My steering just feels too "marshmallowy" to me. I need more response and road feel... I mean I know this isn't a 1984 Ferrari 288 GTO, but something just doesn't feel right. I've checked the normals... track bar, tie-rods, etc. I've heard something about a Durango steering box. Is that something that just provides more strength for on the trails or does it actually give better response? What other options do I have?

-Tyler

 

I know what you mean

Subscribed....

 

IIRC, there is an adjustment on the steering box that might help if everything else is tight. A nut with allen bolt, loosen bolt turn allen 1/8-1/4 turn and try....I read it here somewhere when looking for track bar info.

 

99 V-8 Durango Box. Direct bolt in, stronger, and tighter (3 turns compared to 3.5). No center dead spot either.

 

If this doesn't work...
Try this.

 

Be very careful when making that adjustment.... A little goes a long way and too much will cause binding and wear.....

When purchasing that box make sure its not the one that was for the Snow Plow option on the Durangos....

 

The steering on my 4" lifted '99 Cherokee running BFG 31s is very good. It has terrific response, glides thru tight turns on the freeway effortlessly at 10-15 mph over the speed limit, and does everything great. It has well over 100k miles and I've owned it since it was a year old. I do my own alignments, BTW. For comparison my other cars are a '05 Lexus, '99 Boxster, '04 Porsche 996 Turbo.

I also pound the Cherokee on a lot of dirt roads, washboard ones, that really hammer the suspension. Steering feels good there too, but often times I go fast enough that I steer with the gas pedal.

Your suspension components may be worn out, look at things other than your steering box, which is easy to check.

 

Thanks all!

So the way I'm reading this... You LOOSEN an Allen-headed bolt to tighten the steering?

The center dead spot is the biggest complaint. Feels like I gotta give much more input than is really necessary.

 

Loosen a lock nut and turn the allen.....

"Dead spot" sounds like what I experienced with the new to me '96 SE. While my '96 Sport still has tight steering, the SE did not. I found the track bar had some up and down play where it bolts to the frame near the LH shock and spring. Vagueness in steering, the dead spot, and wandering were the result. Replacing the track bar has eliminated the dead spot, and its now much more responsive. I think a better term would be "backlash" as in how far it was necessary to turn the wheel L/R to actually make a directional change. Any of the grease fitting joints in the front end will potentially case this as will loose ball joints.

Have someone turn the wheel L/R while you look underneath and see if any of the joints are moving in an other than designed way.

 

No you tighten the allen bolt to tighten the steering, just a 1/8 turn or so.

Other ideas include:
-checking/replacing all your bushings on the control arms, along with the tie rod ends on the track bar, drag link/tierod
-checking/replacing the unit bearing hubs they will make your steering wander if worn.
-an alignment, making sure your castor is decent and your drag link is set perfect
-getting a new heavy duty steering stabilizer to bandaid it.
-making sure your steering box mounting bolts are tight along with the track bar mount bolts

 

Thanks for everyone's input!

That's another thing that's been on my list... Too many of the bushings around the Jeep are dry-rotted. Where's a good place to pick up some poly's? Possibly for the entire ride.

 

You'll get a better response if you start a different thread in Chat for that topic.