Steering Box Bolts Sheared Off!!!

[Roler]

Guys, help me out here if you can.
I just chased this issue of the steeringbox bolts/chassis cracks recall on my Jeep, a 97 Cherokee (November). Called the dealer, guy in charge of recalls ran my VIN and said there were NO recalls on my vehicle. He stated two others(recalls) were issued in the past, but for my vehicle the recall #723 (that was quoted here) did not come up.
He wasnt able to explain why, just kept repeating no recall regarding this issue.

I tried to explain the issue, also what had been said by customer service of Jeep Australia (see one of the first posts in this thread), but he wouldnt say more than "no recall on your vehicle's VIN". Also that nothing has been listed or done regarding this to my vehicle in the past.

Where to go from here now? Could it be that some do have to be recalled and others don't?? Bring it to a shop and have it inspected? Do others have similar experience?

Your help is again appreciated.

[Siggers]

I called Jeep AU, and they said there was a recall for my 95, no VIN number given, give them a call, as it might be under something a little different, I think thats what I found anyways.

All they do is weld a plate onto the chassis rail and drill holes in it, then bolt it up, mine hasn't even got paint on it, so I have to soda blast it and then paint over it once I get the time.

Almost any fab shop could do it for you for a few hungrys (rather then stealership prices if your that worried), I know a place on the coast that could do it quite easily...

[HybridXj]

Originally Posted by mato

Ok dose any one have pics of a modded chasis rail
my 97 (96 build) has some recal stickers on the door
but now i have a noise in the front end but only when its raining ???
i have searched hight and low and cant fined anything yet
looked at the steering box and it looks like nothing spical. normal
but i have a bad feeling that it is going to have to be a box mount for rail issue.
is jeep still helping with this issue or have they wiped there hands of this issue
i will try and rin jeep later on and see how i go.
but if any one has pics of a modded box would be a big help

Hi mate,

This is what I did to mine after the bolts had worked their way loose. Some cracks were evident once the box was removed and the holes the bolts mounted through had rounded slightly. I made new crush tubes and fitted a solid 3/4 rod through the chassis, welding both inner and outer plates to it to connect the walls. I then welded the plates to the chassis by infilling the holes drilled through the plates. This disperses the weld throughout the entire plate and minimises twist/warp and the chance of the welds cracking as a result.

[tomxj]

I made a plate up for mine. Only put it on the outside though, should I make another one up for the inside too?
See attached image of what I made, it is 6mm plate.

[HybridXj]

I would highly recommend it! The inside of mine, and many others, is where most of the cracking occurs. Also the main force/warping from your steering box is transferred straight to the inside wall.

[xj99]

so if i call jeep to check my 99 limited will they help me still or charge me a bomb??

[tazwegion]

Originally Posted by TheOoz

The dealers did a "check" when a recall was introduced a long time ago, but if your XJ passed the "check" it was never looked at again - but the problem becomes worse over time. So the warranty recall check had been done on my XJ, it passed, so they left the time bomb on the road until it finally failed.

ring your local dealer and explain the problem. You should have no issue having them repair it under the factory recall. They weld plates around the chassis and then re-assmble. An expensive job for them, free for you. they should have engineered it properly in the first place.

Well all 3 bolts snapped today (in Big W car park) but according to Jeep Australia 1300 133 079 and our local Chrysler Dealer, it was already addressed in 1997 so any expense now is all my problem

You can see clearly there has been no welding of reinforcement plates on my XJ in the images below...