Loose steering feels like it has play and drifts

[jeepthang]

Yes it does. I did it and was able to remove some of the slack in the center of the steering. However, this does not correct any wandering in the front end. Depending on who you ask, there are other things that help for that. My biggest improvement for wandering was Mopar LCA’s and a Teraflex Trackbar.

I have performed this adjustment twice on my 18 JLU and it has an immediate response at first but after a couple thousand miles loosens up and returns to normal. Not sure if the gears get worn down or not after some wear and tear but it did not seem to have a sustained effect on my AE steering box long term.

Sponsored

 

[Jeepileptic]

I have performed this adjustment twice on my 18 JLU and it has an immediate response at first but after a couple thousand miles loosens up and returns to normal. Not sure if the gears get worn down or not after some wear and tear but it did not seem to have a sustained effect on my AE steering box long term.

Interesting. Did the paint pin marks change location at all from where you adjusted them to the first time? Or were they right where you adjusted them to?

 

[jeepthang]

Interesting. Did the paint pin marks change location at all from where you adjusted them to the first time? Or were they right where you adjusted them to?

I went about 1/8 each turn or about 10 degrees clockwise from the original paint mark. Each adjustment had an impact on an improved and tighter steering feel, but like I said it eventually wears out and returns to the slop I began with.

 

[californiajeeping]

I went about 1/8 each turn or about 10 degrees clockwise from the original paint mark. Each adjustment had an impact on an improved and tighter steering feel, but like I said it eventually wears out and returns to the slop I began with.

Did the new location you moved the adjustment to change position when the slop returned?

 

[jeepthang]

Did the new location you moved the adjustment to change position when the slop returned?

I'll have to double check from the last adjustment I made but from the previous one it was in the same position.

 

[Jeepileptic]

I'll have to double check from the last adjustment I made but from the previous one it was in the same position.

About how many miles do you have on the AE box?

 

[Rdmitch]

I have performed this adjustment twice on my 18 JLU and it has an immediate response at first but after a couple thousand miles loosens up and returns to normal. Not sure if the gears get worn down or not after some wear and tear but it did not seem to have a sustained effect on my AE steering box long term.

so what happens when you wear the gears down till theres no teeth left?

 

[Rdmitch]

Jeep has that option on the Grand Cherokee, my wife’s 2020 you can do that on

doesn’t the adjustable Falcon stabilizer 2.2 accomplish a similar end result .
granted it’s not as easy as turning a dash knob....but on firm it’s crazy firm steering.

 

[jeepthang]

About how many miles do you have on the AE box?

I have about 7-8k on the AE box. Honestly I didn't notice any difference from the newer box, hence why I started making the adjustments.

 

[Warz2k4]

I have about 7-8k on the AE box. Honestly I didn't notice any difference from the newer box, hence why I started making the adjustments.

has adjusting it worked for you?

 

[sonchik]

If you are willing to try it, you can adjust the steering box. It is under the air intake hose and has a lock nut with an Allen wrench adjuster screw. Loosen the lock nut then (while holding the lock nut in place) turn the Allen adjustment screw about 1/8 turns clockwise. There are factory markings so you know the original set point. Then tighten the lock nut back down and notice if your adjuster screw marking is about 1/8 then past it’s original point to double check.

It is possible to get to the top without any wratchet extensions. You need to stick your arm down past the air intake hose. Some people say this is a bad idea so do your research and watch videos on YouTube.

It worked for me.

so many of us continue to experience this issue and some lately did what you did back in 2018. Someone at the end of this thread posted that he too did this adjustment but it worked for a couple thousand miles with slop returning. Since you did this so long ago was wondering if your steering still works well and this adjustment did the trick or if you experienced the return of the slop?

 

[INCRHULK]

I’m debating getting the synergy brace - my Jeep can wander to the right, even on roads with little or no crown.

 

[Rdmitch]

The Synergy brace may not help the wandering a lot.
I had it installed last week and have now experienced a full week driving with it on. I think it helped tighten up any looseness, but did very little for any steering corrections that need to be made while driving. Not to say it wont help your situation as everyone seems to have varied results. The YouTube videos have guys driving with one finger after the Sector Brace was installed claiming its the cure all. Me...not such luck. I think it helped and for my minor issues (which are not unsafe, radically uncontrollable steering) I feel better knowing I beefed up everything I could on the system. Other than a final alignment and castor adjustment I think I'm pretty much done with the process.

If you have really bad pulling only to the right it almost sounds like an alignment issue. The typical problems many have encountered with wandering is drifting both left and right as well as constant correcting to stay in a straight path.

 

[californiajeeping]

If you have really bad pulling only to the right it almost sounds like an alignment issue. The typical problems many have encountered with wandering is drifting both left and right as well as constant correcting to stay in a straight path.

The only alignments on a stock JL is total toe and steering center which doesn’t adjust left vs right but total. How would alignment affect pulling on a JL? I’m not doubting it, just curious technically how it would fix pulling.

Sponsored