Steering box play?

Wombat

Wombat

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 18, 2018
Messages
333
Location
Melbourne VIC, Australia
Steering box was replaced about a year ago but lately I noticed too much slop while driving down a straight road, I seem to have too much lateral movement, thoughts?


Taken from above looking down, head toward the steering wheel (RHD)

Thanks!
 
I have to agree with BBR... The bearings are worn probably due to too much preload.
Not sure what type of warranty there is on the steering box; but I would research to see if any remains.
You should address that problem before the seals start leaking which will probably happen at the most inopportune time...
 
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Didn't think the steering linkage should have lateral slop like that but I needed some reassurance, thanks! I'll have the supplier to take a look as soon as they ease our lockdown situation.

Should I be concerned the shaft might fail while driving?
 
Didn't think the steering linkage should have lateral slop like that but I needed some reassurance, thanks! I'll have the supplier to take a look as soon as they ease our lockdown situation.
Click to expand...

If that is the lower steering linkage we are looking at then it looks like the your carrier bearing is worn out and so is the bearing at the input shaft of the steering box. Need to change both or one will wear out the other, which is probably what happened.
 
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John Scoggins said:
Looks like it is tight seeing how the input shaft of the steering box is moving with the steering shaft. The input shaft should have no play at all.
Click to expand...

How can you tell the input shaft has play from that video? If the pinch bolt is loose or missing the steering shaft will wobble like that.

I would be shocked if the input had that much play and wasn’t pouring fluid out...
 
How can you tell the input shaft has play from that video?
Click to expand...

Because you can see it move.

The steering linkage and input shaft to the steering box move together with no slop between the two from what I can see.
 
John Scoggins said:
Because you can see it move.

The steering linkage and input shaft to the steering box move together with no slop between the two from what I can see.
Click to expand...

No you can’t. You can only see the steering shaft move. The input shaft to the box is a tiny little splined nub that you cannot see in this video. There is a pinch bolt on the end of the steering shaft that’s job is to hold the shaft tight to the input. If it isn’t tight the shaft will wobble.
 
I would be shocked if the input had that much play and wasn’t pouring fluid out...
Click to expand...

I would agree maybe it does not have power steering, here is what I think I am looking at

steering shaft.jpg
 
Here is a lower steering shaft

F2571B13-5E9D-43AE-976F-D01D1336DEAA.jpeg

Here are 2 styles of gearboxes used on TJ’s. You can see the small splined input shaft. The box on the left has a protective cover on the shaft.

48508889-F3EE-49A4-8A30-E9C6A71E3D80.jpeg

We are not looking at the carrier bearing.
 
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Yup, replaced several, including the box on my 2004. But if that is not the carrier bearing, and not the input shaft, what am I looking at?
 
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