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whacky steering

sotrhRaven

NAXJA Forum User
This is what my steering wheel looks like while Driving straight. Pulls hard to the Right.
DSC00050.jpg


This what it looks like when I am parked wheels straight. There is a good deal of play in the steering wheel.
DSC00051.jpg


Any info appreciated. This is a 1993 Jeep Cherokee Sport I6 RWD.

Thanks,
Ben
 
have someone rock the wheel back and forth while you look underneath for lose and worn parts in the steering area. looks to me like you need an alignment, or have a bad TRE, or both, or more.
 
Tie rod ends, drag link, drag link end, ball joints, track bar bushings, control arm bushings, maybe wheel bearings. Check or replace front axle u-joints.
 
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Another thing to check is the rubber bushing in the steering shaft located just under the brake booster. Mine's worn out and causes alot of slop and play in the steering as well as a pop when turning sometimes as it slips 1/8" before the tabs stop it.
 
had same issue on my 90 Wagoneer. steering wheel with straight tires would be aligned, once i hit the road, it would pull passenger and steering wheel would be off.... i took it for alignment two times at two different Firestone shops (good thing i have lifetime alignment) and same thing... i swapped the Gear Box and wala... issue fixed. sounds like you have the sympthoms i had... :wave1:
 
I was afraid of that. Now I have a plan of action. How difficult is to swap out the gear box.

Ben

well i have a 1990. i know that after 1990 xj's the engine changes but not sure if the pump or the way its fixed into jeep has a change too....

you will need a pitman arm removal tool which you can get at your local auto zone as a rental... other than that tool, everything else is nuts and bolts. locate the 3 bolts that hold it in place to the frame and soak'em with the wonderful "PB Blaster" for some hours making it easier to remove dont forget to also soak up the Pitman Arm. you'll have two hoses to disconnect too...oh, and theres a bolt on the Sttering Column that connects to the Box, that shouild be fairly easy to remove but it wont hurt to soak it as well....

it took me roughly an hour and a half to swap it....

after you swap it, treat it like a regular Pump Flush.... refill and bleed turning tires sisde to side all the way with engine off then repeat with engine on until level is correct.... dont overflow!

Cheers! :wave:
 
you could probably get a replacement pitman arm, for the price of a puller. it's a pain to pull that pitman arm, dont get a cheap puller, or you'll buy it twice!
 
you could probably get a replacement pitman arm, for the price of a puller. it's a pain to pull that pitman arm, dont get a cheap puller, or you'll buy it twice!


still need to have the Puller though to remove and replace the new one....

if you dont have a longer pitman and youre lifted, consider replacing it as it will be off anyways.....

like i said above, Autozone has these as a rental (free unless you break it). :wave:
 
Puller, BFH, heat.
 
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