Hard Steering

[dekr]

I've an 89 YJ and over the last week or so it's become noticably more difficult to steer. At higher speeds there's a little more resistance than usual when guiding the jeep left or right. At low speed, like when parking, it'll be tough then sometimes ease up a bit before going back to being tough, all in one turn. It also doesn't return to center as easily as it ought after a turn.

The power steering pump isn't leaking, the belt is tight, there's no leakage from the PS box. I noticed the issue a day or two after I'd replaced the driver side ball joints and had the car aligned.

I don't know if this is related or not, but when I cranked the wheel hard right and went a little, there was a large CLUNK. It only happened twice and seems to have gone away despite attempts to duplicate the situation. A couple of people have shaken things around and jimmied my wheels up and down, but they say everything looks tight - u-joints, wheel bearings, tie rods and whatnot.

Gears inside the PS box? Steering damper? Help?

 

[Utah_jeepster]

Hey ya dikr we just had a 2002 jeep with near the same problem http://www.jeepz.com/forum/cj-yj-tj-jk/25698-tight-steering-2002-wrangler.html.

It was his steering box. OOPS! put the solution before the fix sorry.

 

[mud4feet]

Hey ya dikr we just had a 2002 jeep with near the same problem http://www.jeepz.com/forum/cj-yj-tj-jk/25698-tight-steering-2002-wrangler.html.

It was his steering box.

And if you read that thread, DON'T, DON'T, DON'T take it to the stealership!!!!!!

 

[tryon]

I just posted an update on my steering problem with the 2002 Jeep. It was not the steering box as the Chrysler dealership had said! They did replace the steering box but it was a little worse that it was when I took the car in for evaluation. Back to square one.

 

[SteelHeadz]

Mechanical or hydraulic? . 2 directions to go. The hydraulic portion can be tested with a power steering pressure analyzer. This will help determine if the issue is caused by a restriction or a failed component. The mechanical portion of the steering is as simple as disconnecting the link between the steering gear box to the steering linkage. If the steering turns freely with the steering link disconnected then i would check the steering components for binding. If it's still stiff, check the gear box up towards the steering column. The dealership should have performed a hydraulic test prior to replacing the steering gear box. A rule of thumb when replacing a steering gear box or a powersteering pump, replace the pressure line as well. 9 out of 10 times, when a catastrophic failure of the powersteering gear box or pump is found, a large amount of debris get's stuck on the restriction valve on the pressure line.

 

[dekr]

Awesome post for narrowing down a steering problem, Steelheadz.

Seeing as the problem happened so conveniently soon after the ball joint job, I'm thinking it's something mechanical. I probably distrubed the copious amounts of rust and grease integral to holding the damned thing together. The more I think about it, the more I'm betting on a bad axle u-joint. There's no clicking but the binding at low speeds seems almost cyclic, and I didn't like the

Whatever's wrong, I've no time to check it out until Sunday. It's my daily driver, so let's hope I make it until then!

 

[volaredon]

Awesome post for narrowing down a steering problem, Steelheadz.

Seeing as the problem happened so conveniently soon after the ball joint job, I'm thinking it's something mechanical. I probably distrubed the copious amounts of rust and grease integral to holding the damned thing together. The more I think about it, the more I'm betting on a bad axle u-joint. There's no clicking but the binding at low speeds seems almost cyclic, and I didn't like the

Whatever's wrong, I've no time to check it out until Sunday. It's my daily driver, so let's hope I make it until then!

I had an axle U joint go bad on me on my XJ; poor return of steering, wanted to "drift"/pull slightly the last direction it was steered from straight, and yeah it did "gain resistance" to input from the steering wheel; they are cheap, your Jeep being an 89 (20 years!) I'd be surprised if you DIDN'T need wheel-U-joints!