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

[ShadowsPapa]

Lol, not in 4 lanes of traffic with a crazy crosswind and pouring rain! The current floaty feel definitely made it more exciting than it needed to be! And, it's not the rig, which had previously been towed by my GMC Canyon whose steering was much more precise (i.e. normal).

I noticed my JT steering felt "floaty" when I had a load in the back end. I had sacks of concrete stacked at the back end of the bed (who feels like throwing 60 pound bags, and then having to climb up in the box to retrieve them? So I put them barely in the box, just enough to close the tailgate and keep them dry)
When that was back there the front end felt "floaty", light, lost what road feel there was. When I unloaded it, it felt better steering-wise, the front end was still light feeling, but not as bad.
So I can get what you were feeling in a way - not as bad as you, but I get it.

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[Chance_P]

Lol, not in 4 lanes of traffic with a crazy crosswind and pouring rain! The current floaty feel definitely made it more exciting than it needed to be! And, it's not the rig, which had previously been towed by my GMC Canyon whose steering was much more precise (i.e. normal).

I think you will be very happy with your replacement steering gear.

Ps, I was just playing off of your username

 

[HWKIGRL]

LoJac is spot-on. And that thin liner is easy as heck to pull back and look. It will show above the frame rail. The liner frankly barely covers it. NEW one will be black, original is cast aluminum and is more of a silver-gray color. And the neat part is that in most cases, the part number bar code is where you can see it.

Thank you!
Very helpful!!

 

[CMFINC]

The only way I find it in our area is online - Amazon, etc. - no store carries it.

i found some .. not mopar but its the good stuff of elect power steering fluid,,Pentosin CHF 11S Synthetic Hydraulic Fluid - 1 Liter price was $29.. not cheep stuff .. auto zone. had it... O-reillys Auto Parts said they cheeked computer and there brand normal stuff 2$ a qt is ok.. i thought to my self just dont sound right.. and may be they were/are right.. dont know auto zone looked it up on there computer and he said elect power steering?? yes sir... he says oooooo shit.. not cheep.. but he had it.. dident want to drive it with no fluid or have to wait a week ?? they had it so. got tons left over..

 

[CMFINC]

To top it off, they messed it up and my steering wheel was off. I had to return to the dealer for them to fix their work.

So my time is worth $0.00 as well it seems.

my wheel is off a little to.. and had ZERO fluid in the rez.. so i fix wheel my self. or drive just shy of 2 hours to have them fix it. AS WELL AS OUT $30 FOR FLUID THEY NEVER CHEEKED 2HR THERE. WAS TO TAKE JUST 2 HOURS TO DO THE BOX. TOOK FROM 8AM TILL 12:30 2 HOURS HOME.. 8.5 HOURS OF MY TIME.. TAKE IT BACK 4 MORE HOURS ROUND TRIP, SAY 1 HOUR TO FIX WHEEL.. AND HAD TO DO TOWN BUY FLUID $30 ANOUTHER 1 HOUR ROUND TRIP SO IM INTO THERE FIX 14 HOURS AND $30 FLUID AND SAY $25-30 IN GAS THEY CHARGE WHAT $150 A HOUR
LIKE YOUR SELF

So my time is worth $0.00 as well it seems.

AS well as $$ out of pocket.. and to think?? ive been kicking it around to buy a T-RX.. dealor and i have been e-mailing talking about it the pass 2 days..may be not now..

 

[CMFINC]

HWKIGRL
i think the new one is cast iron.. could be wrong may be just steel.. stock one is like shadow papa said is aluminum or mag id say aluminum tho.

 

[DaveL]

I can tell also based on the fact the new bolts don't have undercoating on them. Aside from color, the castings look different as well.

Original top, replacement below -

Excellent
Pics really help.
TSB gearbox is clearly black.

Waiting on parts for our Wrangler JLU. FCA Canada Customer Care rep has been really helpful. He followed up and said he would expedite the parts to the dealer who is going to install the new steering box for us.
When it's done we'll note that they need to check, bleed and fill the power steering fluid level as part of the work.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I crawled under to tweak the steering wheel position a tad. Drove it on more roads last night and then this AM - and it's VERY slightly off to the left. When going straight the wheel is perhaps a degree or two to the left. Roads with a crown it's not bad so I didn't notice. And it's been WINDY (This is Iowa, some meteorologist once said Des Moines has more windy days than Chicago)
But going both directions, taking wind into account it's off a tad.
Anywhoo - I could easily tell the pitman nut had been off, too - you could see the socket marks in the finish on the nut. And there's fluid all over things down there. Hmmmm - hope it's just a messy tech and not a leak, so I'm going to wash that area up good and keep track of it. In any case, disappointed they left it all oily on things under there (even the steering and suspension linkage) but hope that's all it is)

Yeah, we went for ice cream last night - my wife wanted ice cream for supper from this specific place. Normally I cringed, oh, crap, great, I gotta try to keep this thing straight on very narrow 4 lane University Avenue in east Des Moines near the fair grounds and not run into things...
Last night I held my Tornado (like a Blizzard, but you know, copyrights and all) and with that same hand, had two fingers on the wheel and use the other to eat - NO PROBLEMS! I could even let go to put my sunglasses on and it stayed centered between the lines.
I guess it wasn't as perfect as I thought. NOT BAD, not like some - not even close, but still..... it's nice now.

 

[Geekjeep]

All four bolts completely undertorqued. Probably closer to 60isb. Let’s see if that changes the notchy fee

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Hmm, don't have that torque spec........

 

[jfreeham]

Bought my Sport S Max Tow two weeks ago. On my drive home I immediately noticed the steering was wacko. Thought it was something I needed to get used to. Read this thread and thought "Aha! That's it!" Then I talked myself out of it thinking it must be my imagination. This past Thursday took the vehicle with highlighted Service Bulletin in hand to the dealer. They scheduled an appointment for the next morning. After 90 minutes told me it needed new parts, which they had already ordered. Should be here Tuesday. Small town. We don't get the big city dealership deals, but we get personal attention after the purchase.

 

[Geekjeep]

No change. What is it!!!!!!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

They need to first check for the software update being there, no codes being stored, and see if that gear could be a problem itself.

 

[Geekjeep]

That was my concern. If they didn’t update the software

 

[jfreeham]

i was remiss, they did check the software and then have moved to step two, or, am I being too hopeful too early?

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