So I post a question on here and nobody has an answer but someone can post about a head light bezel and has 300 answers. Go figure.

 

Headlight bezels are pretty much an absolute. Sloppy steering can be cause by any number of things. One of the easiest ways to figure it out would be to have someone work the steering wheel back and forth just enough to take out the slack while you lay underneath and see what's going on. If there's play and they don't turn the steering wheel enough to turn the tires, you should be able to see where the slack is pretty easily.

Hope that makes enough sense you can figure out what I mean.

 

welcome to the forum!

 

Headlight bezels are pretty much an absolute. Sloppy steering can be cause by any number of things. One of the easiest ways to figure it out would be to have someone work the steering wheel back and forth just enough to take out the slack while you lay underneath and see what's going on. If there's play and they don't turn the steering wheel enough to turn the tires, you should be able to see where the slack is pretty easily.

Hope that makes enough sense you can figure out what I mean.

This ^

I have a bad tie rod end. Only way I can see the slop in the joint, is when somebody else turns the wheel back and forth while I look underneath.
With the jeep off tires gripping the ground.
Can't see it with the power steering working

 

That's they way I've always done it. I forgot to mention to the OP that the motor should be off. OP, listen to this guy.

 

Thanks all for options, just installed my 3 1/4" RC tie rods seem fine. Is this possible steering box?

 

Use the same method described above to see if it is. With the engine off, have someone work the steering wheel back and forth while you watch the shaft where it goes into the steering box.

*EDIT* I wouldn't dismiss the tie rod ends until after observing them like mentioned above. They can seem ok, but have a little slack when you turn the wheel..

 

Just go down the list and watch as someone else turns the wheel. Start at the steering shaft, shaft u joints, down to the steering box input. For every input you should see an equal output at the pitman arm. If there's a delay, some or all of your play is occurring in the box. Then move to the TRE's. Lastly, the track bar--it provides leverage for your steering. Any play at either end will result in play felt at the steering wheel. This isn't rocket science. Just use common sense and you'll figure it out.

 

Well said. As I stated before, don't assume something is ok and pass it over. Do like Imped said and check everything out.

 

Don't forget to check the steering shaft in the engine bay. Kinda odd how the slop occurred after a body lift.

 

It really makes no sense that the steering box would go bad after installing BL. I would continue researching the steering linkage!

 

Thanks Ive been helping my friend 4link his jeep started off as just rebuilding all steering components with new fabbed DOM tubing then tore entire jeep apart so have not put the jeep back in garage to check it out. I will check all steps out I thought maybe there was something that was a common problem that i could just unbolt a piece. Thanks for paying my thread a visit. It says newbe but this is my 5th jeep. Ive also had yotas ,nissan,chevy,4runners, etc all lifted. BUT NOTHING LIKE A JEEP!!!

 

I was having a similar issue and the play I was feeling ended up being a loose bolt on the column uner the dash. A little on my back time and a wrench and all is snug again. It was actually rattling when I was off road. Sometimes we get lucky I guess.

 

So an update on sloppy steering, it ended up being the steering box. I pulled bumper cover and loosened jam nut and tightened the Allen bolt on top of gear box. Problem solved for now. Thanks for ideas and thoughts.

 

So an update on sloppy steering, it ended up being the steering box. I pulled bumper cover and loosened jam nut and tightened the Allen bolt on top of gear box. Problem solved for now. Thanks for ideas and thoughts.

Tightening that Allen may only be a temporary solution. Time to do a Durango steering box ?

 

I hear ya. I posted pics and asked about my PO lift for any information and got one reply! Hopefully because he was right!

Have a great day all.

 

Tightening that Allen may only be a temporary solution. Time to do a Durango steering box ?

I figured it was, What year Durango steering box if I remember it was 99's but not sure

 

I hear ya. I posted pics and asked about my PO lift for any information and got one reply! Hopefully because he was right!

Have a great day all.[/QUOT

Yea Maybe I haven't figured out how to ask a question. Thanks for checking my thread. : )

 

Make sure you prep the bezels good before painting because....oh wait wrong thread.

 

i have some slop in my wheel too. while i haven't had the chance to crawl underneath with someone at the wheel i did grab the shaft and twist it with the hood up. i could see my steering wheel move back and forth but nothing past the gear box. the box is leaking fluid and i'm pretty sure it's this. anyone? also any reccomendations for a replacement? thanks
jack

 

You running big tires? Either stock replacement or v-8 durango box.

 

So I've replaced the steering box with a Chevy

 

Chevy what?

 

Box. It helps a lot with 36" tires. I was going to go with a Durango but my friend had to replace his with 37" on his jeep less than 2 months. Could've been a bad box but I'm testing this route to see if they hold up. It's a 84 S10 box we'll see. So good so far.

 

Direct fit or did you have to do mods?

 

My steering is all custom built now with a three link front. A lot has changed since this post. Check out my build thread redneckd TJ in the build threads. If you want to see pix