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Cracked Frame (Steering Box)-Fixes???

SharkXJ

NAXJA Member #1177
Location
San Jose, CA
Howdy. So I have done a ton of searches and found a lot of folks are having the same problem. I get a popping sound when I turn left to right, and right to left, mainly when I am at lower speeds. Lots of posts on it being the Track Bar, Ball Joints, U-Joints and cracks. It started about a year ago, since then I have installed a new Axel (well new to me), new suspension and the RE HD Track Bar Cross Brace. After all of that I still had the noise. This past Saturday I replaced my Track Bar Bushing and still have the noise.

The only thing I have not done is remove the HD Track Bar Brace and Steering box to check for cracks. I cannot see any cracks with them on there. My guess is I have a crack between the Steering box and Unibody. Another part of the reason I am thinking I have a crack is I can see the Steering box move slightly (I had a buddy turn the wheel) when the wheel is turned side to side.

I have a TnT Inner brace that I am going to install and will check for cracks then (tomorrow).

Sorry so long of a post to ask this questions: Can any of you send me a write up, pix, posts of any kind of what you did to repair the crack? I have a couple of buddies who weld who are willing to help me but having a write up or something to show them how it was done would be great.

Thanks in Advance for you help.

Mark
 
I had the same problem. Have a buddy help you and either you or him turn the steering wheel with the car on. Look at the Trac bar frame side mount and see if it is moving. This was my problem. To fix it i welded a few beads around the mount to make it stop moving. It might not be wrong with your but that is why mine was popping. Hope that helps.

Alex
 
ccflexj said:
I had the same problem. Have a buddy help you and either you or him turn the steering wheel with the car on. Look at the Trac bar frame side mount and see if it is moving. This was my problem. To fix it i welded a few beads around the mount to make it stop moving. It might not be wrong with your but that is why mine was popping. Hope that helps.

Alex

X2, I had exactly the same annoying popping problem. Mainly made the noise when turning up and into my driveway. Rather that run a bead I used red threadlok and a cheater bar on my wrench to crank the bolt down as hard as I could. If I hear it ever pop again I will bust out the MIG on that bad boy. This is a fairly common post with those amongst us running a drop track bar bracket.
 
There are a few things you could check, as I have had the same issue.

The tracbar drop bracket was the culprit for me. No matter how tight I got the bolts, it would move slightly. Just a small amount of movement would reverberate through the whole chassis. I ended up welding it on and haven't had a problem since.

You could also check the axle end of the tracbar and make sure the bolt is tight.

If those don't work and your balljoints are good and tight, check the RE joints and the bolts where they are mounted to the TnT skid. If the bolts are tight, the RE joints may need to be tightened up. One side was loose when I received the kit from them initially. I have the tool if you need to borrow it.
 
If you do have cracks, clean up the area. Then drill holes at the ends of the cracks, then weld them up. After they are welded take a piece of sheet or plate steel and cut it into a diamond, place over cracked area and weld it on. Anyways hopefully it's one of the above suggestions.
 
Hey i am a newbe but went through the same problem.In the frame rail bracket there is this bevled shim on the inside where the bolt comes up too.It will wear the hole in the bracket out.That has a tendance to wear out.I also crack my fram were the stering box goes did't have any poping.The stering box and frame moved together.Good luck.
 
hey dude, just a little FYI if you'r frame is cracked around the steering box chrysler has a recall on this and will fix it for free just give a dealership a call and tell em whats going on, should be under recall, got mine fixed for free :guitar:
 
Hey everyone - thanks for the replies but I don't think I was clear. I have read a TON of posts on this issue over the past week and I am 95% sure I have a crack.

The noise started last year and since then I have done the following:
1. Changed all Bushings
2. Changed Driver Side Ball Joints
3. Checked ALL U-Joints
4. Tightened and Re-tightened the RE HD Track Bar Brace
5. Just replaced the RE HD Track Bar Bushing (Axel side)
6. Replaced the front Axel (sound was there before and after)
7. Went from short arms to TnT Y-Link (sound was there before and after)

The ONLY 2 things that have not been done:
1. I have not removed my HD Track Bar Brace to check for Cracks in Unibody.
2. I have not removed the Steering Box to check for cracks in the Unibody.

I have had a buddy get inside and turn the wheel while I inspect and watch SEVERAL times over the past year. This was done yet again this past Sunday. And my buddy pointed out something nobody ever noticed before. He noticed that the steering box moves, not a whole lot but it moves and it should not.

So my final analysis is that I have a crack in the Unibody BEHIND the steering box.

What I was hoping to get is a write up or some recomendation on how to fix the crack. I have a few friends who know how to weld so having some other suggestion on how to fix it would be GREAT. I have the TnT Inner Brace that I am going to put on as well.

Thanks again.....
 
vetteboy said:
You got that already.... (scroll up)

Saw that - THANKS!!!!

I was hoping to get more in depth with it. I know there has to be a write up with some pix or something like that in this place :) If not - I will do a small write up.

Sorry if I am sounding like a jerk, trust me I am not trying to be. I just don't want to waste folks time having them re-write stuff they have probably read and written a hundred times.
 
Last edited:
Thanks jeepfreak 84 I didn't know that.I all ready had it fixed coast me 60$.Reinforced the the inner framerail with steal.And ordered a steering box brace.I should have joined this site a long time ageo.
 
SharkXJ said:
Saw that - THANKS!!!!

I was hoping to get more in depth with it. I know there has to be a write up with some pix or something like that in this place :) If not - I will do a small write up.

Sorry if I am sounding like a jerk, trust me I am not trying to be. I just don't want to waste folks time having them re-write stuff they have probably read and written a hundred times.

What else do you want. It's not that hard, just follow above. Wire wheel everything and degrease it before you weld it. Mig welding would be fine. How wide is the crack?
 
Weasel said:
What else do you want. It's not that hard, just follow above. Wire wheel everything and degrease it before you weld it. Mig welding would be fine. How wide is the crack?

Not sure yet. Going to pull the box off tonite. Like I mentioned, I have reduced it down to a crack cause the steering box moxes a little and I have done very other possible diagnostic.

Thanks for the info - I appreciate it.
 
Rays xj said:
Thanks jeepfreak 84 I didn't know that.I all ready had it fixed coast me 60$.Reinforced the the inner framerail with steal.And ordered a steering box brace.I should have joined this site a long time ageo.

Hey anytime dude, Hey just a little thought here too, I had a recall on my 96 that I had already fixed, but when I found out about the recall I gave chrysler a call and they happily reinbursted me for the cost of the repair. so maybe you can get your money back from them :guitar:
 
Well after all of the speculation and reduction there was NO CRACK..... I had a couple of buddies who happen to be mechanical engineers both watching my sh$t mov around. They determined that the Unibody was moving at the track bar and that my steering box wasn't moving at all. So, my bud was able to get a really good crank on the Track Bar bolts and whala - the noise is gone. Sometime in the next week I will have another friend throw ona couple of welds to keep that thing in place for good.

Thanks for all of the input.

Mark
 
jeepfreak84 said:
hey dude, just a little FYI if you'r frame is cracked around the steering box chrysler has a recall on this and will fix it for free just give a dealership a call and tell em whats going on, should be under recall, got mine fixed for free :guitar:

I called Chrysler today. They told the only recall for my MJ was an O2 sensor. Is there anywhere that this is documented on the internet?
 
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