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Bad steering box 68418449AE

EugeneTheJeep

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After reading through this and other threads and driving several JL/JTs (2018s to 2020s, all Rubis) I have a few conclusions with which you may or may not agree.

1. All the JLs and JTs (five total) I’ve driven (100s of miles) felt loose to me. Some were more loose than others. About 1/2 to 1 in of play (move wheel, nothing happens, moving or stopped).

2. Some feel lighter or heavier than others but still have the same dead spot.

3. All were aligned well and tracked straight.

4. All followed the road crown, bumps, pot holes, etc. requiring much more constant correction than a typical car.

5. The wind makes everything much worse, and in strong winds in certain directions the dead spot seems much larger.

6. Some people are really sensitive to the dead spot (me) while others drive the same Jeep and don’t seem to notice.

7. The steering on all of them has been absolutely amazing off-road! Turning while stopped is effortless. Bumps are absorbed while the Jeep continues straight. Just great.

8. My advice which is probably next to worthless, but I’ll give anyway: You must decide if what you are feeling is normal or if you have an issue that warrants braving the dealer and having a random service advisor and tech touch your Jeep. If it’s wandering in no wind, get an alignment. If it has a dead spot greater than an inch or so, get a new steering gear, the slop in the bushings fixed, or whatever else. If locking up, get it towed; don’t drive it. Otherwise, have fun driving your large go-cart.

***Bonus: A Sahara I had as a rental one day was much more responsive on the highway. I attribute this to the street tires and lower profile.
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Scrubb84

Scrubb84

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I don’t fn believe it. In light of TSB 08-074-20, who will be the first to write a review of the new steering box? Rumor has it that it’s actually a new box made of steel not aluminum. Not Jeeps usual public deception of saying it’s a “REVISED” box, when in fact all they did was put a different part# on it.
 

TheGreatCO

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I don’t fn believe it. In light of TSB 08-074-20, who will be the first to write a review of the new steering box? Rumor has it that it’s actually a new box made of steel not aluminum. Not Jeeps usual public deception of saying it’s a “REVISED” box, when in fact all they did was put a different part# on it.
I don't know that I'll be first, but I spoke to my dealer like 10 minutes after that was posted and expect to be an early recipient of the repairs.
 

HWKIGRL

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After reading through this and other threads and driving several JL/JTs (2018s to 2020s, all Rubis) I have a few conclusions with which you may or may not agree.

1. All the JLs and JTs (five total) I’ve driven (100s of miles) felt loose to me. Some were more loose than others. About 1/2 to 1 in of play (move wheel, nothing happens, moving or stopped).

2. Some feel lighter or heavier than others but still have the same dead spot.

3. All were aligned well and tracked straight.

4. All followed the road crown, bumps, pot holes, etc. requiring much more constant correction than a typical car.

5. The wind makes everything much worse, and in strong winds in certain directions the dead spot seems much larger.

6. Some people are really sensitive to the dead spot (me) while others drive the same Jeep and don’t seem to notice.

7. The steering on all of them has been absolutely amazing off-road! Turning while stopped is effortless. Bumps are absorbed while the Jeep continues straight. Just great.

8. My advice which is probably next to worthless, but I’ll give anyway: You must decide if what you are feeling is normal or if you have an issue that warrants braving the dealer and having a random service advisor and tech touch your Jeep. If it’s wandering in no wind, get an alignment. If it has a dead spot greater than an inch or so, get a new steering gear, the slop in the bushings fixed, or whatever else. If locking up, get it towed; don’t drive it. Otherwise, have fun driving your large go-cart.

***Bonus: A Sahara I had as a rental one day was much more responsive on the highway. I attribute this to the street tires and lower profile.
Thanks for a honest and respectful take on the situation!
 

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Scrubb84

Scrubb84

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Thanks for a honest and respectful take on the situation!
Just because he drove 5 different Jeeps, doesn’t mean Myself and others haven’t had a much worse deadspot. 4” of nothing. 5” when its warmer.
 

HWKIGRL

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Just because he drove 5 different Jeeps, doesn’t mean Myself and others haven’t had a much worse deadspot. 4” of nothing. 5” when its warmer.
I have at least a 4” dead spot. My steering is dangerously sloppy, I’m happy for the OP that his is nice and responsive BUT that he acknowledges others have a different situation.
That’s kinda my point!

“If it has a dead spot bigger than an inch...”

I was giving credit where credit is due, he explained he didn’t have an issue but Realizes some people do...he drove five safe, normal Jeeps, that means there IS a normal and that any of who us are experiencing issues HAVE A LEGIT COMPLAINT...hence the TSP!!

There have been so many pompous a@@es on here negating any comments from those with real issues, simply because they were lucky enough to get a properly functioning vehicle! To the point of utter rudeness and some bizarre sense of inflated self worth because they’re “real Jeep people” and anyone with a complaint has committed blasphemy against the almighty Jeep-you’d think they owned the brand...lol!
 

LoJac963

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I have at least a 4” dead spot. My steering is dangerously sloppy, I’m happy for the OP that his is nice and responsive BUT that he acknowledges others have a different situation.
That’s kinda my point!

“If it has a dead spot bigger than an inch...”

I was giving credit where credit is due, he explained he didn’t have an issue but Realizes some people do...he drove five safe, normal Jeeps, that means there IS a normal and that any of who us are experiencing issues HAVE A LEGIT COMPLAINT...hence the TSP!!

There have been so many pompous a@@es on here negating any comments from those with real issues, simply because they were lucky enough to get a properly functioning vehicle! To the point of utter rudeness and some bizarre sense of inflated self worth because they’re “real Jeep people” and anyone with a complaint has committed blasphemy against the almighty Jeep-you’d think they owned the brand...lol!
I've read all the steering threads as well and have seen those comments many times. The beauty of it is, Jeep has acknowledged the steering issue with the TSB so there is an obvious problem. Mine was insanely terrible before I installed my Mopar lift and now it is much better. Still some slight wandering and tracking issues but NOTHING like it was before. That being said, you can bet I will be taking the TSB into my local dealer to get a new box.

I don't understand downplaying issues of others. Like it's been said, great others do not have issues but those of us who do it is very annoying and total BS a brand new vehicles has such issues.
 

SgtMajTomahawk

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Just an update. After installing the synergy brace then making the adjustment on the steering box itself my JT finally feels as it should. Unfortunately to get the new steering box done I'll have to return everything to stock, but will def get it done.
 

DaveL

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I have at least a 4” dead spot. My steering is dangerously sloppy, I’m happy for the OP that his is nice and responsive BUT that he acknowledges others have a different situation.
That’s kinda my point!

“If it has a dead spot bigger than an inch...”

I was giving credit where credit is due, he explained he didn’t have an issue but Realizes some people do...he drove five safe, normal Jeeps, that means there IS a normal and that any of who us are experiencing issues HAVE A LEGIT COMPLAINT...hence the TSP!!

There have been so many pompous a@@es on here negating any comments from those with real issues, simply because they were lucky enough to get a properly functioning vehicle! To the point of utter rudeness and some bizarre sense of inflated self worth because they’re “real Jeep people” and anyone with a complaint has committed blasphemy against the almighty Jeep-you’d think they owned the brand...lol!
Thanks for your post. I feel the same way.
 

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ShadowsPapa

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After reading through this and other threads and driving several JL/JTs (2018s to 2020s, all Rubis) I have a few conclusions with which you may or may not agree.

1. All the JLs and JTs (five total) I’ve driven (100s of miles) felt loose to me. Some were more loose than others. About 1/2 to 1 in of play (move wheel, nothing happens, moving or stopped).

2. Some feel lighter or heavier than others but still have the same dead spot.

3. All were aligned well and tracked straight.

4. All followed the road crown, bumps, pot holes, etc. requiring much more constant correction than a typical car.

5. The wind makes everything much worse, and in strong winds in certain directions the dead spot seems much larger.

6. Some people are really sensitive to the dead spot (me) while others drive the same Jeep and don’t seem to notice.

7. The steering on all of them has been absolutely amazing off-road! Turning while stopped is effortless. Bumps are absorbed while the Jeep continues straight. Just great.

8. My advice which is probably next to worthless, but I’ll give anyway: You must decide if what you are feeling is normal or if you have an issue that warrants braving the dealer and having a random service advisor and tech touch your Jeep. If it’s wandering in no wind, get an alignment. If it has a dead spot greater than an inch or so, get a new steering gear, the slop in the bushings fixed, or whatever else. If locking up, get it towed; don’t drive it. Otherwise, have fun driving your large go-cart.

***Bonus: A Sahara I had as a rental one day was much more responsive on the highway. I attribute this to the street tires and lower profile.
You can't really align these. Toe is all that can be set.
The only way to change caster is lower control arm change and if you do that all you can do is change both sides by the same amount, you can't change the "difference" in caster right to left. Solid axles are "fixed" in caster difference side-to-side.
Hard to call it an alignment, IMO - you check to see if things are off - if so, you replace parts and you set toe.

They should not follow "road features" more than other trucks, and should not require constant correction. I can let go of the wheel on mine, or I can drive it one-handed, pretty easily.
My brother's Wranglers haven't been "loose".
1" of play is not normal. If you grab the steering shaft on my JT and turn it and watch the pitman, it turns as soon as the shaft does - and there's no play in the input side.
The steering sector of a Jeep should be the same as any other vehicle - no looseness.
 

ShadowsPapa

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I've read all the steering threads as well and have seen those comments many times. The beauty of it is, Jeep has acknowledged the steering issue with the TSB so there is an obvious problem. Mine was insanely terrible before I installed my Mopar lift and now it is much better. Still some slight wandering and tracking issues but NOTHING like it was before. That being said, you can bet I will be taking the TSB into my local dealer to get a new box.

I don't understand downplaying issues of others. Like it's been said, great others do not have issues but those of us who do it is very annoying and total BS a brand new vehicles has such issues.
I've been a mechanic since the early 1970s and I worked my way through college doing steering and brakes and alignments.
Mine is fine - but what others are experiencing is NOT fine.
So it's a solid, straight axle - unless the driver is going over some huge pavement dips, bumps, humps, crazy roads, the geometry isn't changing, so there's no reason for a drive on a level highway should be much different than any other truck.

The TSB is proof that there IS an issue, and yet there's still nay-sayers.....
 

Bbannongmu

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I wonder if the bad boxes are the root cause or if they are a symptom of the steering box deflection that you can see if you crawl under the Jeep (safely, chocked wheels, someone you trust at the wheel) and look at the steering box while someone else moves it back and forth. The Synergy Sector shaft brace still seems like cheap insurance to me.
 

DaveL

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I've been a mechanic since the early 1970s and I worked my way through college doing steering and brakes and alignments.
Mine is fine - but what others are experiencing is NOT fine.
So it's a solid, straight axle - unless the driver is going over some huge pavement dips, bumps, humps, crazy roads, the geometry isn't changing, so there's no reason for a drive on a level highway should be much different than any other truck.

The TSB is proof that there IS an issue, and yet there's still nay-sa
Good post....
I have great respect for good mechanics that listen, and hear what's said.
Wasted time with a service appointment today. Took in the JLU and the t.s.b. They had the Wrangler all day. This was the selling dealer. . At the end of the day they had done nothing. They Said it's fine. Dash Camera recorded a short low speed test drive. They refused to fix the Wrangler
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