calvinf1
Well-Known Member
No charge if you are under warranty and only doing the TSB. Your dealer or any dealers will try to tack on additional services outside of this tsb.
Sponsored
Sponsored
New JL Steering Issue TSB 08-074-20 (for "Improved Steering Feel")
LucidDreamer
Active Member
Right, that's what I thought as well. I am calling the service guy at the dealership to clarify if there would be any charges or additional services outside of the TSB. I think the alignment is what they may be slapping on for a extra buck but it is part of the TSB. You cannot really trust car dealers these days, all they want is your money. I have a good mechanic I can trust about an hour from my place but for this TSB sort of services you would need to take your car to the dealer.
calvinf1
Well-Known Member
I have a 2020 and I can tell you that they replaced the gearbox, updated the software, did an alignment (I asked for before and after sheet) along with an Enterprise rental car - all were covered under warranty and I walked out of the service department paying $0.00.
fat_head
Well-Known Member
While my Jeep is in the shop, I had the tech look to see if the software update (70F I think it's called, on the TSB) was done after they did the steering box a few months ago. It was not done. I had to walk the tech (the shop foreman of all people) through the TSB step by step and stood over his shoulder while he did it.
The software had not been updated. It is updated now.
The software had not been updated. It is updated now.
LucidDreamer
Active Member
Mine is 2020, so no sales code 70F update should be needed.
Sponsored
jeepfan30
Well-Known Member
When I login to Mopar and look under Dealer Installed Equipment it shows “Steering Pump & Iron Gear Service Plan”. Is that an indication that they installed the 70F update, or do I still need to ask for the Dealer Connect print out?
calvinf1
Well-Known Member
What year is your jeep?When I login to Mopar and look under Dealer Installed Equipment it shows “Steering Pump & Iron Gear Service Plan”. Is that an indication that they installed the 70F update, or do I still need to ask for the Dealer Connect print out?
Punknhed
Well-Known Member
i would think being this is a TSB regardless of if your in or out of warranty it should be covered. I had a fuel line issue with my cobalt at like 180k miles, found that my car fell within a tsb, called dealer, showed them the paper, they looked it up, and took care of it no charge. My Jeep is now at 42k has driven like crap from day one, and now that this new bullletin is out and seems to work i plan on talking to the dealer this week. i would hope that it would be taken care of free of charge seeings the update for the software looks like it just became available this year.
Sponsored
LucidDreamer
Active Member
There seem to be some variations among new cast iron gearboxes. Some people mentioned no play after the TSB was done and some still have some play or even worse than before.
It is really easy to tell if the steering slop is caused by the gearbox or something else in the links, like loose link joints, bolts, arms, etc. Ask someone to wiggle the steering wheel slightly (about 1" or more) with the engine off, so it only moves freely within its slop zone without any resistance so that the wheels do not move. At the same time - lean down to the front of the car and grab the pitman arm while the other person is wiggling the wheel. If you do not feel any tiny movement of the pitman arm - it is the problem with the new gearbox meaning that the gears are not engaged and have some slop inside. If you feel the arm moving just a bit while the wheels are not moving - it is linkage issues. It may be possible to adjust the steering screw on the new gearbox but it is not 100% guaranteed.
I just spent 30 minutes or so this evening and tried to tighten up the steering torque screw on my aluminum steering box hoping to eliminate the play completely. I did it right by unscrewing the main nut with the marker point first and then only turned the torque screw a tiny bit at a time to change the mesh point of gears inside the box. Even at about 100-120 degrees turned clockwise, it did not completely remove the play and that was a lot of adjustment. So I left it turned clockwise to about 35-37 degrees, tightened up the nut to its mark and it made the steering feel a little bit solid than before but still left more to be desired. Currently, it still has about 3/4" of free play which is not bad but not my favorite.
I hoped that if I could eliminate the play tonight by tightening the screw on my old gearbox - I would probably cancel the appointment and would not be willing to risk installing the new gearbox. Sounds like new gearboxes are like Russian roulette - you may get a lemon and it will have more free play than what you currently have. I am really concerned about the TSB appointment this week and may need to ask the dealer for Plan B if the new gearbox turns out to be worse than what I have in the car now.
jeepfan30
Well-Known Member
I tightened the set screw on top of the gear box on both my old aluminum box, and my new iron box. Both only felt slightly tighter afterwards, both still had some play afterwards. I've gone through all my steering linkage and ball joints. Many are reporting no play after this new TSB, I'm going to confirm that the 70F was applied and then see if the dealer will entertain installing yet another new iron box.
This isn't my first Wrangler, my last one was a lifted 2014 and it didn't have this much steering play.
LucidDreamer
Active Member
I really don't think the software update has anything to do with the play. This play is just mechanical movement of gears inside the gearbox. Because of wide tolerances during the manufacturing of those boxes in China (Made in USA, huh?) - some are good and some are not.
Some have tighter gears, some have more room in the mesh. The ESM software does not kick in yet when the engine is off. I think the software controls the steering force related to speed and other factors electronically but has nothing to do with the slop.
Jeep&dogs
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Jim
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2019
- Threads
- 48
- Messages
- 1,042
- Reaction score
- 1,333
- Location
- Cedar Lake
- Vehicle(s)
- 2020 JLUr
The software does come into play, and so does the variations in assembly. I have checked the over center torque spec on a few of these boxes and they are all over the board. What a lot of people I think are experiencing and describing as play is the torsional twisting of the spool valve. As you apply pressure to the steering wheel the first thing the input shaft does is twist the spool valve which opens up the circuit for the power assist. This all typically happens before the rest of the input shaft turns to start the movement of the sector shaft. The software effects the rate of pressure which alters how fast the assist will kick in. I also believe there is inconsistencies in the torsional force that is required to open the spool valve. And believe it or not but I do think that in some cases when people are cranking the wheel back and forth constantly trying to determine if they have play in the wheel or how much play they have in the wheel changes the way the spool valve works and over works it so to speak, now they end up with a bigger bead spot than they had previously.
LucidDreamer
Active Member
Ok, that's good to know, thanks. So if my steering still has some slop after the TSB is done - should I insist on checking if the latest version is 70F? All I really want is eliminate the play while driving without introducing new steering issues, like pulling left/right, dead zone changes, alignment, etc.
Sponsored
