I bought a 1989 Jeep Wagoneer and the steering wheel is real loose.I want to take off the steering collar inside the Jeep but dont know how.The is a hole in the lower left side of the collar where you would think there would be a screw, but I see no screw head.Sorry for the newb question,but got to learn some time.
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Steering wheel loose
- Thread starter Crush
- Start date
loose when you turn it or wobbly at the tilt mechanism?
if it's loose when steering then check the steering shaft, and the steering box.
If it's wobbly at the tilt mechanism, well, have fun:
http://elcaminocentral.com/article95.html
if it's loose when steering then check the steering shaft, and the steering box.
If it's wobbly at the tilt mechanism, well, have fun:
http://elcaminocentral.com/article95.html
fizassist
NAXJA Member #1052
- Location
- Los Alamos, NM
Next purchase == factory service manual. 
Could it be a roll pin?
Could it be a roll pin?
Rick Anderson
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Lusby, MD
There are a dozen spots in the steering that can wear and produce lash (slop) that some people would describe as a loose steering wheel.
You have to have someone turn the steering wheel back and forth as you move down all the linkages and look for the problem. When you see one part moving and the connected part moving less, you've found your worn part producing the lash. It is often a combination of several worn parts, like tie-rods or the steering box itself (it can be fixed a little by adjusting pre-load, a risky thing to do) and like mentioned the pins in the steering shaft itself.
It is rarely the splines on the top of the steering shaft and the steering wheel, trying to pull the cover on the steering wheel is unnecessary, just do as I describe, if it happens to be the extremely rare case, then you would see the shaft coming out of the steering column in the engine compartment is not moving at the same time the steering wheel is.
You have to have someone turn the steering wheel back and forth as you move down all the linkages and look for the problem. When you see one part moving and the connected part moving less, you've found your worn part producing the lash. It is often a combination of several worn parts, like tie-rods or the steering box itself (it can be fixed a little by adjusting pre-load, a risky thing to do) and like mentioned the pins in the steering shaft itself.
It is rarely the splines on the top of the steering shaft and the steering wheel, trying to pull the cover on the steering wheel is unnecessary, just do as I describe, if it happens to be the extremely rare case, then you would see the shaft coming out of the steering column in the engine compartment is not moving at the same time the steering wheel is.
Electrichorseman
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Central New Jersey
On my 88 the problem was the two caphead screws that hold the tilt section to the steering column. It took forever to get to those. I believe they were reverse torx head screws. One was impossible to get to with a socket. I had to take the screw out and install an allen head screw in its place. Needed a ballend allen wrench to tighten it. Don't forget the locktite!!! Figure about 4 hours and you'll have to make a bracket to put pressure on the spring loaded thingy to get the watchamacallit off. (Sorry for the technical jargon).
Later
Ken C.
88 Cherokee
86 Cherokee (original owner)
42 Willys MB (not original owner)
Later
Ken C.
88 Cherokee
86 Cherokee (original owner)
42 Willys MB (not original owner)