jedijeb

This morning when I was pulling out of the driveway I heard a slight pop when turning the steering wheel. At work I had someone turn the wheel as I listened and with the hood up I could hear a barely audible pop when the wheel is turned with the engine off. It seems that the steering box is moving slightly back and forth as the wheel turns. Would this simply be loose bolts, cracked frame rail, or possibly the spacers behind the box?

This is an 85xj with 2.5L. All original except for adding in the WJ tierods. I hope to be able to get in there and check it all out this weekend if the weather doesn't turn off rainy or snowy, not pleasant to work in the open when it is like that Just wondering where to start and what to look for.

sid06

I have a 95 RHD and it had cracks in the frame rail under the steering gear

downs

I'd go though and make sure everything is nice and tight, inspecting for cracks or worn components along the way. Ensuring everything is tight and looking around is free.

GreaseMonkey17

jedijeb

I will check that too but I hope it isn't that since it was replaced two years ago when I upgraded the tie rod.

jedijeb

Going to be cold on the weekend but if no rain I should be able to get under there. I don't think I heard it today, but isn't easy to hear above the engine and other noises this thing makes

If there is a crack there in the frame rail, would one of the plates that goes under the steering gear and has the brace that connects to the opposite side be a fix for that?

sid06

dry ball joints will make a popping sound too

dave1123

Sometimes the internal ball bearings that are the actual gear teeth fracture and start catching in the roller grooves causing a popping sound. The steering gear is a recirculating ball type in which there are ball bearings in a tube that feed thru the worm and sector and then thru the tube back into the other end, so it sound doesn't happen with any regularity, just occasionally, unless many of they are fractured. This happened on my Chevy truck after I hit a rock with the pitman arm. Both the Chevy and jeeps are Saginaw.

jedijeb

I grease the uppers regularly, but the lowers don't have a fitting on them. Thinking about replacing them since they are 30+years old and I know the original owner never changed them. Remarkably for an 85 model it still only has 185K miles and I put the last 40k on it myself in four years.

Original front suspension parts are upper and lower ball joints and all control arm bushings. The rest I have replaced or upgraded since I got it, and I bought it from the original owner. Needing a set of rear springs and bushing too, but trying to get the front done first.

jedijeb

Been thinking about replacing the steering gear since it leaks just enough to need to fill the reservoir about every 6 months. New gear and hoses would pretty much complete the front suspension and steering with the above listed maintenance.