster. The more it leans back the more stable it becomes at speed. But too much and it messes other stuff up.

ok, you know the bad control arm bushing in the photo? i grabbed the front drivers tire pushed and pulled on it and it moves i can see the control arm at the frame moving around the bushing. i will get a bushing on there and see where that gets me. that could be the whole out of control problem? so how difficult would it be for me to change that bushing? I have tools and mechanically inclined
im a cold header machinist(old worn 1960s single die 2blow headers) and cncmachinist for what thats worth. thanks for all your help.

 

[desertrunner]

Nudging iaeasy. It's a snapring and press it out then press the new one in. So the other side while ur at it

 

[lowater]

i didnt know how hard it would be to pull it back up into place. thanks for all you help. i will also be getting a real alignment done. thanks again

 

[desertrunner]

No problem just when you do it get all the weight off ur suspension and it should go easy

 

[lowater]

thanks, i new that bushing needed replace but it is gone, the axle moves back and forth, no wonder i was wondering left and right left and right,hahahaha im f@&!*% stupid. thanks desert runner. i love this thing just got it three days ago, other than the wondering it rides great, but ive
been driving a yj for a few years i wont know which one to drive now. thanks alot