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Jeep Liberty: Steering Stability and Suspension

77 messages,  Last post on Dec 23, 2010 at 11:00 AM

You are in the Jeep Liberty and Jeep Liberty Diesel Forum.

What is this discussion about? Jeep Liberty, Tires, Wheels, Steering, Suspension, Diesel, SUV

Messages Page 8 of 8

#70 of 77 Re: New bilsteins on my 03 liberty [caribou1] by jayrider

Mar 12, 2009 (7:43 am)

Replying to: caribou1 (Mar 12, 2009 7:27 am)
Been doing that since I had the shocks installed to mask the sauerkraut odor coming from under the vehicle. Way ahead of you Caribou1.

#71 of 77 Shock update by jayrider

Mar 25, 2009 (8:52 am)

After a couple hundred miles on these bilsteins, I have come to appreciate them even more. My liberty has been transformed on the road. Best money I've spent on any car I've ever owned.

#73 of 77 2005 steering and/or suspension problem by bamahondafan

Oct 04, 2010 (7:13 am)

I have a 2005 Jeep Liberty with 83K miles and just recently the vehicle has demonstrated a steering/suspension problem. It has fairly new Bridgestone radials with about 10K of mileage. When the vehicle has been driven for 10 miles or so and and more than 65 mph, it begins to wander and feel unstable. It almost feels as if it hydroplanes slightly or your sliding on ice for a split second. It seems to be a little worse on concrete surfaces than asphalt.
 
I have taken the vehicle in for inspection to a reputable (and often used) tire and brake shop and they did a front end re-alighnment (actually twice), but could find nothing wrong with the suspension.
 
The vehicle has the original shocks and springs.
 
NOTE: The lower ball joint recall (replacement) had been completed last year.

#74 of 77 Re: 2005 steering and/or suspension problem [bamahondafan] by MrShift@Edmunds HOST

Oct 04, 2010 (10:56 am)

Replying to: bamahondafan (Oct 04, 2010 7:13 am)
Usually one first suspects the tires in any "tramlining" complaint, especially if you have gone to a lower profile tire or if you have purchased larger wheels than stock.
 
You might try rotating tires front to back to see what happens.
 
From there, after tires or wheels have been eliminated, we go to suspension items, such as control arm bushings, ball joints and weak shocks. Certainly at 83K you could have weak suspension.

#75 of 77 03 Liberty front noise by mastied

Oct 23, 2010 (8:32 am)

I have an 03 Liberty Sport 3.7. I've been reading a lot on this forum. I wasn't aware of any type of recall on lower ball joints. I just started to hear a squeeking type noise coming from the front. To try and pin point where the noise is coming from, I put the car in netural, I slowly turned the wheels. The noise is most prominant when the wheels are almost all the way to the left, turning to the right doesn't seem to make the noise. It sound like a rubber screeching sound, it is definintly coming from up front. the car has 130K on it, just had front brakes redone about 2months ago. Any ideas out there? I've been reading here a lot about problems with ball joints and control arm/bushing problems. Would I still be able to get the ball joints replace under the recall even if was seveal year ago?

#76 of 77 Re: 2005 steering and/or suspension problem [bamahondafan] by dubnigel

Dec 23, 2010 (5:09 am)

Replying to: bamahondafan (Oct 04, 2010 7:13 am)
I have the same issues with my 2003 Liberty Renegade. I bought it with non standard springs and shocks which have all now been replaced. It feels as if the rear end is doing a shimmy all the time on the road and the rear end of the car rocks quite severely over speed bumps (of which we have a lot). When the car had oversize springs it seemed to sit down to one side and there is still a hint of lopsidedness. The universal bush over the rear axle has also been replaced. Assuming the components that have been replaced are not faulty, my suspicion is with the bearings of the rear axle. I haven't tried jacking it up but there seems to be a little play. Common lore is that bearings will start making noise before they affect handling. Could this be something that doesn't apply to Jeeps?

#77 of 77 Re: 03 Liberty front noise [mastied] by MrShift@Edmunds HOST

Dec 23, 2010 (11:00 am)

Replying to: mastied (Oct 23, 2010 8:32 am)
There are a few recalls involving ball joints. You might be eligible, depending on your build date.
 
one of them covers this:
 
 Dealers will replace the front lower control arm ball joints with modified assemblies and heat shields on vehicles built between January 2, 2001 and October 4, 2002. On vehicles built between October 5, 2002 and March 26, 2003, dealers will inspect the ball joint assemblies (and replace them as necessary) and install heat shields. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule for this campaign. Owners may contact DaimlerChrysler at 1-800-992-1997.
 
There's another recall for upper control arms involving only these vehicles:
 
NOTE : This recall applies only to the above vehicles built from May 1, 2002 through September 30, 2002 (MDH 050100 through 093023).
IMPORTANT : Only the above vehicles sold or currently registered in "salt belt" states (where large amounts of road salt are used for snow and ice removal) are involved. See "Owner Notification and Service Scheduling" section for a list of salt belt states.

Messages Page 8 of 8

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