slack in steering wheel

[jeeper1]

i've recently noticed that there is a little slack in my steering wheel.i tried adjusting the nut on the steering knuckle,drove it,adjusted again,drove it.not a bit of difference.is it suppose to be turned up or down to take out slack or might i have different issues.thanks for your help and/or advice.by the way i don't drive it over 45 mph because of the looseness.seems to handle better at lower speeds.

 

[dalefan88]

check all your tierod ends and make sure there is no slop i them.

 

[jeeper1]

thanks dalefan.i've been checking the bigger things for looseness,fitting and even the steering gear arm and other things thinking it might have something to do with the steering knuckle.maybe it is just the tie rod ends,butyou never know with these old jeeps,right.thanks for the info and hope you have a great day.

 

[LongHorn]

You might check the rag joint in the steering column, if you've checked everything else.

 

[Old Dog]

Check the steering shaft, could be the joint as longhorn said.
Have someone turn the steeringwheel as you watch to see what moves,(tie rod ends ect.) don't forget to check the box mount as they come loose sometimes.
You should be able to see slop in something.
Be careful which screw you move in the box as one of them adjusts the bearing and not the gear.

 

[jeeper1]

hey longhorn thanks for the info but can you please tell me what a rag joint is.unless it has a different name i'm not sure what that is.is it where the upper steering rod,coming from steering wheel, connects with the lower steering rod connecting to the knuckle.

 

[jeeper1]

thanks to you also old dog,i'll put that on my list too.as the saying goes Just Empty Every Pocket.

 

[coldwater]

hey longhorn thanks for the info but can you please tell me what a rag joint is.unless it has a different name i'm not sure what that is.is it where the upper steering rod,coming from steering wheel, connects with the lower steering rod connecting to the knuckle.

I can't supply a pik, but the rag joint is found on earlier models of most vehicle steering shafts. Open the hood, and follow the steering shaft down towards the steering box, right at the end there will be a thick piece of heavy material that seperates the steering shaft, and acts like a U-joint. It's there to ensure that the shaft wont bind when turning. On ocasion the "rag" or that piece of heavy material will fail and part can tear loose causing the steering to be a little loose. try doing as suggested and check for anything that moves. If nothing really seems out of source, try jacking the front end off the ground so both wheels are free, and check again. Sometimes the steering box is just worn out and needs to be changed out.

 

[jeeper1]

thanks coldwater,i'll check that out also.i looked at mine yesterday but didn't have time to fully do what you mentioned.my lawn service keeps us kind of busy most of the time,but i'll check it out this weekend.thanks again.