Almost over night my jeep went from perfectly fine to having a developed steering issue. At any speed, when you turn the wheel more than an inch the steering wheel moves one direction about an inch and then the opposite direction about an inch or two (almost as if the jeep is in 4wd on pavement but its not). The movement is rhythmic and increases with speed increase. I looked around and found some post with people having similar issues and were saying axel u joints, ball joints, and tie rod ends. Checked the u joints and there does not appear to be any play in the wheels (when shaking them) Started shaking on some steering linkage and found the drag arm had about an inch of play in it so I replaced it, pitman arm tie rod end, and the other two lower tie rod ends. The jeep is still doing it and I am baffled, I am starting to lean more towards a seized u joint but I don't know how to check this without pulling the axels. Just wondering if there is a way to check or if anyone has any other ideas? It is an 01 cherokee 4wd with 3.5 inch lift on it, stock drop pitman arm

 

First it's not DW, not even close. Jack the front of the vehicle, support it with stands. Climb underneath turn the wheels to full left rotate the tires while looking at both joints, turn full right, same idea. If either axle moves up & down of the joint tries to tear itself apart you have located an issue. A U-joint cap covered in "rust dust" (remnants of needle bearings) are a sure sign as well.

 

sorry for the delayed response but I was finally able to get back to working on it today. I jacked up the jeep and started turning the wheels, when the wheels are strait the drivers side wheel has a point at which it begins to be stiffer to turn whereas the passenger wheel turns freely. When the wheels are turned either direction, even the slightest bit, the passenger side wheel starts to bind. would this be indicative of bad axle u joints or maybe driveshaft u joints? i also pulled the diff cover to make sure the differential was not locked up and everything seems to be turning well in the differential.

 

Bad axle u-joints can also be seen (really overblown example):



Might as well change both axle shaft u-joints and unit bearings as well. A little expensive upfront but less worries down the road.