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Steering Box Adjustment

1989cherokee

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Oregon
My 89 Cherokee 220K has developed sloppy steering over the last year, how difficult is it to adjust the box? I have done this on other american vehicles in the past. Do you just back off the big nut and turn the adjuster in a little? Thanks for any help! Do the front wheels need to be off the ground?
 
I have an 89 with 215K had the same problem, adjusting the box only removed a very small amount of the slop. You may want to check the tie rod ends mine were shot and the cause of the problem. Also if you want the steering very stiff you can upgrade to a later model steering box I currently have a box from a 99 installed and it is very stiff and responsive.

Adjustment on the vehicle and without the proper tools is not recommended. It is possible to damage the gear and cause binding in the steering. So with that warning, loosen nut turn clock wise a little at a time until you have about an inch of play in the steering wheel, this can be done with the wheels on the ground.
 
That screw on top is mostly the center over adjustment, though it does tighten the sector shaft a bit. You get it a little too tight and when the box heats up, it can almost jam. I mean whiten knuckle and rear end way off the seat cushion, trying to turn the wheel.
Most of the play is in the input shaft adjustment. Which actually works well, unless some of the ball bearings in the worm gear aren't perfectly round and then the worm gear can bind also. Might work fine cold, bur get progressively tighter as it heats up.
I've got an old Chiltons unit repair manual, that has the whole adjustment process. There may be more around in a library someplace.
 
Wiggle your steering wheel up and down and left and right. It should be solid. Sometimes the play is in the bolts that hold the tilt U Joint together and you don't really notice until it gets way bad.
I put a block of wood between the pitman arm and the drag link and use a big C clamp to hold it solid. This will tell you quick how much play is in the box or above the box. Kind of split the whole thing in half and check each half for play.
Trac bar ends will give you slop, as will drag link and tie rod ends. Steering box and steering column U joints. Some times it is a little slop everywhere, that adds up to a lot of slop.
 
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