So I went to get my jeep inspected after working on it for the last three months... noticed play in the steering wheel, and just replaced the upper and lower ball joints and the steering stabilizer... well, here is the dumb question, because it has been escaping me all day...

What is the part called that the steering stabilizer goes on... The inspection place wrote steering stabilizer bar so I knew what they meant, but i just can't remember what it is called. It is bad, and I need a new one, but hard to find when you can't remember the name... And I am thinking of going heavy duty, with the lift and all, so if you have any personal experience with a brand you trust, please share.

Thanks again.

 

here ya go

 

That's a great pic for a noob!

 

hell, thats a great pic for veteran !

 

drag link. some suppliers call it long tie rod.

maybe by "stabilizer bar", they might mean "track bar" or "sway bar"???

 

www.jcroffroad.com

 

So would you guys suggest replacing the whole thing, or just the ends? I got to wait til the first to order parts... (GI BILL BAH), but i think i am going to do the whole thing. I should, right?

 

if it's the drag link, you have to replace the whole thing. it doesn't have a replaceable tie rod end, only the pitman arm rod end is replaceable, so unless that one is bad, i wouldn't even pop it off the pitman arm. you can just unscrew the long tie rod (drag link) off of it.

 

Thanks, and yeah, when I lifted my wrangler i had to deal with the pitman arm.... eck. So, how do I tell which part is bad? if i shake it will it move?

 

have someone inside the jeep and shake the steering wheel back and forth just through the "play" cycle till it starts to move the links.

then get under the front end and look at all the tie rod ends to be sure there is no side to side play.
sometimes you may have to feel the knuckle or connections to feel for any play.
rotational movement is acceptable, you're looking for any side to side or up/down movement.