Bandit’s Lair
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Jason
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2025
- Threads
- 29
- Messages
- 2,345
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- 3,841
- Location
- Southern California
- Vehicle(s)
- 2021 Gladiator Sport S
- Occupation
- Retired
- Thread starter
- #1
Thought this may be helpful to anyone thinking about doing it. Just some thoughts on how it went.
Lesson 1: Penetration oil is your friend. Whatever brand you use, the night before give all the threads you’ll be working on a good dousing. This will save you literally hours of frustration and the need to invent curses aimed at the Jeep you love.
Lesson 2: Pay attention to orientation of parts and fittings. There are picture below but on the passenger side the drag link sits right above the tie rod. No way to get the drag link out if the tie rod is still in place so think ahead. Another portion to think on is the orientation of the cotter pins. If you slide them in from the wheel side they are infinitely harder to remove than sliding TOWARDS the wheel side on the tie rod.
Lesson 3: Straighten the steering wheel when complete. I ran out of daylight and was eager to see if there were any differences so went for a drive with the steering wheel off kilter. Stability control went off and tried to throw the Jeep into limp mode in order to “save” me a couple times. I highly recommend you don’t try to experience this for yourself.
That about it. I’ll put some pics below of some of the things I ran into as far as orientation goes.
Lesson 1: Penetration oil is your friend. Whatever brand you use, the night before give all the threads you’ll be working on a good dousing. This will save you literally hours of frustration and the need to invent curses aimed at the Jeep you love.
Lesson 2: Pay attention to orientation of parts and fittings. There are picture below but on the passenger side the drag link sits right above the tie rod. No way to get the drag link out if the tie rod is still in place so think ahead. Another portion to think on is the orientation of the cotter pins. If you slide them in from the wheel side they are infinitely harder to remove than sliding TOWARDS the wheel side on the tie rod.
Lesson 3: Straighten the steering wheel when complete. I ran out of daylight and was eager to see if there were any differences so went for a drive with the steering wheel off kilter. Stability control went off and tried to throw the Jeep into limp mode in order to “save” me a couple times. I highly recommend you don’t try to experience this for yourself.
That about it. I’ll put some pics below of some of the things I ran into as far as orientation goes.
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