Weird/Scary steering problem

[MomoJeep]

After putting in the new box, it was fine for about a year, but now on the freeway it will suddenly swerve at only the slightest rotation of the wheel (mostly to the left it seems) enough to put me almost at the edge of my lane. Actually it seems like there is a dead spot when the wheels are straight ahead, then when I turn the wheel slightly it seems to not respond, then suddenly it over-responds into a swerve. No weird noises. Anyone know what this might be?

I have newer M.O.R.E steering shaft with upgraded ujoints, Steering box mount brace, newer tie rod ends. Recently put in a new(rebuilt) "Lares" Power Steering Box. I had my friend turn the wheel back and forth and watched the ball joints, tie rod ends, steering shaft, steering great mount and brace, pittman arm. The only thing that seems to move is the shackles getting shoved side-to-side a little (pretty normal I think).

 

[Spieg]

Hard to say. I'd try jacking the front wheels off the ground and use a long pry bar under each tire (lifting the tire upward) to see if the is any free-play in the ball joints.

 

[sdsupilot]

Have a friend turn the wheel a 1/4 to 1/2 turn left and right. Then watch from the front to see if there is noticeable play. Do you have a sway bar? Have you recently added weight to the rear? My jeep drives much worse when hauling a few hundred pounds behind the rear seat.

 

[Rosco1974]

The only thing that seems to move is the shackles getting shoved side-to-side a little (pretty normal I think).

How much is a little? Fresh/Good mounts flex slightly before the tire moves in a driveway test . If they are old and rubber, replace them with poly. I had a stock 82 CJ7 with worn out bushings that would do exactly what you are saying.

 

[MomoJeep]

How much is a little? Fresh/Good mounts flex slightly before the tire moves in a driveway test . If they are old and rubber, replace them with poly. I had a stock 82 CJ7 with worn out bushings that would do exactly what you are saying.

I put in poly bushing about 6 years ago. But who knows, if one cracks and splits it could make for a wobbly shackle !?

 

[MomoJeep]

Have a friend turn the wheel a 1/4 to 1/2 turn left and right. Then watch from the front to see if there is noticeable play. Do you have a sway bar? Have you recently added weight to the rear? My jeep drives much worse when hauling a few hundred pounds behind the rear seat.

I do have a sway bar. I know what you mean about added weight in the rear but that's not the case right now..

 

[MomoJeep]

Thanks for the replies on this. I used to think it was a bad box. But now thanks to your responses, I'm almost sure it's a steering knuckle u-joint. When turning it kind "throbs" just like when you're locked in and the wheel is fully turned to one side or the other.

If not, then my next guess is ball joints. I see there are upgraded after-market ball-joints. Anybody have experience with these?

 

[MomoJeep]

Does anyone know the procedure to check for "high steering force", where you disconnect the steering link and put a torque wrench on the steering arm .. .What is the torque spec supposed to be ?

 

[MomoJeep]

So I checked for "high Steering force", according to the FSM. Turns out it's ok. The ball joint "torque to turn" is lower with wheels facing straight ahead, but that's probably normal after being 20+ years old!?

So the frozen front axle U joints were probably also the cause of the second problem I was having, which was a "groaning" (a vibration that could be felt in the steering box when turning). I even replaced the box, still did it... I sure hope the problem is gone now that the knuckle U joints are replaced!

 

[bigwalton]

I highly doubt that replacing u-joints would have any effect on your lane-changing issue.

The dead spot you mentioned, is it evident when you turn the wheel while sitting still? So there's play before the box tries to do anything?

I'm not clear if you've changed the box since this started or not?

 

[TXJEEP]

Just a thought but when you replaced the steering box and the steering shaft, did you also replace the coupler and the square berrings inside the coupler. If you lost one in the grease or if anything is loose around those attachments, it could cause your issue without having any movement in the wheel or the tire side.

 

[MomoJeep]

I highly doubt that replacing u-joints would have any effect on your lane-changing issue.

The dead spot you mentioned, is it evident when you turn the wheel while sitting still? So there's play before the box tries to do anything?

I'm not clear if you've changed the box since this started or not?

Actually it WAS the u-joints. I may not have described it well.. It wasn't "changing lanes", but it felt like it would suddenly jump over a few inches. Like when driving over a ~3" lip when they are paving a new road. The U-joints have to turn along with the Knuckle. The jeep has sat for a few months of winter (wet air) allowing the rust to keep growing inside the Ujoint bearings. They were frozen pretty bad!

 

[bigwalton]

Wow, those must have been insane

 

[MomoJeep]

Wow, those must have been insane

Well on some of the bearing caps, all the grease was long gone, and the needle bearings a had time while the Jeep wasn't being used for the rust to keep expanding inside the cap. These were non-greaseable that have been on the Jeep for 10 years, plus 10 years before that sitting in a garage.