Rokhound Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Is there any way to tighten it up I mean the truck steering wheel is loose. So any tips please. Thanks Watson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Are you absolutely positive that it's the box and not something else in the rest of the system? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rokhound Posted March 30, 2007 Author Share Posted March 30, 2007 Are you absolutely positive that it's the box and not something else in the rest of the system? no i am not sure but thats what it seems to be. What could it be then if not the box Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 It could be a worn track bar, worn tie rod ends, worn drag link, and/or worn ball joints. Or even a failing hub/bearing unit. However, the steering box can be adjusted. You can check it by parking with the steering wheel straight ahead (this is VERY important), and the engine off but the steering not locked by the ignition. Stand beside the driver's door, reach in through the window, and turn the wheel back and forth gently. The goal here is to not turn the tires, but to see how much free play there is before the tires actually start to turn. If you find much, the next step should be to have a helper continue to turn the steering wheel back and forth while you crawl under the vehicle and check every tie rod end fitting in the steering linkage. The helper should put just enough pressure on the wheel so the tire just starts to move at each extreme. Wear latex gloves and actually put your hand on each tie rod end -- often you can feel it flexing even when you can't see it. Don't over look the frame end of the track bar or the pitman arm end of the drag link. If all the tie rod ends are tight, then you can attack the steering box. It's easier to see if you remove the air box, but not entirely necessary. On the top of the box is a cover plate, held on with three bolts and with a fourth stud sticking up out of the middle. That middle stud is the over-center lash adjustment. To adjust, you loosen the locknut on the stud, then put a hex wrench (I think it's a 3/16 but I don't recall) in the top of the stud and gradually tighten it while you turn the steering wheel back and forth. I prefer to do it with the air box out of the way so I can use my right hand to turn the steering shaft while my left hand turns the adjusting screw. This allows me to feel as well as see how much slop is left. You want to tighten it to where you almost remove all the free play. The box needs a little free play to operate without internal wear. The box is designed to be tightest over the center of the range (hence the name of the adjustment), and that's why this adjustment has to be made with the steering set straight. If it's turned, you'll tighten the screw too far and the box will self-destruct quickly. Once you have adjusted out the slop, hold the Allen key and retighten the locknut. Replace the air box and you're done. If the adjusting screw bottoms out without removing the slop, the steering box is toast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rokhound Posted March 30, 2007 Author Share Posted March 30, 2007 thanks eagle and pete i am still new at this so i will check every thing first and go from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87manche Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 don't forget about the rag joint in the steering shaft itself. the easiest thing t do is to have someone work the wheel right around center whhile you look at everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketwheels Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 an additional note of warning on the box adjustment.....if you tighten too far, the wheel will not try to return to center naturally as you come out of a turn. I did this on an old cougar with the really soft overpowered steering. Instead of trying to center on its own, the power steering pushed the wheel further as I came out of the turn and had started releasing my grip on the wheel. Needless to say, scared the you know out of me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjcanoe Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 Rockhound, Did you get problem resolved ? I am new to forum, but not jeeps. let me know if I can help. mjcanoe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rokhound Posted April 14, 2007 Author Share Posted April 14, 2007 No not yet it is 4 sale so i kinda gave up on finding the issue. I think it is safe to say the some of the joints in the front need to be replaced. So my plan was to up grade to a ZJ at that time. So if I get back to work and decide to keep it then I will fix it. I no that is not right of me but I am out of work and money. :headpop: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 No not yet it is 4 sale so i kinda gave up on finding the issue. I think it is safe to say the some of the joints in the front need to be replaced. So my plan was to up grade to a ZJ at that time. So if I get back to work and decide to keep it then I will fix it. I no that is not right of me but I am out of work and money. :headpop: And you consider a ZJ to be an "upgrade"? To each his own, I suppose. I don't want anything to do with ZJs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjcanoe Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 Rockhound, I ask because I did'nt understand if problem was in frt. steering/suspension or in column/s/wheel. Different issues, different fixes. Tilt columns were known for becoming loose as example. ZJ's are good truck's, by the way. Hope you can keep MJ tho. mjcanoe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 No not yet it is 4 sale so i kinda gave up on finding the issue. I think it is safe to say the some of the joints in the front need to be replaced. So my plan was to up grade to a ZJ at that time. So if I get back to work and decide to keep it then I will fix it. I no that is not right of me but I am out of work and money. :headpop: And you consider a ZJ to be an "upgrade"? To each his own, I suppose. I don't want anything to do with ZJs. I think he meant ZJ linkage. :dunno: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rokhound Posted April 14, 2007 Author Share Posted April 14, 2007 yes i the ZJ linkage sorry for that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rokhound Posted April 18, 2007 Author Share Posted April 18, 2007 Well I went out to day and looked at the steering man that was scary $#!&. The track bar while lets say it moves A LOT. The ball is shot guys to the point that the whole front axle moves. So I got go and get a used track bar from Comancheon33 tomorrow and we will see how bad the play is in the steering then. Thanks for every ones input on these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deziped Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 I just got through torquing down all four bolts on the Track Bar frame bracket. They were all loose and the bracket was flexing away from the frame 1/4 to 1.2 inch. Now my steering is back to like new. I went looking for a problem as my MJ would when ever it felt like it suddenly drift off the road, mainly to the right, and the wheel had gotten a lot of slop in it. It was getting scary. Anyway I had the wife rock the steering wheel back & forth while I was under the truck. Everything seemed tight I put my hands on. I just happened to get a finger pinched by the bracket & thats when I noticed it was slopping around when the wheels were turned left. Glad I found the problem when I did as the bolts weren't far from falling out o-d-holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rokhound Posted April 18, 2007 Author Share Posted April 18, 2007 yeah my 4 year old help me she thought she was driving. It was kinda fun she love to work on daddy's truck's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johngw43 Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Hello, I'm new here, so I'll probaly be asking several dumb question's. like one for example: what does "MJ" and "XJ" stand for? Anyway, My steering box. Someone told me that it was in the "knuckle". I have ALOT of play in there, and they told me the U-joint or knuckle, was gone. also, i was reading this page earlier, and saw where someone's would'nt return to center after releasing the wheel, while in a curve. Mine, when I (if I) let go of the steering wheel, in a curve, my truck will just act as if I'm still steering it thru the curve, it will not return to center. I have wireing problems, seat questions, like, i would love to have a picture of an interior of a 1989 Jeep comanche. its a 6 cyl. 2 wheel drive, fuel inj. 5 speed. But, I can tell, that the console, and seat's, are NOT origional. There's bench seat's in there, but I want bucket! Beside's all that, i love working on it, just bought it, but to be honest, it's driving me a little wacky, :nuts: can anyone please help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87manche Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 XJ=Cherokee MJ=Comanche MJ and XJs are the same from the seats forward, so cherokees are a good place for parts. To answer your questions: The steering box is mounted to the frame rail, drivers side, right behind the bumper and below the radiator. If someone has told you it's loose in the knuckle that's on the axle. it could be balljoints or the unit bearing. You'll have to jack up each side and push/pull/lever against it to see where the movement is,. Your steering symptoms could be just from a poor alignment, caster is a key part in this. Check all the front end parts and then go from there. If you need more help, start a new thread, we'll need all the info about your MJ. Year, motor, trans, 4wd or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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