hey y'all - thanks much! I appreciate the recommendations. I will try knockin the tire pressure down (I double checked - tires are at 38 right now, rated for 50. ) I thought about the torque effect on the steering box but thought that SURELY some bright Toledo / Detroit design engineer had long ago figured out how to design that out .. oh yeah - this IS a Jeep...

Spring center bolts seem ok all 'round.

thanks again -- will let you know how the experiment progresses.
df

12/7 -- morning update - set tire pressure to 30 on all 4 -- noticable improvement in handling on my 27 mi. commute. Now I can go back to dozing at the wheel. Lesson here, I guess, is not to assume that the tire pressure set by the tire installer is the RIGHT seting.
df