New JT Gladiator Steering Issue TSB 08-074-20 (for "Improved Steering Feel")

[ShadowsPapa]

Yes! You are correct! But if they are replacing the nut and not using proper torque procedures, any JL/JT owner will still have the same issue. In fact, they can still utilize the same nut if they follow procedure.

I posted a video on my youtube channel about 8 months ago about the pitman arm nut. You have to apply loctite and It has to be torqued to 184 ft/lbs. If you order a new pitman arm nut, it actually comes with loctite pre-applied.

Youtube video:

Hey, man, where've you been?
Gotta agree with all of the above - the problem is that these are like you said, self-locking nuts with the locking mechanism or substance already in place. So if they use a new one and torque it - they've done it right............. but............. when people re-use the old nut, my bet is no one has a tube of Loctite® even close by.
So they throw the old nut back on, now it's no longer self-locking, and I wonder how many bother setting their torque wrench and giving it the muscle required.

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[tysongladiator]

Hey, man, where've you been?
Gotta agree with all of the above - the problem is that these are like you said, self-locking nuts with the locking mechanism or substance already in place. So if they use a new one and torque it - they've done it right............. but............. when people re-use the old nut, my bet is no one has a tube of Loctite® even close by.
So they throw the old nut back on, now it's no longer self-locking, and I wonder how many bother setting their torque wrench and giving it the muscle required.

Hey brother! How are ya? How you been? I been away for awhile. Taking care of a few personal things.

But, yep. You're right again. At the time when I first noticed that nut was finger tight, it was the same time I was getting new tires put on. So I asked the tire shop, while they had it up on the lift, could they tighten it for me. Once I got my jeep back, they told me that they tightened it as tight as they could get it with a crescent wrench! ????? Not even a week later, it was finger tight again. That's when I fixed it myself.

Most people don't even know loctite comes in different flavors (strengths). And I can tell you that to get that torque wrench to click at 184 ft/lbs ain't easy. I may have pulled a muscle!??

One of my pet peeves is proper torque!

 

[Rayzzz]

Keep an eye on the pitman arm nut after you have had your steering box replacement because mine came loose in a curvy Road section pulling a 24 ft trailer and it got real sloppy and really surprised me in a scary way. I guess what happened was the nut came loose and when it popped loose on the spines it became really loose. Quickly . I called dealership and they told me that they would check with the technician to see if it required Loctite. I put Loctite on the nut and I tightened it to specs. Also I put a mark on the steering box shaft and the nut to make sure if it started turning later I could tell by looking at the marks not lining up

 

[SkyKing]

I was told… by the clown show dealer…The nuts are on back order.

 

[tysongladiator]

I was told… by the clown show dealer…The nuts are on back order.

Search google. You can order those pitman arm nuts from other dealers and mopar parts warehouses. Also, quadratec has them. I posted a video about the pitman arm nut about 8 months ago. I've helped quite a few people out. I get parts all the time from other sources.

https://www.quadratec.com/p/mopar/pitman-arm-nut-jl-jt-06036780AA

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Search google. You can order those pitman arm nuts from other dealers and mopar parts warehouses. Also, quadratec has them. I posted a video about the pitman arm nut about 8 months ago. I've helped quite a few people out. I get parts all the time from other sources.

https://www.quadratec.com/p/mopar/pitman-arm-nut-jl-jt-06036780AA

Agreed. The issue is that each dealership parts department goes through a regional "depot". If the depot is out, the dealer can't easily get the parts while said part may be in another part of the country. My dealership somehow got the bolts from another source instead of making me wait, I believe I recall them saying "the depot was going to reach out.........." and find them elsewhere.
Maybe Benny knows - allmoparparts - a good guy and forum sponsor.

This reminds me I want to go out and check the torque on mine. I've marked all of the critical bolts and nuts with a silver paint pen - so far nothing has moved in the last year.

 

[JET_83]

Yes! You are correct! But if they are replacing the nut and not using proper torque procedures, any JL/JT owner will still have the same issue. In fact, they can still utilize the same nut if they follow procedure.

I posted a video on my youtube channel about 8 months ago about the pitman arm nut. You have to apply loctite and It has to be torqued to 184 ft/lbs. If you order a new pitman arm nut, it actually comes with loctite pre-applied.

Youtube video:

why would it have ever been that loose?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

No Loctite, and/or not properly torqued. It's that simple. It's been an issue since the very first recirculating ball steering gear with a pitman arm were introduced.
Before Loctite, the thread just clear of the bottom of the nut was staked to hold it from coming loose. The taper holds things ungodly tight IF the nut is properly torqued.
Still, things can come loose as there is constant stress on that area - as long as the vehicle is moving, there's stress there.
It's the same sort of joint that's used on AMC axle assemblies and there the torque is 250 pound/ft.

If that nut works loose all it takes is a hole in the road, rock, jolt, whatever and you can pop it off that tapered splined joint/connection. It's even worse with wider bigger tires and/or off-road use.

 

[ospreyfe55]

I checked mine after seeing this video, it’s tight but haven’t put a torque wrench on it. I did go to the dealer and bought a new pitman arm nut which they had in stock and it was 16bucks. I will swap it out when I do my MetalCloak lift since I need to pull the track bar. I will say that I checked my ball joints a few months ago and the nuts were loose. I torqued them off the old torque but will re-torque them with specs from the new TSB torque recommendations.

 

[DaveL]

Yes! You are correct! But if they are replacing the nut and not using proper torque procedures, any JL/JT owner will still have the same issue. In fact, they can still utilize the same nut if they follow procedure.

I posted a video on my youtube channel about 8 months ago about the pitman arm nut. You have to apply loctite and It has to be torqued to 184 ft/lbs. If you order a new pitman arm nut, it actually comes with loctite pre-applied.

Youtube video:

Well done.
Great video.
I've followed all the posts since they started on the JL forum. I've never seen this mentioned before.

Thanks so much for your post.

Dave

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Well done.
Great video.
I've followed all the posts since they started on the JL forum. I've never seen this mentioned before.

Thanks so much for your post.

Dave

I saw his vid a few months ago and agree, his video was extremely well done, but then no surprise, his posts are usually very well done.

I will say that I checked my ball joints a few months ago and the nuts were loose. I torqued them off the old torque but will re-torque them with specs from the new TSB torque recommendations.

Loose - and you have a 2020? Maybe I should go check the ball joints and pitman nut on mine. Ball joints are original but my steering gear has been replaced twice.

 

[DaveL]

I saw his vid a few months ago and agree, his video was extremely well done, but then no surprise, his posts are usually very well done.



Loose - and you have a 2020? Maybe I should go check the ball joints and pitman nut on mine. Ball joints are original but my steering gear has been replaced twice.

Your posts have helped me a lot too.

Situation is different in Canada...Ontario. The selling dealer (leasing) was always polite, but never helped. PM ok?

Dave

edit: Selling dealer never allowed a drive with the tech doing the work. When work was done (?) They would always be polite. They would say that they took the Wrangler out for a test drive. Couldn't verify the problem. Then the would say they took a brand new vehicle out for the same drive; both vehicles were the same so there clearly there was no problem. Then a polite smile, and "It's a Jeep thing"

Insider information. The test drive was 6 minutes long. Speed never went over 48 km/hr. It was on the smoothest roads in the city.

How do they predict the route? Safest one to guarantee no damage or insurance claims.

ShadowsPapa be happy to talk more in a PM if that's ok.

 

[tysongladiator]

Agreed. The issue is that each dealership parts department goes through a regional "depot". If the depot is out, the dealer can't easily get the parts while said part may be in another part of the country. My dealership somehow got the bolts from another source instead of making me wait, I believe I recall them saying "the depot was going to reach out.........." and find them elsewhere.
Maybe Benny knows - allmoparparts - a good guy and forum sponsor.

This reminds me I want to go out and check the torque on mine. I've marked all of the critical bolts and nuts with a silver paint pen - so far nothing has moved in the last year.

Yep. I had to get a rear quarter panel window for our JKU and the dealer ordered from somewhere else. Got it in two days.

 

[tysongladiator]

why would it have ever been that loose?

My guess is that the mechanics didn't know the correct torque procedure. I'll explain. As you know, in older vehicles, the pitman arm nut was like the balljoint nuts, it was a castle nut with a cotter pin. In these newer vehicles, it is just a nut. But that nut HAS to have loctite applied and be torqued to 184 ft/lbs. It can be torqued to 184 but eventually with the stress that is put on the system it will work itself back loose. Getting it just tight won't work and 184 ft/lbs is a lot of oompf. Haha! I think that mechanics either don't know or they just aren't doing it correctly. I actually think they're forgetting about the loctite. Even if you order another pitman arm nut, it comes with loctite pre applied.

I do know that it has become a common problem. That's why I keep telling everyone to check that first before moving on to something else when it comes to wandering. Not saying that's everyone's problem, but it's a good starting point.

 

[545moose]

So I'm new to solid axles, and just got a 2020 JT with 17k that wanders all over. I dropped it off for the TSB and recall for the misfires, and the dealer said it needs an alignment first, then they are ordering the steering box and will replace that... Is that right? Coming from IFS, seems it would be the other way around, tie rods, UCAs etc, all that, and THEN an alignment, am I wrong? Just don't want to get swindled here and hoping my first experience at this dealer is a good one.

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