Can the steering box on a 98 TJ be adjusted for looseness?
My friends TJ has about 4+ inches of steering wheel play, sloppy
manners (wanders) traveling down the road, and when you look at the
output shaft (where the pitman arm attaches) while someone turns the
steering wheel, it seems to move laterally as much as it rotates.

Sooo, I said I would try to find out if the steering has any
adjustments for slop/play/looseness.

TIA

....

 

Yes, the lock nut at the top of the sector shaft. But it sounds
like yours is tired, and needs replacement:
http://www.----------.com/97TJpowersteering.pdf
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:--------------------

noneyabusiness wrote:
>
> Can the steering box on a 98 TJ be adjusted for looseness?
> My friends TJ has about 4+ inches of steering wheel play, sloppy
> manners (wanders) traveling down the road, and when you look at the
> output shaft (where the pitman arm attaches) while someone turns the
> steering wheel, it seems to move laterally as much as it rotates.
>
> Sooo, I said I would try to find out if the steering has any
> adjustments for slop/play/looseness.
>
> TIA
>
> ...

 

Yes, the lock nut at the top of the sector shaft. But it sounds
like yours is tired, and needs replacement:
http://www.----------.com/97TJpowersteering.pdf
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:--------------------

noneyabusiness wrote:
>
> Can the steering box on a 98 TJ be adjusted for looseness?
> My friends TJ has about 4+ inches of steering wheel play, sloppy
> manners (wanders) traveling down the road, and when you look at the
> output shaft (where the pitman arm attaches) while someone turns the
> steering wheel, it seems to move laterally as much as it rotates.
>
> Sooo, I said I would try to find out if the steering has any
> adjustments for slop/play/looseness.
>
> TIA
>
> ...

 

Yes, the lock nut at the top of the sector shaft. But it sounds
like yours is tired, and needs replacement:
http://www.----------.com/97TJpowersteering.pdf
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:--------------------

noneyabusiness wrote:
>
> Can the steering box on a 98 TJ be adjusted for looseness?
> My friends TJ has about 4+ inches of steering wheel play, sloppy
> manners (wanders) traveling down the road, and when you look at the
> output shaft (where the pitman arm attaches) while someone turns the
> steering wheel, it seems to move laterally as much as it rotates.
>
> Sooo, I said I would try to find out if the steering has any
> adjustments for slop/play/looseness.
>
> TIA
>
> ...

 

Sounds like another problem... if the output shaft moves anyway but in a
circle, the gear box is toast. I have never seen one fail in that fashion,
look closely again. More likely, with that much play, the problem would be
tie rods and/or ball joints. Four inches is excessive on a 98... park it
till you fix the problem.

--
JimG
80' CJ-7 258 CID, HEI
4.56 Gears, Lock-Right F&R
35" BFG MT on 15x10 Centerlines
D44 Rear, D30 Front. SOA
Dana 300 w/4:1 & Currie twin sticks
Warn X8000i w/ dual batteries

00' TJ Sport 4.0L, 5sp
4.56 Gears, TrueTrac rear
33" BFG AT on 15x8 Eagle Alloys
D35 Rear, D30 Front. 3" Suspension Lift
Warn X8000i

"noneyabusiness" wrote in message ...
> Can the steering box on a 98 TJ be adjusted for looseness?
> My friends TJ has about 4+ inches of steering wheel play, sloppy
> manners (wanders) traveling down the road, and when you look at the
> output shaft (where the pitman arm attaches) while someone turns the
> steering wheel, it seems to move laterally as much as it rotates.
>
> Sooo, I said I would try to find out if the steering has any
> adjustments for slop/play/looseness.
>
> TIA
>
> ...

 

Sounds like another problem... if the output shaft moves anyway but in a
circle, the gear box is toast. I have never seen one fail in that fashion,
look closely again. More likely, with that much play, the problem would be
tie rods and/or ball joints. Four inches is excessive on a 98... park it
till you fix the problem.

--
JimG
80' CJ-7 258 CID, HEI
4.56 Gears, Lock-Right F&R
35" BFG MT on 15x10 Centerlines
D44 Rear, D30 Front. SOA
Dana 300 w/4:1 & Currie twin sticks
Warn X8000i w/ dual batteries

00' TJ Sport 4.0L, 5sp
4.56 Gears, TrueTrac rear
33" BFG AT on 15x8 Eagle Alloys
D35 Rear, D30 Front. 3" Suspension Lift
Warn X8000i

"noneyabusiness" wrote in message ...
> Can the steering box on a 98 TJ be adjusted for looseness?
> My friends TJ has about 4+ inches of steering wheel play, sloppy
> manners (wanders) traveling down the road, and when you look at the
> output shaft (where the pitman arm attaches) while someone turns the
> steering wheel, it seems to move laterally as much as it rotates.
>
> Sooo, I said I would try to find out if the steering has any
> adjustments for slop/play/looseness.
>
> TIA
>
> ...

 

Sounds like another problem... if the output shaft moves anyway but in a
circle, the gear box is toast. I have never seen one fail in that fashion,
look closely again. More likely, with that much play, the problem would be
tie rods and/or ball joints. Four inches is excessive on a 98... park it
till you fix the problem.

--
JimG
80' CJ-7 258 CID, HEI
4.56 Gears, Lock-Right F&R
35" BFG MT on 15x10 Centerlines
D44 Rear, D30 Front. SOA
Dana 300 w/4:1 & Currie twin sticks
Warn X8000i w/ dual batteries

00' TJ Sport 4.0L, 5sp
4.56 Gears, TrueTrac rear
33" BFG AT on 15x8 Eagle Alloys
D35 Rear, D30 Front. 3" Suspension Lift
Warn X8000i

"noneyabusiness" wrote in message ...
> Can the steering box on a 98 TJ be adjusted for looseness?
> My friends TJ has about 4+ inches of steering wheel play, sloppy
> manners (wanders) traveling down the road, and when you look at the
> output shaft (where the pitman arm attaches) while someone turns the
> steering wheel, it seems to move laterally as much as it rotates.
>
> Sooo, I said I would try to find out if the steering has any
> adjustments for slop/play/looseness.
>
> TIA
>
> ...

 

Hi Bill,

I don't think that adjustment will compensate for lateral movement at the
output shaft.

JimG

"L.W. (ßill) ------ III" wrote in message ...
> Yes, the lock nut at the top of the sector shaft. But it sounds
> like yours is tired, and needs replacement:
> http://www.----------.com/97TJpowersteering.pdf
> God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O

> noneyabusiness wrote:
> >
> > Can the steering box on a 98 TJ be adjusted for looseness?
> > My friends TJ has about 4+ inches of steering wheel play, sloppy
> > manners (wanders) traveling down the road, and when you look at the
> > output shaft (where the pitman arm attaches) while someone turns the
> > steering wheel, it seems to move laterally as much as it rotates.
> >
> > Sooo, I said I would try to find out if the steering has any
> > adjustments for slop/play/looseness.
> >
> > TIA
> >
> > ...

 

Hi Bill,

I don't think that adjustment will compensate for lateral movement at the
output shaft.

JimG

"L.W. (ßill) ------ III" wrote in message ...
> Yes, the lock nut at the top of the sector shaft. But it sounds
> like yours is tired, and needs replacement:
> http://www.----------.com/97TJpowersteering.pdf
> God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O

> noneyabusiness wrote:
> >
> > Can the steering box on a 98 TJ be adjusted for looseness?
> > My friends TJ has about 4+ inches of steering wheel play, sloppy
> > manners (wanders) traveling down the road, and when you look at the
> > output shaft (where the pitman arm attaches) while someone turns the
> > steering wheel, it seems to move laterally as much as it rotates.
> >
> > Sooo, I said I would try to find out if the steering has any
> > adjustments for slop/play/looseness.
> >
> > TIA
> >
> > ...

 

Hi Bill,

I don't think that adjustment will compensate for lateral movement at the
output shaft.

JimG

"L.W. (ßill) ------ III" wrote in message ...
> Yes, the lock nut at the top of the sector shaft. But it sounds
> like yours is tired, and needs replacement:
> http://www.----------.com/97TJpowersteering.pdf
> God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O

> noneyabusiness wrote:
> >
> > Can the steering box on a 98 TJ be adjusted for looseness?
> > My friends TJ has about 4+ inches of steering wheel play, sloppy
> > manners (wanders) traveling down the road, and when you look at the
> > output shaft (where the pitman arm attaches) while someone turns the
> > steering wheel, it seems to move laterally as much as it rotates.
> >
> > Sooo, I said I would try to find out if the steering has any
> > adjustments for slop/play/looseness.
> >
> > TIA
> >
> > ...