1998xj4.0

I have 98 Cherokee lifted 4.5" and has 32x11.5s on it with 15x8 wheels ofsetted to 3.75". Nothing is touching underneath when turning but my turning radius on the driver side is not as good as the passenger side. I did take the steering box out because I installed new bumper brackets but I'm not sure if maybe I didn't install back the same. Everything feels good. What could it be?

freegdr

Count turns from center to full lock both ways are they equal ?

andrewmp6

Do you have stock steering ?And is your steering wheel centered when you drive?

1998xj4.0

Yes I have stock steering. And yes my steering wheel is centered after I adjusted my drag link.

1998xj4.0

I just checked and getting almost 2 full turns to the right and 1-1/4 turns to the left. My steering wheel is centered as well.

TRCM

Sounds to me like you put the steering box back in, but the input & output shaft got rotated somehow while out, so they are not in the same spot as when you removed it.

Is the steering input shaft keyed so it can only go on 1 way ?? (I've never had the shaft off the steering box on a cherokee)

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1998xj4.0

I did not remove the pitman arm, the shaft isn't keyed that I can tell.

freegdr

Was it even b4 ?

1998xj4.0

As far as I can remember.

krazynezz

Was it already lifted before you removed the steering box? Lifting will obviously change your geometry.
Does your steering box bolt through the new bumper brackets? If it didnt before this will have shifted the bix over a little.
Do you have an adjustable track bar? Your axle may not be centered under the jeep causing the steering to be off center.

TRCM

If the shaft isn't keyed, then I'm wondering if the steering wheel got turned some, so that now when the box & pitman arm are centered, the steering wheel ain't.

One thing you can do is try to center it using the draglink adjustment. I think you are off about 1/2 a turn of the steering wheel. I want to say mine is ~ 1 3/4 turn each direction. If this doesn't work, then below:

1) center the tires/steering linkages (pitman arm, drag link & tierod) so that the tires are straight
2) disconnect the steering shaft from the steering box
3) center the steering wheel by rotating this shaft (be careful doing this, as I am not sure if you can mess up the turn signal cam or clock spring if you go too far)
4) reconnect the steering shaft back to the box
5) this should get you close enough that the draglink adjustment will let you fine tune it.

1998xj4.0

My was lifted before I took out the steering box. My box bolts through the brackets and replaced the spacer with a steel one. But it should still be in the same spot because I just bought longer bolts to compensate the bracket plate.