Excessive play in steering

Hopefully someone on here can steer me in the right direction. I have a lot of play in my steering I mean it's pretty bad to the point where I'd probably get pulled over for suspected DUI if I were to try and keep this thing on the highway with CHP in my rearview.

Details:
92 Cherokee XJ with 180k, 33 inch tires, 4.5" lift

I have replaced the following parts:

Steering gear box (autozone part) witch I have tried tightening but that didn't take up the slop only made the wheel harder to turn.


Tie rod and drag link with ends also
(Rustys off road) has a rough country steering stabilizer on it

My power steering shaft doesn't seem to have play not really sure how to check it, maybe I should just replace it? Also would a gear box brace help? Maybe there is play in the steering column? Not really sure where to go from here


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Have someone turn the steering wheel back and forth while you watch all the joints for play, check the track bar and bracket real closely. On my 92, the steering shaft broke near the firewall. There's a bushing in there for vibration. If it breaks, the 2 shafts are keyed but you'll have a lot of play. It's difficult to see and I had to grab it with 2 hands to find it. I ended up just drilling a hole through it and putting a bolt in there. If in doubt I takes 2 min to take the shaft out.

Get a boostwerks steering box brace on top of whatever is loose


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What are the alignment results ? Have enough caster and toe-in ? All the suspension bushings solid and tight ? I would buy a low mileage used genuine Jeep steering box, before trying multiple crappy Chinese rebuilt steering boxes. The Boostwerks part is really an amazing bit of engineering, but really may not be necessary.

Have you verified good : Trackbar , ball joints, caster,toe in/out.

wingshooter said:

Tie rod and drag link with ends also
(Rustys off road) has a rough country steering stabilizer on it

Click to expand...

are you running Rusty's steering conversion? AKA inverted T geometry?

if so, you have tie-rod roll, that is where your "play" is coming from.


if you need further proof, do a dry steering test.

engine off, tires on the ground, have someone shake the wheel back and forth with force while you sit under the front end and see what is loose.

rockclimber said:

are you running Rusty's steering conversion? AKA inverted T geometry?



if so, you have tie-rod roll, that is where your "play" is coming from.





if you need further proof, do a dry steering test.



engine off, tires on the ground, have someone shake the wheel back and forth with force while you sit under the front end and see what is loose.

Click to expand...

Yes it's the t conversion. This is exactly what is happening. With both tie rod ends as tight as they will get I still have roll in the tie rod. Is there any way to get rid of this? You think this is causing the play I feel at the wheel when driving down the road?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

wingshooter said:

Yes it's the t conversion. This is exactly what is happening. With both tie rod ends as tight as they will get I still have roll in the tie rod. Is there any way to get rid of this? You think this is causing the play I feel at the wheel when driving down the road?

Click to expand...

There are some "bandaid" fixes, but they don't last very long. I would ditch the cRusty's set-up and go back to stock. I'm at 6" lift with the original factory set-up and it still drives the same as the day it rolled off the lot(16yrs ago)! It doesn't have any play, it doesn't track or pull, and it doesn't wander!

You think this is causing the play I feel at the wheel when driving down the road?

Click to expand...

I know it.

wingshooter said:

Is there any way to get rid of this?

Click to expand...

take it off the jeep and throw it in the trash. or sell it.



replace with currie steering.

As a temporary band aid you can buy ruffstuffs the cure spacer . They sell a couple different types. Sell that rustys steering probably for a big loss and either buy currie steering or go back to a stock drag link and a zj tie rod. You can put the zj otk on the driver side with a go fer it spacer.

I didn't catch the part about Rusty's parts being a T conversion. Tie rod roll would explain the symptoms. My 2000 is at 5.5" of lift and still has stock steering. While not ideal, it drives straight, has no play, no bump steer, and no wandering.

My suggestion for improved steering geometry would be a WJ knuckle conversion, or ORO U-Turn steering.

*UPDATE

Alright guys thanks for all the help so far. I don't have $500+ to drop on Currie steering right now but I am saving for it.

I decided to try the roughstuff cure bushing and it did do as advertised it stopped all of the tie rod roll that I was experiencing but I still have the same amount of play in my steering wheel!

Looking over it again today I feel like it has to be coming from the steering gearbox but I replaced that trying to solve this problem. My fault for buying autozone. I say this because I had a buddy turn my steering wheel wile I held on to the steering shaft and it all feels good but the movement (play) seems to go into the gear box but not move the pitman arm. Should I replace the gearbox with something better? If so what gearbox should I look into. Any other suggestions appreciated!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

"Lifetime Warranty" parts will most likely be cheap Chinese crap.

A good used steering box from a stock XJ will be better than just about any rebuilt one.

So your issue is the same as mine. turn on the jeep, open the hood, open the drivers door and then stand next to the engine bay in front of the drivers door so you can see the engine bay and grab the steering wheel at the same time.

Now look at the steering shaft right by the brake reservoir and watch that plastic/metal "bulge" you see in the shaft. you will see the shaft closest to the firewall move and the rest of the shaft not move or barely move.

your play is there in that "thing"

I fixed mine by taping a couple small washers into that area that you see in it that moves. There are little tabs rotating and they make contact with the sides, you will see them clearly when you realize what you are seeing. After I did this all my play was gone.

some others have put JB weld in there and others squirted caulk. I went with the washers so I can remove them if needed.

there is not replacement for that other than the entire shaft from the steering wheel to the steering box and it'll run you around 4 bucks for a "real" authentic one and not some cheapy may twist in half aluminum can crap.

run it with a few small washers, and be sure to do it on both sides so there is equal pressure, I mean rotate the shaft as there are two tabs 180 degrees apart.

my lower shaft u-joint where it attached to the steering box was shot. couldn't really see it all that well.

That one as well, but on mine it is was that junction further up so keep and eye on it.

If there is play in the shaft go with the Borgessen shaft, its only like $250 so not insanely expensive and it will take all the slop out of the shaft. Heck with 180k on the odo if its the original shaft I can bet there is play in it so it should be done anyways.

Mine didn't look like it had a ton of play when it wore out but when I changed it out it made a HUGE difference!