Howdy folks. Been a long time since I last started a thread here, ha.

So I have an issue with my steering on my crawler.

Here's the specs,
1999 XJ lifted 4.5 inches, on long arms (3 link). Wagoneer Dana 44 front axle on 35" tires
Stock xj box and stock power steering pump.

I built the Heim steering system one year ago on the stock Dana 30 and transferred it over to the Dana 44 when I did the axle swap.

The issue have been happening since the day one I installed the Heim steering on the 30.

But as for right now, being on the 44, the issue is not wandering but it feel like it is. I adjusted the toe until it's 1/16 in, and it tracks straight, I set the castor angle to 84 degrees (6 degrees pinion angle). When I drive, and I steer in whichever direction I want to go, it would over steer and I would have to change directions slightly to compensate. Then from that point, it ll over steer again. I would have to constantly steer left to right slightly to keep it tracking straight. It's more scarier to drive on the highway.

Someone said my steering box could be going out. I don't want to shell out some pretty coin on a new box to find that it isn't the problem.

Anyone got experience with this issue?

 

Here's a picture of my steering set up

 

I thought you knew everything there is to know about Cherokees?

 

Have you checked your steering box bolts? May not be the issue but mine came loose once and it caused me to over steer every time and like you, I always had to move the steering wheel to keep straight. Almost like you see in older movies

 

hmm strange.. have you put it on a jack, have someone turn the wheels side to side and see if you see play at the pitman arm/steering shaft(the thing the pitman arm hooks to, cant recall name).

kinda push in the opposite direction of the turn on the tire and see if play happens at the P/A when its turning.


maybe a steering stabilizer will help

 

im like you, I learn something new everyday, I don't know it all, sorry to disappoint you.

I already checked and torqued the three bolts and the pitman arm nut a day ago. To no avail.


time for me to find a helper, ha. Someone did suggest a steering stabilizer, I'm considering that after finding the true root of the problem.

Other day, I tried to adjust the backlash on the box, loosened up the nut and the screw, turned the screw in until snug then back out 1/4 turn then lock it. The steering felt tighter but not in a good way and it didn't self center automatically, so I went back and loosen the screw n backed out additional 1/8 turn. The steering now self centers and feel tighter in a better way but the problem remain the same.

I'm thinking back to the day I installed it, I did give the pitman arm few good whacks with a BFH trying to take the arm off, could that cause something to break or whatever inside the steering box? I honestly don't think it has anything to do with my alignment because I had exact same problem on the d30 and the d44. But I'm open to suggestions.

I did experiment with toe setting from 1/8 in all the way to 1/8 out. Problem didn't go away.
I experimented with various castor angles from pinion pointing dead straight to the t case all the way to where it sits currently. Problem didn't change or go away.

Any other way I can verify or check if the steering gear box indeed is damaged or in need of replacement?

 

You didn't have that problem with the original steering? I put an UTK one ton steering linkage on my ZJ and had goofy steering and death wobble issues from the very start. Then I put my new wheels with 3.75 BS and 8 inches wide on, things got even worse. Dean wobble, bump steer, touchy steering feel, and the tie rod hitting the track bar bracket on the axle. The only upside of the kit was strength, but not worth all of the issues. I put the stock linkage with an RC tie rod and a dropped pitman arm back on and everything improved instantly. I now only have a tiny bit of bump steer.

 

my original factory steering with ZJ v8 tie tod never gave me any problems. It occurred when I put on the Heim steering.

I cannot go back to factory steering because the rocks are very unforgiving.

 

I am running Currie heavy duty steering on mine and have no complaints. No bump steer, no DW. Reason I went with Currie instead of 1 ton is because I read up on 1 ton steering and a few people had the same problem with the bump steer and DW.

 

I don't have bump steer or DW.

 

Sorry I wasn't referring to you.

 

PSC box at the very least, and maybe hydro steering.

 

PM sent

 

off topic , Is your rebuilt 44 spewing gear oil on both sides ?

 

no. That's actually from me bleeding the brakes.