Power steering failure ???
- Thread starter Jerms
- Start date
GCM 2
New member
Pump failure= whining from pump, whining increase with rpm. Difficult and/or near impossible to turn front wheels at idle. Steering wheel will turn with increase of throttle above 1500-2200 rpms. However, at first start in morning or when fluid is cold, steering feels fine, can turn the front tires like nothing is wrong, may have the whine. As fluid heats, steering at idle becomes more and more difficult
Steering box failure= clunk in steering heard or felt when turning steering wheel. Play in wheel from 1/4 turn to as much as 1/2 a turn in steering wheel (maybe even more). When driving, there can be a big lag from the time you turn the steering wheel, to the time the front wheels actually start to turn. Feels like a free spot in the steering where nothing is going on.
Steering box failure= clunk in steering heard or felt when turning steering wheel. Play in wheel from 1/4 turn to as much as 1/2 a turn in steering wheel (maybe even more). When driving, there can be a big lag from the time you turn the steering wheel, to the time the front wheels actually start to turn. Feels like a free spot in the steering where nothing is going on.
JK12
New member
Is it a possibility that if the steering box fails it could have a lot of play in it and no clunk?
Have you done any work on your steering recently? If so, could be you just have air in your system.
WJCO
Meme King
Start by having someone turn your steering wheel back and forth (engine running and vehicle in park), while you look at ALL steering linkage underneath for play. Should be zero lateral play in all steering components. Very rare for steering box to have internal issues.
kyle521
Member
Already did that, did not see any issues. Only thing was my drag link was leaking a little grease in the linkage but did not have play in it. The 1/4 to 1/2 turn of play is not all the time, only occasionally when driving, but can be very dangerous if it happens at the wrong time.
WJCO
Meme King
The next thing I would do is the same test, have someone turn the wheel while you watch your gear box. When the input shaft going into the box turns, your output shaft at pitman arm should turn also. If the input shaft turns and the output shaft has a delay, it could be a box issue. Being that it is intermittent is VERY abnormal. I would look over all of your steering shaft/column connections too for any play.
Are you saying your whole steering wheel moves 1/4 to half turn before the wheels do? Like 90 degrees of steering wheel turn before vehicle actually steers?
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kyle521
Member
Yes, 1/4 to 1/2 turn at time before anything happens. However, this is not every time. It is hard to recreate while the jeep is parked, I have been unable to do so yet. It is only when driving and I take a turn, usually if i take the turn slow it may not happen, but it seems to happening more frequently.
WJCO
Meme King
I would check all of your steering linkage for loose bolts and also check around your steering column. Any recalls or dealer work done lately on the steering column area?
WJCO
Meme King
I would check around ball joints, lug nuts, steering linkage, adjustment collars, etc. That seems very unsafe. And very abnormal too.
Ddays
Hooked
I've been watching this thread but haven't had anything to add other than this: This situation with your Jeep looks like it could be potentially deadly to not only you but other drivers.
I don't want to be over dramatic here but having a 1/2 turn of intermittant play with your wheel isn't something to fuck around with. I'd have this checked out pronto before I drove it.
I don't want to be over dramatic here but having a 1/2 turn of intermittant play with your wheel isn't something to fuck around with. I'd have this checked out pronto before I drove it.
WJCO
Meme King
If this happened right after wheeling, I would visually look over everything for something obvious. Even a bent part really shouldn't cause anything like this. It seems more likely like something is very loose. Being that it's intermittent, I'm wondering if a tapered joint somewhere is slipping out, or something like that. I can't think of anything else that would do something like this. Or if you have a really bad spot in your gear box, but that is VERY abnormal too.
kyle521
Member
So I just went out and tried to look at it again. My steering box seems to be leaking, I can feel a good amount of oil on top of the pitman arm. Im fairly confident this is the issue after talking to some people and looking at it, but Im no expert. I would change it myself if I had the necessary tools at school with me, and I also dont want to snap the bolts holding it to the frame, which I have watch other people do on other vehicles
