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DreamedofaJeepSomeday

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I love how it's a combination of metric and SAE to adjust this...:facepalm:
5/32" is very close to 4mm, which is probably what the socket head set screw is.
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DreamedofaJeepSomeday

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I should have done this the day I brought it home. This is the one thing, more than anything, that I hated about my Jeep. This little fix took minutes to do but I put it off thinking I could throw Sector Shaft Braces Track Bars, controls arms, and Steering Stabilizers at it. Do this first.
Ok, here is what I have trouble wrapping my head around.

There are several threads on this forum about the loose steering, and several members have posted their experiences with dealers trying to get this fixed.

Some have said service department said "it's normal", some have had the steering box replaced multiple times. There has been speculation about what percentage of "bad boxes" are in the parts supply chain, adding stabilizers, adding braces, etc., etc.

So if this is as simple as using three wrenches and a few minutes time (not including other things you have to move out of the way), why don't service departments just make the simple adjustment Brandon did, and make a lot of frustrated customers happy?
 
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5/32" is very close to 4mm, which is probably what the socket head set screw is.
4 was sloppy too. My point was if there was something between 4 and 4.5 it would have been nice to have
 
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Ok, here is what I have trouble wrapping my head around.

There are several threads on this forum about the loose steering, and several members have posted their experiences with dealers trying to get this fixed.

Some have said service department said "it's normal", some have had the steering box replaced multiple times. There has been speculation about what percentage of "bad boxes" are in the parts supply chain, adding stabilizers, adding braces, etc., etc.

So if this is as simple as using three wrenches and a few minutes time (not including other things you have to move out of the way), why don't service departments just make the simple adjustment Brandon did, and make a lot of frustrated customers happy?
I am speculating here, but here it goes.

3rd part vendors make the part. The vendor owes it to jeep to make it right. Why should Jeep pay for the vendors error in the way they set up the boxes. The boxes are probably set up out side the truck on an assembly line, checked with an inch lbs wrench to a certain freedom of movement, and if its in spec, gets sent out.

The problem is when they are put in the truck, they are not set up consistently enough to keep play out of the steering.

If it were my company, I would have my vendor set up the boxes and then adjust them in the vehicle as they are built. Its only a small amount of work to get this right. A jig on the steering wheel can tell you back lash. I can feel the satisfying amount of play by touch.

This is a procedural, vendor, and communication problem between the vendor and Jeep.

I'm not in the auto industry but I do have an Aerospace degree and an MBA. So its just an educated guess at best.

This stuff is a problem on a large scale. Its wrapped up in litigation risk, being accountable to shareholders, and money. It would cost a fortune to fix all these parts at once or change vendors for a better steering box.

Just a guess.
 

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Did the Allen screw ever "bottom out" and then did you back off a flat or two? The locking nut was tightened with the wrench while keeping the screw stationary if I interpret this correctly.
 

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Just picked up my JT and I don’t think I have any issues - just normal Jeep ‘wandering’. I’m glad to see this type of info coming to the forums.
 
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Did the Allen screw ever "bottom out" and then did you back off a flat or two? The locking nut was tightened with the wrench while keeping the screw stationary if I interpret this correctly.
Watch the video again.

Once you initially loosen the nut with a large 15mm socket. The center set screw, and the nut are a very tight tolerance. Move them apart in opposite directions using the box wrench and allen wrench 30 - 45 degree separation. Once done torque it into place. You should end up like this. If your steering is tight with the truck off. Go back and undo what you did. You must leave a degree in the steering. It will go away once the truck is on. If the steering wheel is tight with the truck off you screwed up your box. Back it off till there is 1 degree of slop.

If this is not making sense please read the disclaimer.

20200615_165549.jpg
 
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I am speculating here, but here it goes.

3rd part vendors make the part. The vendor owes it to jeep to make it right. Why should Jeep pay for the vendors error in the way they set up the boxes. The boxes are probably set up out side the truck on an assembly line, checked with an inch lbs wrench to a certain freedom of movement, and if its in spec, gets sent out.

The problem is when they are put in the truck, they are not set up consistently enough to keep play out of the steering.

If it were my company, I would have my vendor set up the boxes and then adjust them in the vehicle as they are built. Its only a small amount of work to get this right. A jig on the steering wheel can tell you back lash. I can feel the satisfying amount of play by touch.

This is a procedural, vendor, and communication problem between the vendor and Jeep.

I'm not in the auto industry but I do have an Aerospace degree and an MBA. So its just an educated guess at best.

This stuff is a problem on a large scale. Its wrapped up in litigation risk, being accountable to shareholders, and money. It would cost a fortune to fix all these parts at once or change vendors for a better steering box.

Just a guess.
I have followed the steering issues on the JL forums for two years now. I don’t know for sure, but the most sensible explanation I’ve read is FCA has the spec biased towards loose to avoid gear binding at cold temperatures. Here is one example:

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/steering-binds-in-cold-weather.38289/

There is a safety concern here, and that is likely why the dealers are not allowed to adjust the gear.
 
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I have followed the steering issues on the JL forums for two years now. I don’t know for sure, but the most sensible explanation I’ve read is FCA has the spec biased towards loose to avoid gear binding at cold temperatures. Here is one example:

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/steering-binds-in-cold-weather.38289/

There is a safety concern here, and that is likely why the dealers are not allowed to adjust the gear.
Do you have better examples? Not being condescending.

That thread is about a guy with a ported steering box from an aftermarket company in negative 40 deg weather. It goes on to say a flash for more steering assist was needed. That is a pump issue that was addressed on the trucks and later model year wranglers. That thread has no reference to this thread in any meaningful way that I can surmise.

I agree though the fear is at the fca level for safety. I too bring up safety concerns at work when I dont want do the work either. Lol
 

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Do you have better examples? Not being condescending.

That thread is about a guy with a ported steering box from an aftermarket company in negative 40 deg weather. It goes on to say a flash for more steering assist was needed. That is a pump issue that was addressed on the trucks and later model year wranglers. That thread has no reference to this thread in any meaningful way that I can surmise.

I agree though the fear is at the fca level for safety. I too bring up safety concerns at work when I dont want do the work either. Lol
Probably could have selected a better example. Here are some more:

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...ked-up-when-going-around-a-curve.39526/page-7

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/steering-locked-up-and-dash-lit-up.31489/

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...em-with-jl-wrangler-please-watch.6723/page-45
 
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Thank you for the help and insight into the temps.
 

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There is a safety concern here, and that is likely why the dealers are not allowed to adjust the gear.
I understand the point you are making, but I find it illogical. There are probably hundreds of parts, and certainly several dozen systems on the vehicle that have safety concerns associated with them. Are dealers not allowed to adjust any of them?
 

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I understand the point you are making, but I find it illogical. There are probably hundreds of parts, and certainly several dozen systems on the vehicle that have safety concerns associated with them. Are dealers not allowed to adjust any of them?
Again, I’m just guessing based on what I’ve read. With many reported cases of JL steering locking up at high speeds, this is different than something like an alignment that’s slightly off. Dealers replace broken parts. They don’t tune much of anything.
 

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Dealers replace broken parts. They don’t tune much of anything.
Good point. And I would broaden it by saying, there aren't mechanics anymore, just parts changers.

When my Dakota blew the engine at 296,000 miles, my "mechanic" says "it has internal engine damage"; we have to replace the entire engine. OK, fine. I later asked him what had gone wrong (I was sure it was a thrown connecting rod), he did not know and apparently had no curiosity at all about it.
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