Hey guys,

So I went cruising on some trails this past weekend nothing major just exploring. I was turning on to a dirt road to head out for the night (it was dark) and there was a massive hole I couldn't see I just felt it. Front left wheel hits super hard can't recall hearing any specific noises. I get on the paved road and now the steering wheel is crooked. So I get home do a visual inspect everything looks ok so I adjust the drag link to center the steering wheel, all is straight and when I start driving now the wheel is about 45 degrees to the left. So I bring it back home, adjust it straight again, then when I drive now it's about 45 to the right. So something is definitely wrong, a buddy thinks it's my steering box broken/jumped teeth?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

i doubt you broke a tooth in your box otherwise you would have a big dead spot in steering. sounds like to me something is bent. look at the knuckle where the tie goes in. sometimes you cant see its bent until you go to align it. does it wander, shake or jump or anything like that? what do you feel when driving?

 

It does wander a little bit, aside from the steering wheel not being centered it mostly drives normal aside from the wandering. Steering is normal also turning left and right no nothing weird happens.

 

hmmm maybe throw it on a machine and laser check. some could just be off more than you think and needs to be readjusted.

 

Check for worn steering components. Then re align it.

 

Yeah but what would cause my steering wheel to keep not wanting to be centered even after it's centered by adjusting the drag link?

 

Ok any specific ones to look out for? I did just notice that my left tie rod ball joint is leaking now so looks like I busted that one. You think just that one ball joint would cause all this or is it more? Thanks!

 

ball joint wouldnt cause your steering wheel to be off center. what could is, since there are some many components to the steering, its possible that more than one piece is out of align. when you put it on the machine and straighten the wheel you have to adjust around that. its not uncommon for a wheel to be off center after a bad misalign.

 

If you have stock steering, you may have bent a tie rod

 

Ok I'm having my shop replace the tie rod ends today, he said it didn't look like it was bent but you never know. I'll report back after the ends are done. Would a bent tie rod not allow you to center the wheel like this?

 

YUP

 

Tie rods are what connects your steering to your wheels. Bent tie rod=crooked wheels

 

Thank you guys for all the feedback.

So had the drag link replaced as well as the outer tie rod ends and now all is well. I'm assuming it was a bent drag or combo of that with the busted left tie rod end. She's driving straight again (with the wheel straight).

 

"Leaking" rod ends are not a symptom of a failure. When they are greased the old grease has to go somewhere

 

Sorry poor choice of words the surrounding boot was torn.