Loose steering
 

So as the tile says, my jeep has had loose steering ever since I got it aligned at pepboys and its been a wile..so I was just wondering how you guys would go about fixing it. Its got about 2" either way of 'dead space'. Would you just tighten it one direction instead of both, like how you get it centered? Also I dont know if it matters or not but it does it most when I'm on a hilly country road, going up and down at about 55.

Sorry if this is a completely nooby question.

Thanks,
- Zack

Check to make sure the steering box is bolted down good and tight.

Pep boys huh.. why not take it back to them? That is, if you're saying there was NO play before the alignment, and now there is.

Check all the steering components, starting with the rod coming from the steering wheel. Jack the front up, and have someone else turn the wheel. You should see the steering column turning. That goes into the gear set that turns both wheels. See if when the main rod is turning, the 2 rods coming out of that gear box are turning as well. If not, replace the rack and pinion.

Um... the steering gear can be adjusted if that is determined to be the problem. As mentioned, check all the *other* steering components first. If you determine the problem is in fact the gear, read this (the article is for a wrangler, but the steering gear is the same as an XJ):

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f12/s...riteup-498155/