krism71

I have a 2000 cherokee sport 4 door. Completely stock. 95k miles on it.

It seems to wander in the lane a bit, there is no death wobble even at close to 90 mph. I seem to feel the body "shift" or move at a delayed response (if that makes sense).

The ball joints look good.

I replaced the track bar.

I also had someone sit in it when running and turn the steering wheel back and forth. It looks like there is quite a bit of slop. The body will move back and forth while before the wheels start to move. I can see it shifts from where the control arms bolt to both the frame and axle. Should there be play/slop in there?

I am not sure what the normal movement is, if any all?

Any ideas?

richardsondj

They make a steering box brace that my step dad bought and he said it helped him out a lot because he has the same slop you were describing it is a pricy part but definitely worth looking in to.

http://www.boostwerksengineering.com...Brace_p_8.html

Check out that link.

Rambler65

I get a little of that too, but it's not really bad; I'm used to old domestic iron from the 1950s and 1960s that exhibit a lot more slop than this has. If someone has only driven with the rack-and-pinion setup on late-model cars it would definitely feel strange. After a minute of driving the muscle memory from the old days kicks in and I don't even notice it.

I ascribe this mainly to a little play in the steering box, about an inch in either direction from center. That brace is wild though, it's like bolting another frame member in place! Probably overkill for on-road use.

krism71

The steering box nor does the frame flex. The slop is somewhere between the frame and axle. I can see the axle and control arms move laterally when someone move the steering wheel back and forth.

I'm just not sure if the should be any in the control arm bushing area? What's normal?

krism71

I have a 93 wrangler as well, and there is comparison. The wrangler is spot on.

Not sure if the 2 are even comparable.

toasterknight

The slop could either be in the steering linkage which would likely cause death wobble or it could be in the steering box itself. If its in the steering box there is a set screw and bolt on to. Tighten the set screw 1/4-1/2 turn at a pop and then drive it until the slop just disappears. If you go too tight it will cause unnecessary binding in the steering box and extra wear.

Rambler65

I was thinking of tightening up that steering box adjustment a bit, though the play it currently has I'd consider to be just on the outside of "in spec" for a recirculating ball box. No wobble or shimmy, just a small amount of play in the box itself. (Pitman arm doesn't move until the steering wheel is rotated about an inch in either direction.)

The lateral movement described by the original poster here sure sounds like there's worn bushings. You'll get a little bit of back and forth between the axle and body as the suspension moves up and down due to the arc described by the track bar, but back-and-forth movement due to steering alone sounds suspicious. (Then again I'm new to the XJ and hardly an expert on these front ends.)

MtnGoat

IMHO No slop or movement is acceptable from the control arm bushings.

JandDGreens

I had a horrible issue with my steering like you are describing, There were several contributing factors to the problem. The bushings in control arms where the uppers mount to the frame were totally shot. And the bracket on the axle that the track bar mounts to was loose. Replaced all the bushing, put a larger grade 8 bolt through the bracket plus welded it solid. Now it goes where ever I point it.

SeriousOffroad

How did you check your balljoints?

toasterknight

I'm lucky about my jeep I want it tight like rack and pinion so I typically adjust mine until it starts to bind and the loosen it a hair.

krism71

I used the traditional method while on a lift. I also had it on stands then put a floor jack under the wheel and lifted it. I didn't see any movement.

I just replaced the lower control arms and it improved it quite a bit.

But I also forgot to mention, I am hearing a clunk that can also be felt . It seems to be coming from the gear box area when I move the wheel back and forth about 4 inches or so..

I am planning on changing out the upper control arms as well. But the noise is now my concern.

Bugout4x4

Absolutely, we used to refer to this as "Understeer". The upper control arms tend to check these lateral forces more than the lowers do aside from the track bar of course. I always wondered why they didn't design more lateral angle in the lowers to help with countering these lateral forces too?