So today I was leaving a parking lot and turned the wheel to full lock and the power steering box made a horrible pop. It sounded like someone took a wrench and hit the frame. I could feel it in my feet two. I started to try to replicate the sound and I found that it only happens at full lock, and it will only happen if you go from full lock to full lock. It wont do it if you say, go all the way driver, center, and then driver again. And it is defiantly coming from the steering box area. Any ideas?

1997 xj.

 

Check to make sure the unibody around the box isn't cracked - it's known to be a weakspot there.

Do you have a steering box brace?

 

From what I can see there are no cracks. And no I don't have a brace. Its next on my list. It just seams weird to me that it only does it if I go from lock to lock.

 

This morning on the way to work it did it again in a 10mph turn. So it seams to do it under stress.

 

Spacer is prolly shot

 

Mine just started doing the same thing after my last trail run. I've got a brace and no cracks on mine, I don't know what it is. Mine doesn't pop while moving though. I'm thinking about replacing the box with a durango box and going with hydro assist. I'll let you know if I find anything out.

 

You sure it isn't tie rod end popping?

 

Or the tbar mount? Frame side.

 

Check to make sure the spacer is good. IMO, just replace it with C-rock's, TNT's, or IRO's. Also make sure the bolts are torqued to 65 ft/lbs.

 

i had this exact same thing going on with my jeep.... fyi its more than likely not the steering box, min was the track bar mount being wallowed out something you might want to look at.

 

I've got a rock crawler track bar and mount with a heim joint on the frame side. Maybe the joint went bad?

 

The frame side track bar was a little loose. Thanks for all the help guys!

 

Mine does the same thing it did not start doing it until i put a new adjustable t bar on it I think its coming from that as it did not do it till the new install.