Steering wheel is turned left while driving straight.

[HooliganActual]

If the threads in the receiver and the threads on the shaft match, and are properly sized, once clamped, you will bend something before the threads give. But if it wasn't clamped tight enough and just once or twice was allowed to jump, it's going to round things and reduce the engagement.
If that thing is made right, and has no damage, and the clamp is properly fitting and torqued to specs (instead of the good enough most apply) you'd have a heck of a time shoving one threaded part into another.

I absolutely agree. My hypothesizing is that IF the tire shops are saying they see this AND actually replicated for @kevman65 (which in my head says they probably really do see it a lot because they knew how to replicate it), then Occam's Razor makes me believe that there is something to it...up to a point. Maybe there were a batch of poorly made clamps or rods/rod ends. Me personally I look at those clamps and think "that is just not a precision made component", but who knows.

Now if I were to have a dog in the fight, I'd be more inclined to think that it's something up on the column to steering box (coupling) that might be slipping. My 2016 JKUR has all Steer Smarts steering gear and my steering wheel moved after a hard day of wheeling, but I found a "not as tight as I would have thought it should be" bolt on a coupling. Tightened that and my steering wheel hasn't kicked off again. Now going back to the tire shop's replication scenario, maybe the "loud POP" was actually coming from the steering shaft. But I won't fall on that sword because I haven't even looked at the Gladiator's steering column componentry. Maybe a clamp up there is loose allowing the slip...

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[Elgin Cook]

If the threads in the receiver and the threads on the shaft match, and are properly sized, once clamped, you will bend something before the threads give. But if it wasn't clamped tight enough and just once or twice was allowed to jump, it's going to round things and reduce the engagement.
If that thing is made right, and has no damage, and the clamp is properly fitting and torqued to specs (instead of the good enough most apply) you'd have a heck of a time shoving one threaded part into another.
With enough lift, that drag link is running at a pretty good angle and pretty easily bowed. Doesn't take much at all to through the wheel off. But that same lift, and the same angle, means there's less ability to "strip the threads" and one thread jump over another. The number of high points that have to jump over other high points, means that receiver part with the interior threads has to expand quite a bit for it to slip and not rip the threads off or round them noticeably.
think of the surface areas - 360 degrees of threads over how much length? Hell of a lot of strength there.

My bit about needing a stronger drag link is more due to the angular forces involved when there's a lift - suddenly you don't have a pitman pushing almost directly into the end of a drag link that has little angle to it. But lift it and now that pitman is shoving the drag link at an angle and pushing down as much as sideways. It's gonna bow.

Push straight against a shaft, and it's going to want to transfer that force straight through to the other end.
Raise that same shaft and push, and now the other end will also tend to push down instead of straight out.

It is a 2020 JL wrangler with a 2.5 inch lift and 35s. There was a hard hit one time and the steering wheel went crooked. I (and other jeep owners) looked a the suspension/steering and we couldn't see anything bent. We adjusted it and tightened it with the right torque. It seems that anytime I do off roading now, the steering always has to be adjusted. Sometimes it needs adjusted one way and sometimes the other. It seems to be easier for the steering to get off the more I use the jeep. Really it is almost every time I go out four wheeling. It really doesn't take much to make the steering go out. The jeep does track down the road just fine with the steering wheel crooked - just have to deal with the traction control light until I straighten it again.

I did read somewhere that a tooth may have "jumped" or something in the steering. I have no idea other than there has to be a "weak link" somewhere - that is why I was interested to see this drag link discussion. I too thought something was bent at first but the fact that the steering wheel gets crooked one way and then the other sometimes make me think a bend is not it the problem. Thanks for your input.

 

[Elgin Cook]

I absolutely agree. My hypothesizing is that IF the tire shops are saying they see this AND actually replicated for @kevman65 (which in my head says they probably really do see it a lot because they knew how to replicate it), then Occam's Razor makes me believe that there is something to it...up to a point. Maybe there were a batch of poorly made clamps or rods/rod ends. Me personally I look at those clamps and think "that is just not a precision made component", but who knows.

Now if I were to have a dog in the fight, I'd be more inclined to think that it's something up on the column to steering box (coupling) that might be slipping. My 2016 JKUR has all Steer Smarts steering gear and my steering wheel moved after a hard day of wheeling, but I found a "not as tight as I would have thought it should be" bolt on a coupling. Tightened that and my steering wheel hasn't kicked off again. Now going back to the tire shop's replication scenario, maybe the "loud POP" was actually coming from the steering shaft. But I won't fall on that sword because I haven't even looked at the Gladiator's steering column componentry. Maybe a clamp up there is loose allowing the slip...

Thanks for that info and your thoughts... I will have to look into that too. Interestingly enough, I do hear a pop under there somewhere when off roading. Just thought it was flex or something making a pop. I did give more details in a different reply just a sec ago. Thanks again!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I absolutely agree. My hypothesizing is that IF the tire shops are saying they see this AND actually replicated for @kevman65 (which in my head says they probably really do see it a lot because they knew how to replicate it), then Occam's Razor makes me believe that there is something to it...up to a point. Maybe there were a batch of poorly made clamps or rods/rod ends. Me personally I look at those clamps and think "that is just not a precision made component", but who knows.

Now if I were to have a dog in the fight, I'd be more inclined to think that it's something up on the column to steering box (coupling) that might be slipping. My 2016 JKUR has all Steer Smarts steering gear and my steering wheel moved after a hard day of wheeling, but I found a "not as tight as I would have thought it should be" bolt on a coupling. Tightened that and my steering wheel hasn't kicked off again. Now going back to the tire shop's replication scenario, maybe the "loud POP" was actually coming from the steering shaft. But I won't fall on that sword because I haven't even looked at the Gladiator's steering column componentry. Maybe a clamp up there is loose allowing the slip...

One way to test that thought - with the load off the tires,
Make sure to start out with steering wheel perfectly centered,
turn the steering wheel full left, note the wheel position.
Go back to center, then turn full right and note position.
there should be the same turns and partial turns center to left, and center to right.
If the steering column itself has slipped on splines or the coupling has shifted, you'll not get as many turns center left vs. center right because the steering gear's sector should be centered on and facing the worm gear at a perfect 90 if the wheels are straight.

This isn't a great image but I didn't feel like grabbing one of my tech manuals on steering overhaul right now (dizzy on stairs)

The sector should be at the high point with wheels facing perfectly ahead and steering wheel centered. That should be a perfect 90 degrees from worm to sector.

I don't know about these, but most older models I've worked on, there was a flange pressed and welded to the column's shaft, then a flex joint which was splined and clamped to the steering gear's input shaft. I can see something slipping, but at some point you are going to run into serious trouble if it slips there. (not implying that anything else slipping is ok! It's not)

 

[Jefe1018]

lol I love discussions based on theory. No way I’m reading everything, but I am glad there are intellectuals here. I’m mostly commenting so I can come back if I run into this I can sweat it out to just replace steering components.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

but the fact that the steering wheel gets crooked one way and then the other sometimes make me think a bend is not it the problem

Yeah, a bend or bow would mean always the same direction.
good logic.

 

[HooliganActual]

lol I love discussions based on theory. No way I’m reading everything, but I am glad there are intellectuals here. I’m mostly commenting so I can come back if I run into this I can sweat it out to just replace steering components.

You know, it's these discussions that always make me go back to the quote attributed to Astronaut John Glenn:

"I felt exactly how you would feel if you were getting ready to launch and knew you were sitting on top of 2 million parts — all built by the lowest bidder on a government contract."

I have good faith in the design and engineering of our Jeeps (although some times I will admittedly shake my head at some of the decisions) but, having spent years in the manufacturing sector, where my confidence starts to slip is when I think of the making and installation of the components of these finely engineered vehicles...lol

 

[Lunentucker]

 

[Elgin Cook]

One way to test that thought - with the load off the tires,
Make sure to start out with steering wheel perfectly centered,
turn the steering wheel full left, note the wheel position.
Go back to center, then turn full right and note position.
there should be the same turns and partial turns center to left, and center to right.
If the steering column itself has slipped on splines or the coupling has shifted, you'll not get as many turns center left vs. center right because the steering gear's sector should be centered on and facing the worm gear at a perfect 90 if the wheels are straight.

This isn't a great image but I didn't feel like grabbing one of my tech manuals on steering overhaul right now (dizzy on stairs)

The sector should be at the high point with wheels facing perfectly ahead and steering wheel centered. That should be a perfect 90 degrees from worm to sector.

I don't know about these, but most older models I've worked on, there was a flange pressed and welded to the column's shaft, then a flex joint which was splined and clamped to the steering gear's input shaft. I can see something slipping, but at some point you are going to run into serious trouble if it slips there. (not implying that anything else slipping is ok! It's not)

I appreciate this test... It seems very logical and I'm not jeep mechanical expert. I did run the test you mentioned and steering to the left gives me just OVER 1 and 1/2 turns. Turning to the right gives me just UNDER 1 and 1/2 turns. So would this indicate that the teeth in the steering box are jumping? Like I stated before. Sometimes I have to correct the wheel one way and then sometimes another.

 

[Badunit]

Sounds like a recall is needed. Anyone with this problem needs report it to the NHTSA.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem#index

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Sounds like a recall is needed. Anyone with this problem needs report it to the NHTSA.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem#index

Yeah, but remember - this is with modified Jeeps, lifted, bigger tires, and during the pressures of off-road, way beyond normal engineering parameters.
If nothing else, they'd have the data anyway, but since it's a stock part being used under intense pressures of modifications and off-roading, there won't be a recall.

So far, I've never seen anyone with this problem under normal circumstances or stock parts.
That pretty much rules out a recall.
Same for those twisting axles and other parts.

 

[HooliganActual]

I appreciate this test... It seems very logical and I'm not jeep mechanical expert. I did run the test you mentioned and steering to the left gives me just OVER 1 and 1/2 turns. Turning to the right gives me just UNDER 1 and 1/2 turns. So would this indicate that the teeth in the steering box are jumping? Like I stated before. Sometimes I have to correct the wheel one way and then sometimes another.

Take a look at this pic of the steering column:

bolt 8 in the lower left corner appears to connect the intermediate shaft to the steering box. From the pic it appears that the shaft is secured to the steering box with a clamp and bolt 8. To me that looks like a point for slipping if not properly tightened.

Pinch bolts:

 

[Elgin Cook]

Take a look at this pic of the steering column:

bolt 8 in the lower left corner appears to connect the intermediate shaft to the steering box. From the pic it appears that the shaft is secured to the steering box with a clamp and bolt 8. To me that looks like a point for slipping if not properly tightened.

Pinch bolts:

Thanks.... It is very tight. Also, the steering box is not the aluminum one if that gives any helpful information. Thanks again!

 

[Lunentucker]

Set it again.
Mark the threads.
Go bumpity bump until it moves again.
See what moved.


If it's fixed by re-centering, then it's being unfixed by something that moves.
Take logical steps to define the problem.

 

[MPMB]

Take logical steps to define the problem.

Someone get this man a straight jacket! He's talking crazy.

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