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Steering Box popping & creaking

MrShaft696

MrShaft696

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Blue Bell, PA
So I am sort of a unlucky one, as my steering box was creeking & popping, so I pulled one from the yard from another cherokee & swapped it. Now everytime i return the wheel to center and go just beyond a quarter turn the box I have now is cracking & popping. I checked all the usual suspects & there is no movment in any of the steering, trackbar or steering box itself & it has a brace on it.
Steering, trackbar & control arms are all in good shape. When I have my hand on the steering box I can feel it popping & the steering shaft looks fine & that its spinning smoothly. Could I have really swapped one crappy one for another,... or maybe I messed it up somehow, I thought they were plug and play for the most part.
 
did you check for cracks around the holes of the steering box mounts?
 
My '98XJ did the same thing at the steering box. We eventually determined that the frame rail was cracked underneath a bracket plate (Maybe the motor mount bracket iirc) in that area. When we turned the steering wheel back and forth you could actually see the frame rail flexing at the same time. There was a little small crack showing up on the bottom side of the frame rail but it was mostly covered by the other brackets. Welded a bunch of stuff to itself and reinforced the entire area with additional plating.
hth, dn
 
Make sure the bolts on the track bar mount at the frame rail end are all tight. Pretty common for them to loose and do what you are describing.
 
Im with you guys, and those are all the first things on my mind. I havent had alot of time to mess with it, but when I saw the wheel back and forth I cannot see anything move, the steering box stays really still because it has a brace on it. I can only feel the popping with my hand on the box. I suppose there could be a crack on the inside of the frame rail?, because I cant see anything on the outside where the 3 mounting bolts are.
 
RenoXJ said:
And your 100% on the track bar and mount being tightened all the way ??
Click to expand...

X2 on this. Mine would make a little annoying pop and FINIALLY tracked it down to the track bar mount. Only got like 1/4 turn, but it was all the difference. That'd be the first thing I'd check, much easier and cheaper that the other aternatives. I do have the JKS weld on frame plates and they a great addition to your "frame" anyways. Good luck.
 
Oh, you can also check your frame side trackbar mount. I have the RE1660 track bar and heavy duty mount and mine was moving around about 1/4" when I would turn the wheel. This made a popping noise. I had a friend weld the mount to the chassis.
 
I have a 97 XJ with the same problem only pops bad when I turn left though, Curt (XtremeXJ) told me it could be the heim joint on the RE track bar. Havent had time to get one but it seems like the popping is getting worse and I cant wait to get rid of it cause its pretty fustrating!
 
when I get some light, Im going to take a vid. Thanks for all the ideas, I just really dont see anything happening with the track bar, but I will check. I just hate taking the steering box it, its such a bitch.
 
Have a friend turn the wheel back and forth (with the jeep running) while you look, listen, and feel every joint in the front end of the Jeep.

Sometimes putting a tire against a curb or tree to introduce a load on the steering will help also.
 
I would check your frame for any damage. Also like others have suggested I would have a friend turn the wheel and check everything out to make sure it is indeed the steering box.

I will say that my steering box clunks a lot also. But then again I can turn my wheel almost 45 degrees each way before the tires turn...
 
Do you have the front swaybar still there?
 
Ghost said:
Do you have the front swaybar still there?
Click to expand...

Yeah still there. What I'm wondering is, isnt it possible for the steering box to be busted itself & and make creaks from being worn out?
 
MrShaft696 said:
Yeah still there. What I'm wondering is, isnt it possible for the steering box to be busted itself & and make creaks from being worn out?
Click to expand...

Ok, you replaced one with a JY unit. I'd take the old one and spinn it by hand and see if it will spinn and if it makes noise. If it does I'd pull the one you replaced it with and do the same. If they are both smooth it is something else.
 
Yeah so Im a idiot & finally got some nice weather to get under and check all the bolts. The trackbar bracket bolts, the ones that hold it to the frame rail were less than one full turn loose & were making all that racket. I could't even see it move because it was so slight. So I just started tightening every visible bolt and that did the trick. doh!
 
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