tighten the steering box - AUSJEEPOFFROAD.COM Jeep News Australia and New Zealand

JoergM · #1 26-04-2023

I have a strange steering issue which I cannot sort out.

I have installed a new steering damper (a left over form IRO which is certainly stronger than the stock), all the steering components seem to be firm and nothing is lose.

However, when I drive over loose gravel (although with brand new shocks) I feel like something is loose in the front.
Also if I drive over a bump with about 60+KM in a slight curve, my steering wheel shakes quite a bit (again even with brand new damper).
I thought it could bee the ball joints although I wiggled the wheels from left to right and up and down. Seem to be tight (although I have not yet done it on the other side). I feel like the issue is the driver side (where i did not do the test but used the technique this guy is doing in this video:

).

So it feels like a light death wobble but not start remotely to getting to the point. I had it already so I know how it feels. So really no idea what this could be.

I also tried to tighten my steering box. In Europe an US you open up and go counter clockwise so i wonder (since we are mirrored) if this is on Australian / UK models the other way around. Did someone do this already? And which direction is it getting tight?

5oclock · #2 26-04-2023

I have adjusted the steering box on 2WGs and they both had lefthand thread on the lock nut. The factory manual shows it as righthand. So if I turn the locknut clockwise it unlocks the allen head bolt. Then I turn the allen head bolt ANTIclock to tighten (remove backlash). I dont turn the allen bolt more than say a quarter turn at a time. Then hold the allen head still and turn the lock nut clockwise to lock it back up. Just be aware that the end of the steering box is aluminium and you will strip the thread if you get rough with it----I found this out the hard way after reading the factory manual and turning it with a big spanner because it was so damn tight. I allways draw a little diagram with the turning arrows so I turn them the right directions.
Just remembered that one of the blokes who used to post on here from the UK said he had seen boxs with righthand threads as well as lefthand, so be carefull and dont strip the aluminium like I did.

Deezelweazel · #3 27-04-2023

Joerg,
a good start is to remove the steering damper completely. If everything is okay, you shouldn't have any issues.

I do have a 1 year old bilstein, which was already shot. So in doubt I wouldn't reuse used parts and the steering damper will cover up death wobble anyway until the shock is gone too.
Take the time and inspect all steering components closely. Even tire pressure and tire balancing can influence the ride quality and can cause slight wobbly feelings in the steering.
Stuff like tie rod ends are a never ending story. Don't hesitate to change them. It doesn't hurt, but gives a lot of safety.

Leave the steering alone as along as you are 100% sure it is not somewhere in the linkage.

5oclock · #4 27-04-2023

Good advice, I should have said the same about not touching the box untill you are sure that it needs adjustment. Also I have found that it is much better to get a helper to turn the steering wheel side to side when looking for any slop and give the steering wheel a good hard wrench side to side. It works much better for me than pulling at the suspension parts.

Straubz · #5 27-04-2023

i had this issue, everything looked fine until i used a large bar to test the ball joints, found they had a fair bit of movement but took some force to see it.

JoergM · #6 28-04-2023

Thanks all for your advice.

I had already a bad steering damper (things were way worse at that time) and I have a bit of play in the steering wheel (a bit to much for my taste) as well as when I have the engine off and I move the steering form left to right it makes a clacking noise (which is the accelerated noise when I drive over bumps due to the shaking).

My suspicion is also the ball joints. It looks like there are still a lot of bushings and original parts from the factory on this car which have never been changed. I thought of just ignore it since I want to sell the car but on the other side, I always hated is previous seller sold me their car with all these issues and I do not want to be in the same situation and want to hand over a car which is in a decent shape and does not require immediate repairs just to be save on the road.

JoergM · #7 29-04-2023

So I took both of the front wheels off and dropped the axle all the way down. Then I started to wiggle and shake the entire front. All seem to be firm and nothing seem to be loose or make a clacking noise.

However, I realised that I can turn the the axle even with wheels off very easy. I remember that this was not possible with both of my V8's. I had to turn the steering wheel even with front wheels on to move the tyres to left or right. even with the damper on it was with very little force. Now when I can do this by simply grabbing the brake disks and turn the the wheel hubs then it is nothing comparable if this happen with 80 or 100Km/h. Could it be that the steering box is shot? I do not have any other explanation tbh. This should simply not be possible.