Steering Damper

[Kblanton]

I thought I saw (on youtube) where the steering box is flexing on the side of the frame. Some mfg make a brace kit that is supposed to stiffen/brace this flex. Pretty sure the [Banned Site] guy put on on his JL.

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[Kblanton]

https://www.quadratec.com/p/synergy...MIlInq882d9AIVAYmGCh0aoAr0EAQYASABEgKdwPD_BwE

This is what I saw. Hope it helps.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I thought I saw (on youtube) where the steering box is flexing on the side of the frame. Some mfg make a brace kit that is supposed to stiffen/brace this flex. Pretty sure the [Banned Site] guy put on on his JL.

That's not what's happening in the vast majority of cases.
That sort of dilutes the real problem or situation or distracts from it and isn't a fix.

almost 2 years ago some put the brace on - didn't really resolve the problem.
Like in my case, and in dozens more, the real fix is the steering gear.
There's no flexing with most of these.
There could be some flex where there have been mods, lifts, bigger tires (which will stress the frame more than stock) but for stock vehicles especially, that's not the issue.
Been covered roughly 2 years ago.

 

[Gator]

Went to my dealer a few weeks ago for the front end wandering, the tech inspected the jeep & looked up the service bulletin and ordered new steel steering box with bolts, the old steering box was aluminum and flexing. Now it drives with no problems. Jeep knows this is a problem so why wait till someone gets hurt to fix it.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The steering gear frame was cast aluminum, but not flexing............ the issues are internal.

 

[Trickster]

Jeep doesn't design the steering gear/box itself, they just design the jeep with a steering gear/box with certain specs. Their contracted steering gear vendor designs and builds the box. The preload is set at the supplier's facility as it is produced (same with other drivetrain parts). I would speculate that there are certain performance dimensions built into their supplier contracts, and replacement of failed parts from the supplier is included. Jeep doesn't want to get involved in adjusting a part that isn't supposed to require adjustment. This is likely why Jeep swaps in new axle shaft assemblies when a seal fails while under warranty. They eat the warranty labor expense, but the supplier (Dana/Spicer in the case of the axle) most likely provides the replacement part.

“Eat the warranty” = $$.
You would think somewhere up the food chain somebody says “Hey Bob we just spent $200,000 on warranty labor on those crappy steering boxes supplied by Nintendo?, apparently there is some sort of steering wander issue going on.”
I mean really this is not a new thing with Jeeps.
Things must be going real good financially for Jeep if their answer is
to just swap it out. Again and again.

 

[IanNubbit]

So I’ll come I again (Mopar Tech), we’ve. Had 2 gladiators come in the past 3 days, One for Wander, 1 for minor “death” wobble. The wander one I looked at for about 5 seconds and ordered a steel box. Didn’t even need to test drive. The wobble, I can’t, because Mopar won’t let us. Since the complaint is a wobble, the procedure we HAVE to go down is check joints and Tie Rods, check wheel balance, then replace dampener, then we can go further into Diag. If we don’t follow this because, the complaint was wobble, the tech and the dealer don’t get paid. We get our hands tied. After the dampener, our driver stated he didn’t feel any wobble on the highway, unfortunately we HAVE to release the vehicle. Now I know I’ll see this customer with a day or 2, and the moment I get the ticket I’ll hand it right to parts to have the gear ordered. When warranty is in play, we have the play Mopar rules. Even Mopar lists that is wobble is experienced then the stabilizer is most likely the cause. It’s sad but it’s what we have to work with at this time.

 

[Pookie]

So I’ll come I again (Mopar Tech), we’ve. Had 2 gladiators come in the past 3 days, One for Wander, 1 for minor “death” wobble. The wander one I looked at for about 5 seconds and ordered a steel box. Didn’t even need to test drive. The wobble, I can’t, because Mopar won’t let us. Since the complaint is a wobble, the procedure we HAVE to go down is check joints and Tie Rods, check wheel balance, then replace dampener, then we can go further into Diag. If we don’t follow this because, the complaint was wobble, the tech and the dealer don’t get paid. We get our hands tied. After the dampener, our driver stated he didn’t feel any wobble on the highway, unfortunately we HAVE to release the vehicle. Now I know I’ll see this customer with a day or 2, and the moment I get the ticket I’ll hand it right to parts to have the gear ordered. When warranty is in play, we have the play Mopar rules. Even Mopar lists that is wobble is experienced then the stabilizer is most likely the cause. It’s sad but it’s what we have to work with at this time.

Thanks for chiming in. Why is "wander" addressed differently than "death wobble"? I mean whats the real difference between them? My steering seems to have a deadspot and I'm constantly trying to adjust to the keep vehicle in the lane but because of the deadspot I seem to be chasing the car around.

What's the best thing to tell the dealer service area to have my steering issue resolved?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Thanks for chiming in. Why is "wander" addressed differently than "death wobble"? I mean whats the real difference between them? My steering seems to have a deadspot and I'm constantly trying to adjust to the keep vehicle in the lane but because of the deadspot I seem to be chasing the car around.

What's the best thing to tell the dealer service area to have my steering issue resolved?

If you had death wobble you'd know it!
It starts and is a violent shake or shimmy side-to-side and won't stop until you slow way down. Wander is wander, more like a drunk truck.
Death wobble is something that wants to shake you until you have a head ache.

This from Norm Layton (look up the name - )
>>With 'death wobble,' it's like the vehicle is hooked up to a paint-can shaker. If it ever happens to you, you will know it. ...<<

 

[Trickster]

Thanks for chiming in. Why is "wander" addressed differently than "death wobble"? I mean whats the real difference between them? My steering seems to have a deadspot and I'm constantly trying to adjust to the keep vehicle in the lane but because of the deadspot I seem to be chasing the car around.

What's the best thing to tell the dealer service area to have my steering issue resolved?

The truth.
Excessive play.

 

[IanNubbit]

Thanks for chiming in. Why is "wander" addressed differently than "death wobble"? I mean whats the real difference between them? My steering seems to have a deadspot and I'm constantly trying to adjust to the keep vehicle in the lane but because of the deadspot I seem to be chasing the car around.

What's the best thing to tell the dealer service area to have my steering issue resolved?

Like said above, be honest and detailed. The more info for us, the easier and better we can help fix your Jeep. But let them know the steering wanders, feels like there is a dead zone in the wheel and requires excess inputs to keep the vehicle tracking straight.

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