Loose Steering

[cclampblues]

Hello all-

 

I have a 89 2wd mj and my non-powered steering is pretty loose.

 

I'd say that I can turn the wheel from 12-oclock back to 10-oclock and over to 2-oclock without turning. It makes for an entertaining ride.

 

Has anyone had similar issues and found a fix to this?

Is this somehow adjustable? How do I start diagnosing the problem?

 

Thanks in advance.

[ParadiseMJ]

Start by climbing underneath (in driveway with engine off) and have an assistant turn the wheel back and forth. Push and pull on steering components, look for looseness, play in steering components.

 

That's a start.

[Wildman]

:agree:

 

Check for looseness in the tie-rod ends first, and over all front steering components.

 

Also check the steering rod, from the steering column to the steering box, the u-joints do become worn out, and there are NO replacements for the u-joints, best to just find a junk yard steering rod, and replace the whole thing.

 

The steering box (gear) has an adjustment screw for taking up "some" slop.

 

But the way your describing the steering wheel turning almost a half turn, I'd guest the steering box is shot :(

[88mjmanche]

could be track bar. the bar going from the frame to the axle

[Automan2164]

First question, manual or power steering?

 

Rob L.

[Wildman]

First question, manual or power steering?

 

Rob L.

 

I have a 89 2wd mj and my non-powered steering is pretty loose.

 

 

:redX:

 

 

I'm sure the 'other' Mod's didn't miss that :roll:

 

 

 

:teehee:

[Automan2164]

:roll:

 

Rob L.

[wyk]

I hate to hijack this thread, but that won't stop me:

 

What can ya do if your steering wheel on a model with power steering *P O W E R S T E E R I N G* is a bit loose? ;)

[ParadiseMJ]

I hate to hijack this thread, but that won't stop me:

 

What can ya do if your steering wheel on a model with power steering *P O W E R S T E E R I N G* is a bit loose? ;)

 

Start by climbing underneath (in driveway with engine off) and have an assistant turn the wheel back and forth. Push and pull on steering components, look for looseness, play in steering components.

 

That's a start.

 

I spend long hours under my Jeep(s) just looking around, grabbing parts, and seeing if anything's about to fall off

 

It's the only place I can go where my wife knows not to bug me

[DJM/78]

My slop is coming from that bolt at the pitman , drag link and tie rod ends are all shot as well .

A track bar will just dampen anything loose in there but won't fix it , after a couple of months the track bar end will be loose again . probably

reamed the track bar end oval and so you'll probably need a new track bar again . I have replaced mine twice before putting up the cash for

a complete steering upgrade .

 

IMO , the stock steering and suspension sucks for lifted trucks .

[streetjeep2.5]

I hate to hijack this thread, but that won't stop me:

 

What can ya do if your steering wheel on a model with power steering *P O W E R S T E E R I N G* is a bit loose? ;)

 

Ohhhh, I just gotta do it, just gotta!

 

If the "steering wheel is a bit loose", tighten the nut in the center of the steering wheel!!! Snicker, snicker!!!!! :rotfl2:

[wyk]

I hate to hijack this thread, but that won't stop me:

 

What can ya do if your steering wheel on a model with power steering *P O W E R S T E E R I N G* is a bit loose? ;)

 

Ohhhh, I just gotta do it, just gotta!

 

If the "steering wheel is a bit loose", tighten the nut in the center of the steering wheel!!! Snicker, snicker!!!!! :rotfl2:

 

 

Nyuck!

[deziped]

Check your intermediate steering shaft linkage for worn out u joints also. Theres one on each end. If their both worn out you'll get a lot of slop. Hold your shaft, no not that one - the other one, with your hand and have some one rock the steering wheel back and forth. Any play will be noticed if there is movemen in one piece before the other begins to move. Same with the steering gear. If the input shaft makes any movement before the pitman arm moves you have worn parts in the gear.

[rcturgeon]

i have the same problem its the u joints in the intermediate shaft for me... i don't have a well stocked junk yard around here so I'm trying to deal with it.. i would like to just get new u joints and custom fit my own intermediate shaft becasue i think mine is telescpoic, and ive read that some were some werent.. so if mine is maybe ill just get begger joints and weld them in somehow

[Backroads]

You better look at it first. They are SMALL U joints, not gonna be easy to weld something in there.

 

XJ or ZJ steering components should work as well.

[rcturgeon]

You better look at it first. They are SMALL U joints, not gonna be easy to weld something in there.

 

XJ or ZJ steering components should work as well.

 

i looked at the only xj the junkyard has and they look really different(right where the U-joints would be)

[deziped]

I pulled the intermediate shaft with good u joints out of an 86 MJ and swapped the entire shaft into my 89. Fit like a glove.

[Wildman]

I hate to hijack this thread, but that won't stop me:

 

What can ya do if your steering wheel on a model with power steering *P O W E R S T E E R I N G* is a bit loose? ;)

 

Ohhhh, I just gotta do it, just gotta!

 

If the "steering wheel is a bit loose", tighten the nut in the center of the steering wheel!!! Snicker, snicker!!!!! :rotfl2:

 

 

But, What if the Nut behind the wheel is loose :dunno:

 

 

 

*Yea, I had to do that too* :teehee:

 

 

The steering shaft should be the same from XJ's, there might be a little difference on style of u-joints from year to year.

 

Hmm......welding in new u-joints might be an options, like I said, we looked in to this a couple years ago, and NO replacements for the u-joints were available :hmm:

 

 

There is a way to take up some slop in the steering box, that's what the screw/lock nut on the top of the box is for, but, only for a small amount of slop/wear, not counting on worn out steering components, or a totally worn/damaged steering gear.

[streetjeep2.5]

It's been over 5 years now, but Les Schwab ordered and installed my manual steering box for my 87.

[Backroads]

You better look at it first. They are SMALL U joints, not gonna be easy to weld something in there.

 

XJ or ZJ steering components should work as well.

 

i looked at the only xj the junkyard has and they look really different(right where the U-joints would be)

 

 

I'm still pretty sure they are the same. Older ones at least (pre 96) I used a ZJ box in my MJ and had no issues whatsoever with the steering linkage onto that box. Same length and size etc.