Steering box

Very lose steering. Lots of wheel play.
Checked everything... links and all tight.
Wondering if box can be removed or if it can be tightened OR should it just be replaced.
thanks all.


Doug

Did you check the track bar -- both ends? If the track bar has slop, the axle moves side-to-side when you steer and makes it appear that the steering is sloppy.

If you are certain the track bar and all else are tight, there are two adjustments on the steering box. The worm bearing preload is set with the big nut in the end of the box where the steering shaft from the steering wheel/column go in. Although that is supposed to be adjusted fist, it requires removing the box from the vehicle and most people ignore that.

The other adjustment is the over-center adjustment. Remove your air box to see the top of the steering box. You'll see an access plate held on with three screws, in the center of which is a stud with a recessed hex socket and a lock nut. That's it.

To adjust: Park with steering wheel straight ahead. Leave column unlocked. Back off lock nut. Tighten adjusting screw while gently rotating steering shaft back and forth, until you feel no free play. DO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN. Tighten locknut.

Thank you Eagle... OneTon said you'd have the answer!

DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN! First time I tried that adjustment, I almost crashed the XJ, steering got really stiff, in unexpected places. And really didin´t help much with the play. The adjsuter by the imput shaft, tightened things up a bit, seemed to remove some/most of the play from the sector shaft.
Most times the play is a sum, of many, slightly loose joints. The pitman ball type joint and the trac-bar top joint being the usual culprets.
www. Larescorp.com ,used to have some pretty good deals on rebuilt steering boxes and custom boxes. Though I haven´t tried them recently (since they´ve grown).

loose or wandering steering could also be worn control arm bushings.

Only do the adjustment about 1/8 to 1/4 turn on the adjustment screw at a time. Then test drive. You will never get all the slop out with these boxes unlike a rack and pinion type. If you over tighten it will bind in turns and not return to center. I didn't want the risk so I just got a rebuilt one (since I had 160,000 on the old one) from autozone (about $150) and installed it myself. I went from about 3 inches of play in steering wheel to about 1 inch. Greg

bushings are all good. nothing worn.

$150 for new.
Who else sells these?

I sees everal people have chimed in to reinforce the note not to overtighten. It will cause binding, and it can damage the box.

Have someone else cycle the steering back and forth while you crawl under and observe the pitman arm. If the sector shaft (the steering box output shaft) moves side-to-side, the over-center adjustment won't fix that, and the box must be rebuilt or replaced.