New front end, now bad bump steer

[John Many Jars]

97 Montero. I just replaced all ball joints, tie rods, shocks, swaybar links, swaybar bushings, idler arm, and pitman arm. All were Moog, or OEM or better quality. It was aligned after.

Now I have some issues. Scariest one is bad bump steer. I can cruise at 80 on a smooth road, no problem. But if it's bumpy, I'm all over the place. Worst is sharp dips, if I hit one, the truck darts to the left hard, and once in a while to the right.

I'm suspecting the shocks to be the main culprit. Please tell me if I'm wrong. They are KYB gas-adjusts. When I put them in, they lifted the front at least an inch and a half, probably two. Back is an inch higher. They are incredibly stiff.

Now I'm thinking that lift is messing up steering. Maybe tie rods are at too much angle, so the joints can't swivel much, instead they pull, like when I hit a dip. Added to that is the stiffness, which makes the truck skate all over the bumps.

I know we don't get bump steer like a solid axle truck, but that's what mine is doing.

Did I get bad shocks? Wrong part? Ordered from rock auto, right numbers on boxes.

I'm just about to get some cheap Monroes to stick in there to see what happens. But before I drop another 120, I thought I'd run it by you guys.

Thanks a bunch.

 

[Toasty]

Probably got a Sport pitman arm, they have a different angle but they fit and look correct. They can cause this sort of issue, compare the angle to your original or compare it to your idler. They should be parallel at the joint. Also KYB stands for Kill Your Back. STIFF!

 

[John Many Jars]

Thanks for the reply.

With 1500 miles on them and warmer weather, the shocks have softened up and settled a little. I couldn't tell if the pitman arm was at angle. But that seems like a goid explanation for what's happening. I'll take it in to another shop and have them look it over.