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Play in the steering wheel

1K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  Brown Dog 
#1 ·
Hello all,

I'm new here and to jeeps. I'm checking one out to purchase (1998) Wrangler 4.0. I took it for a test drive and noticed that there seemed to be play in the steering wheel. I don't know if this is just the characteristics of the jeep or is there something that I could do to improve it.
 
#2 ·
Please fill out your profile and you will get more responses. Could you describe the play a little more? Is it the column itself moving up and down and left to right or is the play more like when you turn the wheel it doesn't seem to turn right away?
 
#4 ·
if its a 98 it will be a TJ. If it goes up and down its just a mater of taking most the colmn apart and tightening some bolts. if its play in the actual steerting it may be pitman arm, steering box, steering linkage and a few other peices that could need to get replaced or even a combination. Do a search loose steering and you should be able to come up with soem good ways to find out what is going loose. Sometimes its a cheap fix somtimes its not! or you can use it as some leverage to talk the price down... otherwise the steering really shoudlnt have much play in it at all.
Sorry guys it's an 89.

The play is left to right
 
#3 ·
if its a 98 it will be a TJ. If it goes up and down its just a mater of taking most the colmn apart and tightening some bolts. if its play in the actual steerting it may be pitman arm, steering box, steering linkage and a few other peices that could need to get replaced or even a combination. Do a search loose steering and you should be able to come up with soem good ways to find out what is going loose. Sometimes its a cheap fix somtimes its not! or you can use it as some leverage to talk the price down... otherwise the steering really shoudlnt have much play in it at all.
 
#5 ·
If it is play in the actual steering, check all tie-rod ends, including the drag link ends. This is usually it. If it's the entire steering column, it is attached to the firewall with bolts and to the instrument panel with a bracket.
 
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