Bump steer with Saginaw swap

I recently finished converting my '70 to manual Saginaw steering. I have an Intermediate CJ box & mount, and a 1 piece tie rod with the double tie rod on the passenger side. I have 31x10.50x15 tires on 15x8 wheels. It drives great-steers much easier and handles good. The problem I'm having is bump steer. Not at high speed-I can cross RR tracks at 45 MPH and hit bridge expansion joints at 65 MPH with no worries. This problem occurs while turning at slow speed. For example, when I turn out of my alley onto the street, the wheel kicks back when I go through the drainage dip at the edge of the street. I haven't taken it off road yet, but I'm afraid this is going to be a real issue on the trail.
Anybody have any ideas?

 

Bump steer is normally found when you have a large degree of separation between the angle of the drag link and tie rod...........and upon suspension travel extremes up and down will effect steering. Yours does not look to be that bad statically.......At slow speed going through a ditch I would think a steering stabilizer would help that................Have you checked yours out?

 

Not yet, but I will. I want to re-mount it higher up, out of harm's way.
However, it's not that old, so I doubt it's worn out.

 

are the front hubs locked in? i know i know a silly question but one that has to be asked

 

No, I have a Powerlock front diff, so I never lock in the hubs unless absolutely necessary.

 

Checked your toe-in? Like tarry99 said, your drag link angle doesn't look too extreme. But you may have excessive toe-in or toe-out.

 

The 1 piece tie rod actually pre dates the Sagonaw swap, but that still doesn't mean the toe is correct-it hasn't been checked in years.
I'll check into that.

 

I'd drop the drag link down to somewhere close to level. The angle you have isn't extreme but zero degrees is better.

 

Nice Jeep! Great restoration and up grades.

 

This. I'd also check thoroughly things like spring and shackle bushings, all linkages/tie rod ends for any play, frame cracks, play in the steering box or shafts and joints going to the gear box, etc. play in any of these can create the issue you describe. I'd also check toe as was mentioned.

 

That tightening bracelet on the drag link has the bolt going down, it may be hitting the tie rod bar, and causing an issue, or the dampener bracket may be making contact with the drag link. The angle of your drag link bar is not terrible, and I don't think that could be causing the issue.

 

As others, I don't think the angle of your drag link is the problem and it shouldn't cause any notable bump steer. My experience with manual Saginaws in the rocks is that there is a LOT of feedback-to the point you don't want to get the fingers/thumbs on the inside of the steering wheel spokes. A bigger dampener is the only real cure short of power steering.

 

Hmm
I don't like the sound of that. Maybe PS is the way to go...I just didn't want the added complexity.
I've driven intermediate CJs with manual steering and thought they were OK, but I've never 4wheeled in one.

 

Nothing wrong with manual Saginaw....had it on my Jeep for 35 years.
Upgraded to power a couple years ago..life is good.

 

If you have access to a go pro, try mounting it under the jeep to see what's actually going on when you experience the bump steer.