I'm not too familiar with this, so cut me some slack (no pun intended). I can wiggle the steering wheel left to right about 4 inches and nothing happens. This isn't normal, is it? I went under the front end while a friend wiggled the wheel, and I can see the steering shaft leading into the steering box which has the pitman arm (I believe) attached to it. The shaft is moving along with the wheel, but the pitman arm barely even budges. What can I do? Also, is there supposed to be a big glob of oily looking stuff where the pitman arm attaches to the drag link?

Sorry if I didn't use proper terminology, but I'll learn as I go. Thanks in advance.

 

There is an adjustment screw on the top of the box. loosen the nut and use an allen wrench to adjust it in until there is no play, but not too tight to turn easily

 

How long have you had the sloppy steering? Have you ever
noticed leaks on your driveway under the pitman ? (steering boxes can
develop leaks at the pitman)

You can adjust the screw but if you do so too much, you can ruin
the steering box. Better to tighten a quarter of a turn clockwise at a time until
you get maybe just one or two inches of slop, which I would call normal.
Make sure you can turn the wheel lock-to-lock before you drive it on a road.
I once adjusted a box too much and it locked completely up on me when I
tried a U-turn.

Steering boxes can go bad and if adjusting doesn't help, they can
be replaced. Most people get a re-manufactured steering box. Quality
control on many of those is bad and they often have slop as well.
If you use a shop to replace it, make sure they give you a guarantee
to replace the box, labor included.

 

1-2" of slop may be -common- but it's not correct. My 95 has no slop - it isn't tight like a race car or anything, but if you turn the wheel the steering responds immediately.

Before you go diving into a new box or playing around with the setting - first I'd see if I could find an online video showing the steering box/pitman arm response as it relates to the input turning.
Check the steering shaft - there are non-servicable u-joints in it that can be bad.

The oil at the pitman arm, is it thin like oil or thick like grease? It may be grease from the tie rod at the pitman arm - if that tie rod is bad it will be very noticeable in the steering (aka - slop).

Be sure it's truly a bad gear before just going ahead with replacement - as others have noted - the replacement options are either hit or miss or expensive.

 

I replaced my steering gear box. It was no better than the old one !! Had to adjust both the end play and the gear mesh. Still sucks ! Not sure if a new one is available, but can just imagine what a new one would cost.. The service manual shows how to adjust it by the way...

 

There is no adjustment possible to compensate for wear.
So either buy a kit and rebuild your steering gear yourself (plenty of DIY videos on YouTube) or https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/du...-upgrade-3805/

 

Is this your' first Jeep by chance? I know when I got mine it took a month or two to get used the steering on these Jeeps, Jeeps drive completely different than a sedan. It's funny when I drive my Jeep for a while and then drive my mgm the steering seems twitchy because it's ifs and r&p so there's no slop. With that being said I can drive my Jeep at 75 mph, in the middle lane next to a semi and I feel %100 safe with just one hand on the wheel.

 

The problem is probably elsewhere than the steering box like the intermediate shaft u-joints, or any of the steering links. I'd look there before screwing with the steering box.

People always jump to the steering box anytime there is play in the system ...that's funny. Not that it couldn't be the box, but start with the basics (ball joints, steering link, intermediate shaft, etc).