nolan in blaine

94 Cherokee with a 4L and an auto. When turning, the steering does not correct its self when i let go of the wheel. At any speed. whether in a parking lot or doing 50 on the highway.

My girlfriend wont drive it when its like this. What do i do?

DougyFresh

check power steering fluid would be my first piece of advice

nolan in blaine

I have and its right where it is supposed to be. Never leaks. What else do ya think?

caged

is it lifted? an improper caster setting may be the problem.

irs009

It's the toe in that sets the caster on XJ's. Sounds like your problem.

nolan in blaine

Its not lifted the suspention is all totally stock. If you still think thats it ill go get an alignment on payday. But im planning on doing UC grand cherokee springs and 2" spacers soon. I have to get another alignment then anyway dont i? Should i just wait or no?

wildbill1

It could be the u-joints in your front axle shafts or ball joints. My XJ was the same way when I bought it...steering was stiff and the steering wheel wouldn't center after turning. The local alignment shop told me it was the axle shaft u-joints, but it wound up being the passenger side ball joints.

nolan in blaine

That sounds like a drag. Ive had it a lift and checked for play in things... I didnt find any. Ill take it in and get it checked out. Thanks alot guy

wildbill1

With mine there wasn't any play. The ball joints on the passenger side were rusted damn near solid. You might want to jack up the front end and start disconnecting tie rods and checking for where the binding is.

Be careful about just taking it in and taking the shop's word for it. The alignment shop I use was ready to charge me $250 to change the u-joints in the front axles and that wouldn't have fixed it anyway. I took everything apart, changed my own axle u-joints ans found the ball joint problem and changed those as well. It cost me much less than $250 to change both the axle joints and the ball joints myself.

caged

yup, my second guess. and most likely the problem.

mcssls

toe has nothing to do with caster. Read up on it, toe is the tires pointing in or out from center equally. Caster is the front to rear tilt of the ball joints from vertical

nolan in blaine

thanks guys. When the snow melts im on it.

irs009

mcssls, Their is no caster adjustment on an XJ so the only way to change it is is with the camber and toe in.

TheGreatGazoo

Yes there is.
Caster adjustment on an XJ is made by moving the lower control arms forward or backwards at the point where the control arm mounts to the uni-body. you do this by loosing up the piviot bolt and the 2 bolts right behind the bushing then adding or removing shims as needed. when lifting either longer LCA's are needed or sometimes on a small lift 1-2" just adding some shims will work and get you close and work. if you dont get the caster within range you get what is called a shopping cart effect and the front wheels will not streighten out when you let go of the wheel. the angle has to be set where the lower balljoint is slightly out to the front than the top ball joint.

TheGreatGazoo

a pic of the shim