ZJ Laredo Steering is Loose and Loud

Az-Green · 01-20-2010, 10:11 AM

Okay.. So I have a 1994 ZJ Laredo and everything is wonderful. Almost everything that is.. My steering is very very loose. I'll have to turn about 2 inches either way before the wheels actually turn and when I have to make a sharp turn I hear a weird *** noise. It's only when I hav to make that sharp turn or turn my tires to the left or right when I'm at a stand-still.

Any suggestions?

4.5 RE Suspension Lift
32 inch Tires
15x8 Wheels
1 inch Body Lift

lateralus3 · 01-20-2010, 11:00 AM

how the hell do you have a 1 inch body lift on a unibody. have somone get in the jeep and turn the steering wheel back and forth while you are under it and look for any parts that may be loose

JesseOR · 01-20-2010, 11:14 AM

^thats what I wanna know!

RhinofiedZJ · 01-20-2010, 11:16 AM

Probably worn draglink or TRE's.

**UltimatE** · 01-20-2010, 11:34 AM

You have severely worn steering components ... Start at the firewall and check the lower steering shaft, then the steering box (lower shaft moves, but pitman arm does not means excessive play in the steering box), then from there your drag link and the ends of the drag link.

aintnothang · 01-20-2010, 01:24 PM

My xj was like this, it was terrible. I could steer with 1 finger.

jackitorslamit · 01-20-2010, 01:28 PM

Had this issue. Changed some tie rod ends and it ended up being the steering box just being old and worn out. So I changed that and a leaking power steering pump and BAM tight.... body lift? how did you possibly do that?

BigRed4x4 · 01-20-2010, 01:33 PM

Surprised you don't have DW. My steering turned out to be a bad upper TRE.

Az-Green · 01-21-2010, 10:02 AM

I honestly have no idea with the body lift. I didn't ask my mechanic. He knows his ****. He made it happen. I just told him what I wanted and he fabricated something for me. It works so I'm not gonna complain.

JrMechanic · 01-21-2010, 10:07 AM

Well for future reference, your mechanic doesn't know everything. I'd second guess how much he knows if he says you have a 1" body lift.

wsar10 · 01-21-2010, 10:12 AM

^^understandable on your end...but if you hav a mechanic that sells you a body lift for a uni-body vehicle i'd jump ship before he sales you a new diode for your door handle !!!

rugermack · 01-21-2010, 10:20 AM

A body lift is impossible on a unibody such as your grand cherokee. I hope it didn't cost you much. The frame is part of the body and can not be separated to install said lift. Do you mean spacers on top of the coil springs ?

**UltimatE** · 01-21-2010, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Az-Green

I honestly have no idea with the body lift. I didn't ask my mechanic. He knows his ****. He made it happen. I just told him what I wanted and he fabricated something for me. It works so I'm not gonna complain.

Your rig should be in a 4x4 magazine as an engineering marvel if he made a 1" body lift for a Grand Cherokee.

**ArloGuthroJeep** · 01-21-2010, 11:03 AM

Moving on from the "body lift" folks

Az-Green what did you find when someone turned the wheel back and forth while you examined the steering box, shaft, pitman arm, drag link (ends), and tie rod (ends)?

Az-Green · 01-21-2010, 07:50 PM

Okay. Correction. Chase (me) is an idiot. I called my mechanic up and it was 1 inch spacers which he just gave to me since my family is always in the shop having stuff done to my dad's truck. Not a body lift. Sorry for the wrong info and such.

Now for the steering issue; it was the steering box. It's toast.

Any suggestions for a new one? I was thinking about an AGR steering box for the ZJ (onviously). Since this is also my daily driver I don't wanna drop the $$ for a super heavy duty steering box.