Steering System(Newb Q)

Ok, I'm very unfamiliar w/ the steering system on my 89 Cherokee XJ. Right now it has a 3" lift on it. For some time now i've had excessive play in the steering and i think it's the steering gear. Also, for the last few days i've been hearing a squeaking sound when i turn the wheel either direction and its very constant. I'm thinking maybe I need to lubricate the ball Joints or does it just head back to my steering gear being worn out? Pleeease Help i'm in need

Did you get an alignment after the lift? The lift will result in a significant toe-in condition, and aside for accelerated tire wear that causes the steering to feel a bit strange.

The next thing to check is the track bar. If either end is loose, when you try to turn left (for example), the axle is pushed laterally to the opposite side, which creates that vague, imprecise feeling about the steering.

Also check the bearings on the pitman arm. Mine went out last week, and I had them replaced. You could hear a grinding, squeak every time you turned. Also, the front end kind of moved around a bit for the first little movement of the wheel.

Like Eagle said, the track bar is also a place to look. I had to replace the lower bolt on the track bar because the treads became stripped. It would move side to side a bit, like with the bearings.

Have a friend turn the wheel, and look under the Jeep and see what moving, not moving, rubbing or just doing what its not suposed to do.

kind of a dumb and obivoust thing, but easy to overlook - do you have your power steering box full to the right level with the right fluid?

did you adjust your draglink after u lifted?


Ha Ha! annother chance to post my write up!
http://www.geocities.com/[email protected]/Steering.html

Great, now you're going to have the guy looking for the fill plug on the side of the steering box.

I'm sure you meant to say the PUMP should be filled to the proper level.

JJacobs said:

Great, now you're going to have the guy looking for the fill plug on the side of the steering box.

I'm sure you meant to say the PUMP should be filled to the proper level.

Click to expand...

yeah thats correct - sorry about that...

Starboard M said:

Also check the bearings on the pitman arm. Mine went out last week, and I had them replaced.

Click to expand...

If you paid to have bearings replaced in the pitman arm, you got hosed. The pitman arm is a chunk of metal with a hole in each end ... no bearings. The big hole fits onto the sector shaft in the steering box, and the tie rod end on the drag link fits into the small hole.

Only thing I can think of is the shop might have replaced the bearing where the sector shaft exits the steering box ... there ain't no bearings in or on the pitman shaft itself.

Well, what i decided to do w/ the sqeaking noise was to just lubricate the ball joints that sounded like they were making noise... it actually helped, but is this a sign that my steerings columns starting to go bad?? If so what could i replace it w/?