How much play in the tie rod and drag links??

In my quest to find the reason for my wheel shimmy at 50mph, I started w/ looking at the front end. Track bar is tight! Not one bit of mov't.

But, I started messing w/ the tie rod at the pitman and heres what I got:
Well, I am going to try to explain it as best I can...

Now I wasnt able to shake it and make it move BUT, I was able to rotate the rod around the bushing and this moved the drag link that was connected to the axle around its bushing as well.

Are the tie rod and drag link susposed to move like this??

I was going to take some pics but I reall dont think that would help...

Thats the way they work!The real test is to have someone turn your steering wheel back and forth and look for movement in any of your suspension components.

Thanks for the response, a little bit of relief here. Ok, so should I place it on stands and check the steering or should I keep it grounded?

You want it on the ground so that everything is "loaded" up!

Thanks man! I guess I'll do that this weekend...
And Ill let you know. Actually maybe I try to drag out the little lady to do the steering.

Leave the wheels on the ground. In fact, let some air out of the tires. You want the tires to resist turning so that when your helper turns the steering wheel there is resistance. That's what makes the play show up.

This is best done with an assistant. Park the Jeep with the wheels straight ahead. Have your assistant turn the wheel about 1/4 turn to each side of straight -- maybe not even that much. You don't need or want to actually move the tires, you just want to put load on the steering components. Look at each one carefully. It may help to put on a surgical-type glove and hold each fitting -- sometimes you can feel it flex even if you can't quite see it.

Don't try to watch the whole suspension at once. Do one component at a time or you'll miss something. Also be sure to check the steering box itself, both where the pitman shaft comes out of the box, and the box itself where it mounts to the frame. Also check the upper track bar bracket where it bolts to the frame.

Sounds good. Ill check it and get back to you guys!

Just re-read your post and realized that (a) you have a 2001, and (b) the shimmy is at 50 MPH.

Unless you have beat the cr@p out of it, your Jeep is too new to need steering components. 50 MPH shimmy is the clue here. Does the shimmy go away over about 60 MPH? If so,

WHEEL BALANCE -- WHEEL BALANCE -- WHEEL BALANCE

Excellent points!

Eagle said:

Don't try to watch the whole suspension at once. Do one component at a time or you'll miss something. Also be sure to check the steering box itself, both where the pitman shaft comes out of the box, and the box itself where it mounts to the frame. Also check the upper track bar bracket where it bolts to the frame.

Click to expand...

"It just needed repeating in bold print".

Your alignment specs are very "normal",the camber differences is still within spec and they very seldom are symmetrical.

Ill let you know the results this weekend.

Do you think that since my tires are only ~2000 miles old, they will rebalance for free?? And if not, should I argue?


I put them on in feb 2003. Dunlop AT's.