I think I found my clunk!

I've been fighting a little steering clunk for the last 97 thousand miles on my 99, since I got it in fact. There were some signs that the previous owner had hit something, perhaps a curb or another obstacle, and there was a bent control arm, although the alignment was fine. Various things have needed replacement, been replaced, and the clunk remained. I started out with bad stabilizer bushings, which got rid of one clunk but left a couple more. I had a broken spring, and that took care of a click, but not the clunk. A bad track bar, but that wasn't it either, although it certainly improved the handling. A bent control arm, but that wasn't it either. Finally, after procrastinating for a long time, I replaced the steering gear, because the pitman shaft had some play in it. I'm pretty sure that has helped in some areas, but it wasn't until I got it apart that I found what I think was the source of my clunk.

A couple of the missing pieces were still there, embedded in grease and crud. It's clear from the corrosion that the spacer was trashed long ago. I have no idea how that could have happened, unless from the same impact that bent the control arm. But I'm sure glad I found it before it killed me.

I found my spacer to be cracked at one point as well. I haven't replaced it yet. Steel unibody, steel or iron steering box, and aluminum spacer....GREAT IDEA!

I wonder if a certain amount of washers (on the 3 mounting bolts) between the unibody and the steering box would serve as a good substitute for this spacer?

I'v seen a few cracked or busted. I believe JCR is making replacement spacers. JIM.

Yes,its a quite common problem.Pick up some C-Rok plates and call it good!

I had a good clean spacer, so I used that. It should last at least a little while, and since I'm currently at 241K miles, and rust is eating my floors, if it's good for 50K, I'm likely fine.

http://www.c-rok.com/sb.html

http://www.jcroffroad.com/Merchant2...ROD&Product_Code=XJSTSPC&Category_Code=XJMISC

Joe hit it on the head.
NOW is the time to add a set of reinforcement plates.
When I replaced my steering box, I found the same thing.

That was what I was expecting to find when I up-graded mine with an inner steering box brace from T&T since I was running larger than stock tires, lift, 190k of abuse on my 87'.

thanks for the links.

I like those steel plates, and might end up making one. My son has a 96 and it's clunking too, and I'm willing to bet the spacer is bad, because it was pretty iffy when we replaced his steering gear a few years ago.

Hallo Matthew. Did you see anything to suspect the spacer?
Play or movement of the steering gear? Was it a total surprise, when you take out the steeringbox?
You have to know, I am looking also for a clunk, but there is nothing to see. Bolts are tight.
And there is absolute no movement between the frame and the box.

'92XJwim

I found the same...



So I just made a plate...

wim hoppenbrouwers said:

Hallo Matthew. Did you see anything to suspect the spacer?
Play or movement of the steering gear? Was it a total surprise, when you take out the steeringbox?
You have to know, I am looking also for a clunk, but there is nothing to see. Bolts are tight.
And there is absolute no movement between the frame and the box.

'92XJwim

Click to expand...

I didn't see anything, and couldn't feel any movement. The bolts were plenty tight, too, and there's no sign of frame cracking. The area was pretty grungy, so I don't know if could have spotted anything if I'd thought to look for chunks of spacer, but it's tucked pretty well out of sight. I haven't encountered a broken spacer though I've had a couple of steering boxes out in the past., so wasn't expecting it. A couple of the chunks now missing were sitting there after I removed it, so I'm not sure if they fell out before or after.

I was mainly chasing clunks and play on a steering gear with tangible side play in the pitman shaft. If your gear is obviously still good, you should be able to get at the spacer by removing the bolts without bothering to disconnect it from the steering, I think.

I also haven't driven enough since the job to guarantee that I'm clunk free, but it appears to have done the trick.