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acceptable steering box play?

jacksonbase

NAXJA Forum User
Location
jackson ms
just picked up a 99 cherokee 3" lift and 31's . Im trying to sort out all issues and had some one turn steering back and forth with tires on ground. everything is pretty tight for 164k miles except steering box. The shaft going into steering box turns 1/4 -3/8 before pitman arm even moves. Is this acceptable slack? I don't have any wobble but want to make sure everything is up to factory specs. thx in advance.
 
That is way too much slop. The question is......why. You can adjust the lash and get rid of the slop, but it is a tricky and dangerous adjustment if you don't know what you are doing. Why is there so much slop? Is the lock nut on the box loose? Personally, being the pain in the ass perfectionist, I would pull the box and flush it, then do a good visual inspection of the gear on the pitman shaft before adjusting it, and I would do it on the bench to make sure I could feel any weird binding throughout the range of motion.

Adjusting it on the car is marginal at best, even with two people and the front end jacked up off the ground. I have done it by myself but I pulled the pitman arm and turned the input shaft from below. If you are thinking of doing this, do some reading on a trusted source on the adjustment procedure.
 
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