I have a 89 Cherokee w/ a Rough Country 5 inch lift on it 31 x 10.5 x R15. when im driving on the interstate it sways side to side really bad. i took it to a shop and had a mechanic look at it. he said it was the gears in the steering box.

Is that common with these jeeps?
Any suggestions on what i could do to fix it?

thanks,
johnny

 

havent ever heard that

 

Make sure and go over every nut and bolt in the front suspension verifying that it all is torgued correctly. Give your track bar a good shake. If it moves at all it's bad or not tightened correctly. check out your steering dampener and see it it is worn or leaking. You might get your front tire balancing re-checked.

 

Oh, and check all of the tierod ends in your steering to see if any are worn and need replaced. The lift will put accessive wear on all of the componants I mentioned. I have my XJ lifted 6 inches. You just have to check everything periodically and replace anything that goes bad right away.

 

You say sway and I think of a sail boat going side to side..

Do you mean that it will wander and you are always having to correct it?

Your steering box could be worn and there is an allen head on the top of the steering box. You loosen the nut, tighten the allen head and retighten the nut. Check play in box. Do not rotate the allen head more than about a 1/4 turn so you do not cause any binding in the box.

 

yes. like it will go left and then i'll correct it, then it wants to go right. so im constantly having to correct it.

 

Just adjust the steering box. All it takes is an allen wrench and an open end wrench. That will cure it and it won't cost you anything.

 

Still sounds like worn track bar bushings to me.