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Improving Highway steering?

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Offline slystallion

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Improving Highway steering?
« on: December 31, 2016, 03:34:02 PM »
Hi everyone i'm new here and new to the chevy tracker. I just bought a 2001 Chevy tracker and got a 2 inch lift kit. I didn't spend much on the kit it was under $200 dollars so it was a budget one. On the highway at speeds above 50mph I feel floaty and feel that if I switch lanes the car too suddenly there is an understeer on the  car and it will spin out of control. I obviously am cautious on the highway because it's got a modest lift and even stock trackers have the risk of flipping over. Would a steering stabilizer fix this or is there something else I should get perhaps maybe bring the car back down to its stock height and just get bigger tires?


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Offline beagle..t

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Re: Improving Highway steering?
« Reply #1 on: December 31, 2016, 05:16:28 PM »
welcome nice looking 2 dr as there isn't many out there. bigger tires might help, I believe they came stock with 205 so if you went with a 235  might help your stability. did you just do a coil spacer lift? if so did you put a panhard relocation bracket what it does is puts your rear back inline as a 2" lift will move your axle abit. I also have a 2 dr 2002 modded
new rig aka "the mule" 2002 tracker
V6 swap auto  ,2 dr ,2" BL,2" jeffs kit 512 gears warn hubs and 30/9.5/15 BFG AT

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Offline BigBamBoo

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Re: Improving Highway steering?
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2016, 05:17:23 PM »
Congrats in the new Tracker!
 I have a 2000 Tracker 2dr that started life as a soft top, but I have since installed a Rally Tops hard top.

 I recently added a small lift via Old Man Emu springs. I am guessing your using a spacer lift?

There should be no reason for the rig being "squirrely" unless you did not get it aligned. I can run down the road at 70 mph all day and the truck feels very planted.

What kind of tires are you running and what size? I have 215/75R15's on mine.

Get the alignment checked.

Happy New Year.

Ps....here is mine:



upload pic





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Offline slystallion

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Re: Improving Highway steering?
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2017, 11:13:38 AM »
welcome nice looking 2 dr as there isn't many out there. bigger tires might help, I believe they came stock with 205 so if you went with a 235  might help your stability. did you just do a coil spacer lift? if so did you put a panhard relocation bracket what it does is puts your rear back inline as a 2" lift will move your axle abit. I also have a 2 dr 2002 modded

Thank you so much! I have 215 75r's on there. This is the lift that I got and yes looks like a coil spacer lift https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XD612XW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Where can I find that part I will look into getting it, its a bit difficult finding parts for the car sometimes. Should I also get a steering stabilizer or is that not necessary? Again thank you so much for the help its greatly appreciated!

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Offline slystallion

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Re: Improving Highway steering?
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2017, 11:15:52 AM »
Congrats in the new Tracker!
 I have a 2000 Tracker 2dr that started life as a soft top, but I have since installed a Rally Tops hard top.

 I recently added a small lift via Old Man Emu springs. I am guessing your using a spacer lift?

There should be no reason for the rig being "squirrely" unless you did not get it aligned. I can run down the road at 70 mph all day and the truck feels very planted.

What kind of tires are you running and what size? I have 215/75R15's on mine.

Get the alignment checked.

Happy New Year.

Ps....here is mine:



upload pic

Sweet Ride! I am running the same size tires you are. I did get an alignment but he couldn't get it to align perfectly, so i'm not sure if I should take it somewhere else to get it aligned or if there were limitation based on the 1.5 inch wheel spacers installed in the coil spring lift kit.

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Offline BigBamBoo

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Re: Improving Highway steering?
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2017, 02:16:33 PM »
To me it sounds like camber is out of alignment and will make your rig act squirrely at speed.
 They make camber bolts or you can notch the strut. Any competent alignment shop should be able to take care of it.


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Offline slystallion

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Re: Improving Highway steering?
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2017, 08:09:51 PM »
To me it sounds like camber is out of alignment and will make your rig act squirrely at speed.
 They make camber bolts or you can notch the strut. Any competent alignment shop should be able to take care of it.

I believe that is exactly what it is. The tire shop person stated he couldn't get the camber aligned properly I'll look into both those options and take to someone else

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Online fordem

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Re: Improving Highway steering?
« Reply #7 on: January 02, 2017, 05:04:49 AM »
These vehicles have rack & pinion steering - there's no way to fit a steering damper.
'98 SQ420 Grand Vitara
'05 JB420 Grand Vitara
'16 APK416 Vitara
'21 A6G415 Jimny