Guess I shouldn’t have forced it (steering).

[Puch]

Has anyone been on a trail and you try turning your wheel, but it feels like it’s stuck in a rut or on a rock? You decide to give the steering wheel a little more force and the tire seems to lift out of the rut or rock. Only problem is now, your steering is sloppy and your front end clunks when you turn left and right while stopped?
Nothing looks bent. I’ve checked and re-torqued the control arms, track bar, ball joints, and every nut I can find in the front end. Seems to have improved a small amount, but it still feels sloppy and feels like it’s about to go into death wobbly mode when I’m at normal speed and hit bumps in the road.

Any ideas what I might have done to the steering?

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[XJFanatic]

Did you smash the steering stabilizer? That’s how the JLU felt when I slid off a rock with my steering stabilizer.

 

[Puch]

Did you smash the steering stabilizer? That’s how the JLU felt when I slid off a rock with my steering stabilizer.

Thanks, forgot to mention that I replaced it when I got home and added a relocation bracket because it had taken a few hits in the stock location.

 

[XJFanatic]

If that’s the case have someone move the steering wheel while you watch everything.

 

[OHJeeper]

Thanks, forgot to mention that I replaced it when I got home and added a relocation bracket because it had taken a few hits in the stock location.

Try removing one end of the SS and see if you can compress and un-compress it by hand. If it moves with little resistance it's shot... you could have smacked it on a rock and lost fluid.

Or done this... but this one was pretty obvious

 

[Bjeepz]

Sounds like the steering box needs a looking at. Mine is leaking.. dealershit claims it is normal and to sometimes feel like I have no power steering, idiots....

 

[Puch]

Try removing one end of the SS and see if you can compress and un-compress it by hand. If it moves with little resistance it's shot... you could have smacked it on a rock and lost fluid.

Or done this... but this one was pretty obvious

? that’s definitely obvious!

 

[Puch]

Sounds like the steering box needs a looking at. Mine is leaking.. dealershit claims it is normal and to sometimes feel like I have no power steering, idiots....

I didn’t notice any leaks, but I’ll have to look again. Do you think I could have damaged the steering box internally?

 

[Kevin_D]

Do you think I could have damaged the steering box internally?

Yes.
Check the steering wheel free play: there shouldn’t be much at all.

Kevin

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Yes.
Check the steering wheel free play: there shouldn’t be much at all.

Kevin

Almost no play.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I have the same issue as of a week ago or so. It’s either the drag link end where it connects to the pitman arm, or the gearbox. I’m going to be unhappy if it’s the gearbox, as no dealer is going to replace it under warranty with all my aftermarket steering parts.

 

[WILDHOBO]

And mine has a reasonable amount of play, at least from 10 - 2 at highway speeds.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

And mine has a reasonable amount of play, at least from 10 - 2 at highway speeds.

Are you actually saying you can move it 10:00 to 2:00 on the highway before the truck responds?
I can't move mine more than 5 degrees and it's responding quickly. It's tight.
If I were driving highway speed and shook the wheel from 11 to 1, the truck would be shaking left and right.
10 to 2 is unreasonable. That's what I'd expect out of a worn steering system.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Are you actually saying you can move it 10:00 to 2:00 on the highway before the truck responds?
I can't move mine more than 5 degrees and it's responding quickly. It's tight.
If I were driving highway speed and shook the wheel from 11 to 1, the truck would be shaking left and right.
10 to 2 is unreasonable. That's what I'd expect out of a worn steering system.

Yep. I’m well aware it’s not normal. It just started at 27k. There’s a nice noise when articulating the steering as well that should be in the video I attached. Steersmarts is sending a replacement drag link end. If that’s not it, the gearbox is likely toast. And I have the steel one.

 

[Rusty PW]

I have the same issue as of a week ago or so. It’s either the drag link end where it connects to the pitman arm, or the gearbox. I’m going to be unhappy if it’s the gearbox, as no dealer is going to replace it under warranty with all my aftermarket steering parts.

Steering box. Take a pry bar under the ball joint of the pitman arm and pry up. If the end of the arm moves up. You found your problem.

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