Can steering wheel play be reduced/eliminated?

[gearhead22]

Mine stays centered and nothing happens with bumps or wind. It just has the dead spot. My gearbox is likely just worn out after lots of miles on big tires.

Mine is center if the ground is flat and there’s no side wind. If a side wind comes along or the road crowns I have to move the wheel to correct it. Bumps there is no issue for me.

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[ShadowsPapa]

Mine is center if the ground is flat and there’s no side wind. If a side wind comes along or the road crowns I have to move the wheel to correct it. Bumps there is no issue for me.

But that's normal with any vehicle.

 

[gearhead22]

But that's normal with any vehicle.

Normal yes, to a degree. Pretty much every vehicle I’ve driven doesn’t have as much movement in the wheel as this gladiator during winds or road crown and I’d say its ever so slightly better than a 2nd gen dodge HD with arguably the worst steering of any vehicle in the last 30 years.

I will add that I did some driving after the adjustment and the play is reduced. While not race car tight, it is better. The hard part is identifying how much play is there and what’s “normal”. what I’ve noticed is you pretty much have to measure it with the vehicle off and rotate the wheel until you feel a slight stiffness indicating that you’re low engaging the linkage as a whole. With the vehicle running it softens the steering quite a bit and you can easily turn the Steering wheel into territory where the wheels are actually turning a slight amount which is no longer free play and just the “mush” of this vehicles solid axle steering. Solid axle vehicles will always have a mushy/soft feel that requires more input than traditional rack and pinion setups. I like to think of it as rack and pinion is like .75:1 and solid axle is like .2-.25:1. It just requires more steering wheel movement to achieve the same tire movement.

But that’s different than dead space or free play where nothing is actually happening.

 

[JonMN]

I traded a car with very good steering feel for my JT. Driving the 35 miles home in the JT was kind of a shock. In my case, I do not think I had play in the system. But the feel was too vague. I did get used to it, but later I added a Fox ATS 2.0 stabilizer, and now I am really happy with the feel. The car I traded had three steering settings that I could change electronically; Touring, Sport, Track. The stock JT felt just like Touring, and now it feels more like Sport.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I traded a car with very good steering feel for my JT. Driving the 35 miles home in the JT was kind of a shock. In my case, I do not think I had play in the system. But the feel was too vague. I did get used to it, but later I added a Fox ATS 2.0 stabilizer, and now I am really happy with the feel. The car I traded had three steering settings that I could change electronically; Touring, Sport, Track. The stock JT felt just like Touring, and now it feels more like Sport.

I've wondered about the caster on these Mojaves. I mean, they sit up a tad higher than others and unless that is compensated for in some way at the factory, I'd bet these are on the low side of spec for caster.
I may yet get longer lower arms for my JTMX.

 

[Casique]

I have a synergy steering brace, metalcloak track bar, $terraflex 2.2 stab, metalcloak lower control arms up front. I had the dealer do an alignment. Nothing has changed the vague/slight wander from the factory. My next step is to test drive a 2026, and or buy a new US made steering box.

 

[Badunit]

The strong steering stabilizer should have stopped most of the wandering and getting blown around by the wind but it can make it feel vague. Return-to center will be poor and the wheels won't quite self center and follow the road, which will feel like wandering. And you won't feel the road in the steering wheel because the stabilizer is holding the wheels so steady.

After getting a decent steering gear, I went back to my stock steering stabilizer and it was much improved. Before the decent steering gear, I needed the stronger stabilizer.

I found setting toe to 0 degrees worked best for me. It is straighter on the road and I quit getting feathering on my front tires. I have to admit, though, that I don't know what it is for sure because I adjusted it by estimation and feel/results and never went back for an alignment check.

 

[WILDHOBO]

The strong steering stabilizer should have stopped most of the wandering and getting blown around by the wind but it can make it feel vague. Return-to center will be poor and the wheels won't quite self center and follow the road, which will feel like wandering. And you won't feel the road in the steering wheel because the stabilizer is holding the wheels so steady.

After getting a decent steering gear, I went back to my stock steering stabilizer and it was much improved. Before the decent steering gear, I needed the stronger stabilizer.

I found setting toe to 0 degrees worked best for me. It is straighter on the road and I quit getting feathering on my front tires. I have to admit, though, that I don't know what it is for sure because I adjusted it by estimation and feel/results and never went back for an alignment check.

I concur. The bigger the stabilizer, the more vague it feels. But there’s zero wander. Unless your toe is really off.

 

[TurboHarley]

I ended up deciding to try and move mine 1/8 turn. I’m a little worried as I’ve read that the nut is initially hard to break free due to the loctite. Not sure if someone has messed with it before or not. I also didn’t have any paint marks like I had seen in some videos. I put a breaker bar on mine and it really didn’t turn hard. It wasn’t finger tight by any means but wasn’t hard to get off as other have indicated. The horizontal red line is where I started and the vertical is what I estimated to be 1/4 turn. I’d say I’m half way so 1/8. Will report after driving if I notice any issues.

 

[Vtur]

Normal yes, to a degree. Pretty much every vehicle I’ve driven doesn’t have as much movement in the wheel as this gladiator during winds or road crown and I’d say its ever so slightly better than a 2nd gen dodge HD with arguably the worst steering of any vehicle in the last 30 years.

I will add that I did some driving after the adjustment and the play is reduced. While not race car tight, it is better. The hard part is identifying how much play is there and what’s “normal”. what I’ve noticed is you pretty much have to measure it with the vehicle off and rotate the wheel until you feel a slight stiffness indicating that you’re low engaging the linkage as a whole. With the vehicle running it softens the steering quite a bit and you can easily turn the Steering wheel into territory where the wheels are actually turning a slight amount which is no longer free play and just the “mush” of this vehicles solid axle steering. Solid axle vehicles will always have a mushy/soft feel that requires more input than traditional rack and pinion setups. I like to think of it as rack and pinion is like .75:1 and solid axle is like .2-.25:1. It just requires more steering wheel movement to achieve the same tire movement.

But that’s different than dead space or free play where nothing is actually happening.

The slow steering response is also due to big tires. Glad the box adjustment helped. It makes a huge different on mine.

 

[gearhead22]

The slow steering response is also due to big tires. Glad the box adjustment helped. It makes a huge different on mine.

The problem is there dead space in the steering. You move the steering wheel and the pitman arm is not moving. Indicating there is slop in the box. Tightening the nut seemed to help some. Not perfect, but I doubt it ever could be

 

[WILDHOBO]

The problem is there dead space in the steering. You move the steering wheel and the pitman arm is not moving. Indicating there is slop in the box. Tightening the nut seemed to help some. Not perfect, but I doubt it ever could be

Maybe I’ll check my steering shaft. I think that could creat play pretty easily after lots of hard 37” miles.

 

[Snowcavemike]

Hello all. I have a 21’ JTR. I think the current most aggravating thing is the amount of play/dead space in the steering wheel. Is there a way to tighten it up? I’m aware of the steering box adjustment but that seems quite debated as to whether it should be touched or not. The tie rod/drag link are new. The steering box is the OEM steel.

I put the Senergy steering brace in. What a difference. The stock steering has flex in it.
Hello all. I have a 21’ JTR. I think the current most aggravating thing is the amount of play/dead space in the steering wheel. Is there a way to tighten it up? I’m aware of the steering box adjustment but that seems quite debated as to whether it should be touched or not. The tie rod/drag link are new. The steering box is the OEM steel.


[/QUOTE]

Hello all. I have a 21’ JTR. I think the current most aggravating thing is the amount of play/dead space in the steering wheel. Is there a way to tighten it up? I’m aware of the steering box adjustment but that seems quite debated as to whether it should be touched or not. The tie rod/drag link are new. The steering box is the OEM steel.

I put the Senergy steering brace in. What a difference. The stock steering has flex in it. I installed steersmart drag link and tie rod. No play at 75mph

 

[gearhead22]

I put the Senergy steering brace in. What a difference. The stock steering has flex in it.
Hello all. I have a 21’ JTR. I think the current most aggravating thing is the amount of play/dead space in the steering wheel. Is there a way to tighten it up? I’m aware of the steering box adjustment but that seems quite debated as to whether it should be touched or not. The tie rod/drag link are new. The steering box is the OEM steel.

I put the Senergy steering brace in. What a difference. The stock steering has flex in it. I installed steersmart drag link and tie rod. No play at 75mph
[/QUOTE]
The only thing I don’t have is a steering brace. I have heard they only really made a difference with aluminum boxes so I didn’t install one.

 

[Gizmo]

Dont believe that. It made a difference on my 22 with steel box

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