Just bought my first Jeep Commando. It has excessive play in the steering, everything is tight and the gear box has supposedly been rebuilt. There is no more adjustment in the adjusting bolt. Of course manual steering has some play but this is excessive. Also I noticed that the rod that runs from the pitman arm to the passenger side tie rod and the rod that is beneath it kind of flips up and down when the steering wheel is turned from side to side. I am not sure if this is supposed to work that way or may have something to do with the excessive play in the steering. Any ideas would be most appreciated...Thanks, Harry
68 Commando
- Thread starter harryld
- Start date
Collin the Hen
New member
My tie rod and steering arm are pretty tight. Not much help, but way to get an old Commando. They're sweet.
yo momma yj
New member
< my first Jeep Commando. It has excessive play in the steering, . There is no more adjustment in the adjusting bolt. Of course manual steering has some play but this is excessive.
the steering gear is designed high in the middle (and gets adjusted there with slop at either side. If some peon adjusted it at either side to stop the slop, the middle got crushed/worn excessively and you need new worm at least.
< Also I noticed that the rod that runs from the pitman arm to the passenger side tie rod and the rod that is beneath it kind of flips up and down when the steering wheel is turned from side to side.
that sounds like end joints aren't aligned to relieve stress or if the pitman shaft travels, a bearing...that steering box rebuild is suspect.
I bought a 68 Jeepster new (V6 w/ 3 sp. crap console shift... I changed it to a cane tower shift), and as I recall there's a plastic gizmo in the column shaft joint. sounds to me like the plastic part wore, and "the mystery shade tree mechanic" misdiagnosed and adjusted the box wrong in it's past.
the steering gear is designed high in the middle (and gets adjusted there with slop at either side. If some peon adjusted it at either side to stop the slop, the middle got crushed/worn excessively and you need new worm at least.
< Also I noticed that the rod that runs from the pitman arm to the passenger side tie rod and the rod that is beneath it kind of flips up and down when the steering wheel is turned from side to side.
that sounds like end joints aren't aligned to relieve stress or if the pitman shaft travels, a bearing...that steering box rebuild is suspect.
I bought a 68 Jeepster new (V6 w/ 3 sp. crap console shift... I changed it to a cane tower shift), and as I recall there's a plastic gizmo in the column shaft joint. sounds to me like the plastic part wore, and "the mystery shade tree mechanic" misdiagnosed and adjusted the box wrong in it's past.
