Steering Box TSB Fix - What Results?

[ShadowsPapa]

Better get use to being all over the lanes when the wind blows, there is no fix for that, that 100% is a jeep thing. Every jeep wrangler I ever owned had that issue, even more so when you start raising them. The best way to go about limiting it is wider tires and wheels, or wheel spacers, it gives the jeep a little more stability. Also dialing your suspension in, especially lining up the lower control arms to how they sit stock, I used Geo Brackets on my JKU and that combined with the wider tires and spacers made it a lot less harder to handle when that gust comes along.

These don't do much worse than my Silverado did. I can feel the wind, yes, but it's a high profile, flat-sided vehicle. Any vehicle I've driven with a similar shape feels the same. Even my Chevy.
That makes it important to keep the steering up to snuff.

The only time it's really an issue is when I'm on our interstates with the massive truck traffic we have in this area (we are the cross-roads to two major interstates, want to get from here to there with a semi - you likely pass by us) When those things go zipping around you, or you around them, yeah, you are in their WAKE, and then suddenly, there's nothing blocking the wind. It's like NO wind then you are hit with 20 mph winds (common in Iowa)
I live in one of the most windy states in the country.
I've driven in 70 mph cross-winds with my truck - winds that flattened corn fields and knocked big highway signs down and flatted trees - and blew semis off the road. It was hairy, yeah, but I was also doing 80-85 most of the way home.
IMO, it's not a "Jeep thing" - it's a thing with any vehicle that sits high and is fairly light.

But since these are flat-sided vehicles, not as wide as a full-size truck, etc. you should really pay attention to the steering and get it fixed if it's even a little bit less than great.
The steering on these CAN BE GREAT.
Bad/poor/loose/wandering/pulling steering = NOT JEEP THINGS.

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[brianinca]

Interesting the dealer didn't get it aligned! Took an extra morning for my truck to get scheduled through an alignment shop. Didn't get a printout but they didn't mention the caster being over-spec, and my steering wheel is perfectly centered.

Glad you got it sorted.

I've had my truck back from the TSB service for a few days now. It is MUCH better. The driveability has been vastly improved. (I did have to re-center the steering wheel, but so what.)

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Interesting the dealer didn't get it aligned! Took an extra morning for my truck to get scheduled through an alignment shop. Didn't get a printout but they didn't mention the caster being over-spec, and my steering wheel is perfectly centered.

Glad you got it sorted.

Caster WAY over spec can be an issue, especially with certain setups, but I'd expect you would need to be WAAY over on these to cause an issue.
WAAAY too much can actually cause instability, too - wobble. Too much caster can cause steering wheel shake, WOBBLE (so can UNDERinflated tires) and can wear the edges of the tires.
But I'm sure we're not talking THAT much here.

 

[brianinca]

Yeah it isn't an issue, my suspension folks gave me a clean bill of health on the geometry.

Kind of surprised the dealer's jobber for alignments didn't have a worksheet, is all.

Caster WAY over spec can be an issue, especially with certain setups, but I'd expect you would need to be WAAY over on these to cause an issue.
WAAAY too much can actually cause instability, too - wobble. Too much caster can cause steering wheel shake, WOBBLE (so can UNDERinflated tires) and can wear the edges of the tires.
But I'm sure we're not talking THAT much here.

 

[Davesnothereman]

I just got home with mine, new steering box and programming. I didn’t get 30 ft out of my parking spot and I realized it felt almost the same, seems very slightly more responsive but I still have a massive dead spot and it hasn’t shrank at all. Taking it on the highway tomorrow for the “real” test but I’m extremely pessimistic about it. I think the steering box isn’t properly adjusted but I’m not much of a mechanic besides having terrible slop in my old ‘98 Grand Cherokee that was shot, had to be replaced and couldn’t be adjusted.

 

[JCHGlad]

These don't do much worse than my Silverado did. I can feel the wind, yes, but it's a high profile, flat-sided vehicle. Any vehicle I've driven with a similar shape feels the same. Even my Chevy.
That makes it important to keep the steering up to snuff.

The only time it's really an issue is when I'm on our interstates with the massive truck traffic we have in this area (we are the cross-roads to two major interstates, want to get from here to there with a semi - you likely pass by us) When those things go zipping around you, or you around them, yeah, you are in their WAKE, and then suddenly, there's nothing blocking the wind. It's like NO wind then you are hit with 20 mph winds (common in Iowa)
I live in one of the most windy states in the country.
I've driven in 70 mph cross-winds with my truck - winds that flattened corn fields and knocked big highway signs down and flatted trees - and blew semis off the road. It was hairy, yeah, but I was also doing 80-85 most of the way home.
IMO, it's not a "Jeep thing" - it's a thing with any vehicle that sits high and is fairly light.

But since these are flat-sided vehicles, not as wide as a full-size truck, etc. you should really pay attention to the steering and get it fixed if it's even a little bit less than great.
The steering on these CAN BE GREAT.
Bad/poor/loose/wandering/pulling steering = NOT JEEP THINGS.

agreed, my 1500 could be a handful in high winds, this isn’t any different really.

 

[DaveL]

Mine wasn't aligned. However, the new steering gear took out almost all the dead band on centre. Wandering is much better. Jeep was scary with a side wind before the swap. It's much better now.

 

[Davesnothereman]

My dealer just did the steering box TSB and that’s it. When I contacted them because it was still terrible they told me that, that is how they drive and won’t do shyt. Any suggestions on what to do, did any additional work or troubleshooting help anyone else get rid of the terrible steering? I’m just getting too tired correcting 24/7 every 3 seconds.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

My dealer just did the steering box TSB and that’s it. When I contacted them because it was still terrible they told me that, that is how they drive and won’t do shyt. Any suggestions on what to do, did any additional work or troubleshooting help anyone else get rid of the terrible steering? I’m just getting too tired correcting 24/7 every 3 seconds.

What do you mean they did the TSB and that's it..........? Did they REPLACE the steering gear?
Did you look at the paperwork and then at the steering gear (pictures all over the place in this thread) and confirm they performed the TSB?
Have you made other mods or is it stock?
All they are supposed to do by the TSB is replace the past and update the ESPS software. Nothing more or less, nothing else. That's the TSB - replace steering gear, bolts, update software.
An alignment isn't even included - no need in most cases. So if you want an alignment, that MAY be on you. Some dealers apparently DO do an alignment - but that's extra out of the goodness of their pea-picken little hearts and not required and they don't get reimbursed by the TSB for doing so. Steering gears don't impact alignment. If it was severely off - it may impact steering wheel centering, but nothing else.

Mine, after several weeks (3 months) is going back to its old ways, but not AS BAD as it was, so it's better but not night and day.

 

[brianinca]

Wiggle a camera/phone in there and take a picture, make sure it's been in fact swapped.

The dealer shenanigan's on this fix are very disappointing.

My dealer just did the steering box TSB and that’s it. When I contacted them because it was still terrible they told me that, that is how they drive and won’t do shyt. Any suggestions on what to do, did any additional work or troubleshooting help anyone else get rid of the terrible steering? I’m just getting too tired correcting 24/7 every 3 seconds.

 

[KurtP]

Dunno. I hope i get the TSB fix done before its time to trade the truck in.

 

[Chinz67]

I just got home with mine, new steering box and programming. I didn’t get 30 ft out of my parking spot and I realized it felt almost the same, seems very slightly more responsive but I still have a massive dead spot and it hasn’t shrank at all. Taking it on the highway tomorrow for the “real” test but I’m extremely pessimistic about it. I think the steering box isn’t properly adjusted but I’m not much of a mechanic besides having terrible slop in my old ‘98 Grand Cherokee that was shot, had to be replaced and couldn’t be adjusted.

I feel the same way. Mine is far from perfect. Disappointed.

 

[Gren71]

I feel the same way. Mine is far from perfect. Disappointed.

i went back after feeling like it was still a little loose aswell. They ended up re torquing the frame bolts and the extra wiggle went away again. Perhaps thats what some of you are feeling.

 

[wvyankee2]

Mine after fix.......perfect! Drives like a car.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

i went back after feeling like it was still a little loose aswell. They ended up re torquing the frame bolts and the extra wiggle went away again. Perhaps thats what some of you are feeling.

I think next trip up there I'll have them look into that. I'd check but frankly, if they are loose, it's their thing to deal with. I'll have other stuff to talk to them about anyway.

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