For those that have the bad steering box...let's talk.

[TheGreatCO]

I’m just going to do it myself. My last couple dealer stops have been less than confidence inspiring. Kinda sad when I hear trained mechanics tell me blatantly wrong information.

That is a super polite way of putting my recent experiences with Jeep dealers.

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[Gvsukids]

Yes i'm aware but has anyone been turned down if the dealer finds no issues?

Mine was delivered in August this year and they still did the tsb.

I’m just going to do it myself. My last couple dealer stops have been less than confidence inspiring. Kinda sad when I hear trained mechanics tell me blatantly wrong information.

How can you get those parts?

Luckily I haven't had any issues with my steering. I have a stock suspension Overland with 12K miles and no problems with both the stock HT tires and with my XD wheels with Nitto Ridge grapplers that are almost same size (little wider than stock tires). They are also the Non LT Ridge Grapplers so the weight is also close to stock. So, I have no plans to replace the steering box unless things change.

Try test driving a 2021 to see if there's a difference.

I took mine in and acted dumb about the TSB. I told them it kind of wanders, pulls to the right slightly at highway speeds, and has what I would consider to be “excessive play” when hitting a bump. Their answer was to replace the steering stabilizer and “re-adjust” the steering gear. They told me that if it still gives me issues then I can bring it in and have it looked at for a TSB.

The problems are still there, they are pretty insignificant (probably because I’ve been driving Jeeps for 15 years) but it’d be nice if my $45k JT would track straight down the road.

Try a different dealership.

 

[Stonesolo]

My thoughts exactly. I played dumb about the TSB the whole time, but I’m going to bring it back to them or maybe try another dealer to ask for a “second opinion”.

Oh, they also noted that the issue could be due to my “oversized tires”... I’m running Kenda 35x10.50s which measure at a hair over 34”

I plan on showing them the TSB.

 

[cgflyer]

Mine's not bad at all. I didn't even realize it was a problem until reading about it here on the forum, and I now understand that it should steer more precisely. I would describe mine as not the tightest steering I've ever had, but it's not the loosest either. My first car, a 63 Buick Riviera, made my Gladiator's steering feel like a Porsche Boxter by comparison. I'm content to wait until either the fix is more available and established, or until it gets much worse than it is.

I second this, mine wasn't bad at all, or at least I never thought mine was anything more than "a Jeep thing" until at about 25,000 miles or so I heard a LOUD pop on the highway towing an empty 1200 lb trailer. I could never find anything noticeable wrong in the front end suspension and steering components, but after that it did seem to wander a bit more. Never did I think there was a safety issue...but the TSB came out a couple of months later and I decided I might as well get a new part. My box was ordered and installed within 2 weeks by my dealership. No questions asked. I took it in for the transmission recall for the MT and while in the shop for that, they drove it to test the steering. I have 35's on my stock Rubi suspension. I have about 500-800 miles on the new steering box and it still drives like a Jeep. Maybe a little tighter, with less of a dead spot, but I commented in another thread that I would really like to drive some of the JT's that people are really saying are bad to compare with my own experience. If it wasn't for the TSB, I would never have thought twice until I heard my POP...

 

[Skull]

I’m in the same boat. I noticed less than stellar steering when I first purchased, but since a lift and 12.5 wide 35s it is a little tighter. More resistance I suppose. There is a little bit of a dead spot, but I’m not sure I want to get it “fixed”. I read about folks having issues with low power steering fluid afterward and having to bleed the line, add more, etc. I’m not really interested in that headache.

Same here, I have the stupidest dealership I have ever experienced and can’t even get them to correct a bad window seal so I could never trust them with something as complicated as a steering TSB.

 

[Higher_Ground]

I read around this forum a good bit before I took a test drive, so I was well aware that there are problems with the steering ranging from imperceptible in some vehicles, to downright dangerous on others.

So I have to fight the urge to read into every little steering correction as a problem. If I had never read about the issues others were having, I wouldn't know that there was a problem. There is a difference in the steering and handling I'm used to with a sedan, but I can attribute that to the mechanical differences in the Gladiator.

It doesn't track straight as well as my car, but it does track straight for a little while. I do not experience any noticeable dead spot in the steering. It does not pull left or right. I don't have any issues with driving it as it currently runs.

I have yet to take it in for the first oil change, and I don't really have any experience with local service departments. I'm just going to keep my mouth shut about it for now. I know there are others who have been waiting for a fix to make their brand new trucks enjoyable. I may never get it replaced as I don't really expect it to change over time.

 

[johnparjr]

My experience with the whole thing was pretty good. My JT wandered a little wasn’t bad but I figured why not get the better part just in case if it got worse. Walked into my dealer they agreed and installed the part the next day I don’t know how I got so lucky as I did but I only waited 24 hours and it does drive better now.

 

[KVJ]

Actually have an appointment today with the dealer for my first oil change and I plan to mention the TSB. My situation sounds similar to the OP...steering wanders a bit but hardly unsafe. I'd just like to get the steering box replaced to avoid having the aluminum one go bad down the line/out of warranty.

I had mine done yesterday. It is much better.

 

[Bonanza]

I had mine done as well, and there is a HUGE difference. That being said, I can't tell now if its the colder weather, but I'm getting a lot of pre-DW vibrations going over speedbumps and undulations in the road now. I had the stock SS, no problems. Then I changed to a FOX TS, and felt the DW breathing on my neck. I changed back to the stock SS in the factory location, and still feel the pre-DW vibrations.

When I drove the gladiator home from the dealer, no issues, no problems. The vibrations started when I put on the new SS. I had to take off the drag link at the knuckle, and I'm wondering if I over-tightened the drag link end. When I put the drag link back on after I was done installing the SS, my steering wheel was off center, which I found odd. The tie rod hadn't been touched, and in theory removing the one end wouldn't off center the steering wheel. Alas...

Long story short, do the TSB. The aluminum boxes are junk.

 

[JT18]

2021 JT Rubicon Ecodiesel here.. Different problem, has anyone noticed a lack of power steering boost at very low speeds? Somewhere between 2-5 mph? This is especially noticeable when parking or doing a 3-point turn. It does NOT lack at 0 mph, just at 2-5.

JT18

 

[ShotCaller]

I have stock box. No issues at all. Can let go of wheel at 75 and stays straight and no wander. No play and turns on a dime. I got 5k miles on it. If it gets worse I'll take it in.

 

[Bowerss2]

I got the dealer run around for a while, but had it done yesterday. I have owned a number of jeeps and i would say the Gladiator's steering was on par or slightly below par. Anyway long story short it was a big improvement. Much better now than any other frame on-jeep i have owned.

 

[JTBurns]

I second this, mine wasn't bad at all, or at least I never thought mine was anything more than "a Jeep thing" until at about 25,000 miles or so I heard a LOUD pop on the highway towing an empty 1200 lb trailer. I could never find anything noticeable wrong in the front end suspension and steering components, but after that it did seem to wander a bit more. Never did I think there was a safety issue...but the TSB came out a couple of months later and I decided I might as well get a new part. My box was ordered and installed within 2 weeks by my dealership. No questions asked. I took it in for the transmission recall for the MT and while in the shop for that, they drove it to test the steering. I have 35's on my stock Rubi suspension. I have about 500-800 miles on the new steering box and it still drives like a Jeep. Maybe a little tighter, with less of a dead spot, but I commented in another thread that I would really like to drive some of the JT's that people are really saying are bad to compare with my own experience. If it wasn't for the TSB, I would never have thought twice until I heard my POP...

This is interesting. I've been on the fence on taking mine in because the issue is subtle at best for me, but I've wondered if it's just a matter of time? I'm only at 6K miles so it's nice to see perspective with higher miles and doing something you'd expect the able to do no problem with the truck. As for now, my steering's been fine but I should probably make moves on the TSB

 

[Artsifrtsi]

I'm still waiting for parts. Been almost 4 weeks now. @JeepCares has been looking into this for me. I would definitely contact them about the dealer misinformation that you all have had.

 

[AZJT]

Mine wanders, as various others have noted, and I have to give continual input to the steering wheel to stay between the lines. I've unfortunately grown used to it, but will definitely contact the dealership to get the TSB process rolling. I say I've gotten used to it because I occasionally drive my wife's Telluride and she immediately gets perturbed with my Jeep 'habit' then reflected upon my driving another vehicle. It is definitely a dead zone mid-steering wheel. I agree with others - for what we paid, it should have better, tighter steering control.

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