Ok to steer Jeep with engine off?

[QwikKotaTx]

We have a real pain of a narrow driveway with 3 vehicles. I inevitably have to move one to go to work, etc. and for years I moved our 4Runner with the engine off and in neutral. It's a bear to turn the steering wheel to get the vehicle 90 degrees against the curb but don't want to start the engine only to turn it off seconds later. I did this today in the Jeep and once the front wheels hit the street the steering wheel spun very quickly to the right. I thought I sheared a pin between the column and the rack it moved so fast. Coming down the driveway the steering was very heavy in comparison. I started the engine and moved the Jeep back and forth a little and the steering seems normal but have not driven it on the road yet. Main question is did I damage something?

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[4-play]

I wouldn’t worry about it. You just didn’t have any power steering with the engine off. These things don’t have steering wheel locks because so many people flat tow them behind RV’s.

 

[QwikKotaTx]

I wouldn’t worry about it. You just didn’t have any power steering with the engine off. These things don’t have steering wheel locks because so many people flat tow them behind RV’s.

The steering went from super heavy (normal for no PS) to very light rapidly.

 

[4-play]

Hard to say without seeing the big picture. One wheel hit the street while the other was still on the driveway, etc… if something actually broke, it should be fairly obvious.

 

[jlcalifornia]

The steering went from super heavy (normal for no PS) to very light rapidly.

That likely happened because the angle of the road and how the tires were hitting it made it "want" to turn in that direction, so the steering wheel felt very light in that direction. If you had turned the other way it probably would have felt extremely hard. By the way, be careful doing this. You don't just lack power steering, but also power brakes.

 

[QwikKotaTx]

I was also hoping it was just due to the angle change of the road but that did not happen in the 4Runner.

 

[Reinen]

On a Jeep's Live Front Axle the steering can be turned both by the steering wheel and by the tires. The power steering counteracts tire induced turning when it's running, but it wasn't. That only left the steering stabilizer which only limits how fast/violent the tire induced steering can be.

Your 4Runner is IFS and it's different.

In your case you were likely forcing two well planted tires to turn without power steering in your driveway, which is difficult, then when you hit the road (likely at an angle with one tire first) the tires did want to turn and it was much easier to turn the wheel. Maybe reaching the point where you needed to grab the steering wheel to stop the tires from wanting to turn the wheel.

All completely normal. I doubt you broke anything.

Related story:
Back in the day, in my YJ, I approached a vertical rock with my passenger tire. Instead of climbing it, the wheel buckled, the front of the Jeep shifted left and forced a violent turn of the steering wheel to the right. I had my hand inside the steering wheel and the YJ steering wheel had flat metal bars from the center to the outside of the wheel that were like the back side of a knife (what are those called anyway?). It whacked the back of my hand something fierce putting hairline fractures in two bones.

That's how I learned to never put your hand or thumbs inside the steering wheel when off-road. I'm sure this is less likely to happen in a JL but if your power steering is failing it definitely can.

 

[QwikKotaTx]

On a Jeep's Live Front Axle the steering can be turned both by the steering wheel and by the tires. The power steering counteracts tire induced turning when it's running, but it wasn't. That only left the steering stabilizer which only limits how fast/violent the tire induced steering can be.

Your 4Runner is IFS and it's different.

In your case you were likely forcing two well planted tires to turn without power steering in your driveway, which is difficult, then when you hit the road (likely at an angle with one tire first) the tires did want to turn and it was much easier to turn the wheel. Maybe reaching the point where you needed to grab the steering wheel to stop the tires from wanting to turn the wheel.

All completely normal. I doubt you broke anything.

Related story:
Back in the day, in my YJ, I approached a vertical rock with my passenger tire. Instead of climbing it, the wheel buckled, the front of the Jeep shifted left and forced a violent turn of the steering wheel to the right. I had my hand inside the steering wheel and the YJ steering wheel had flat metal bars from the center to the outside of the wheel that were like the back side of a knife (what are those called anyway?). It whacked the back of my hand something fierce putting hairline fractures in two bones.

That's how I learned to never put your hand or thumbs inside the steering wheel when off-road. I'm sure this is less likely to happen in a JL but if your power steering is failing it definitely can.

Thank you for the details. I will drive it around the neighborhood to check but I am sure nothing broke. The steering is not any heavier than the 4Runner when the PS pump is running but that quick change in force worried me. The 4Runner was 2WD but doubt that matters, same steering setup.

Crazy story about the steering wheel causing fractures in your hand.

 

[Heimkehr]

the YJ steering wheel had flat metal bars from the center to the outside of the wheel that were like the back side of a knife (what are those called anyway?)

Spokes

 

[Pinky Tuscadero]

Just start it every time and end the worry

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