investinwaffles

The tie-rod ends actually look OK in the video but honestly - it looks like that stuff is all pretty old.

I would start with checking the steering gear for play, and adjusting to see if there is an improvement. If it is leaking, pull the box and have a reputable steering rebuilder do a full rebuild on it.

Secondly, I would replace all the bushings that are shot. Sway bar bushings, and endlinks, Trac-bar bushing.

Check the ball joints as well - they are probably shot if they are factory original. Consider doing the axle-shaft u-joints and wheel bearings at the same time.

And I would re-do the front steering linkage anyways. New tie-rod-ends and draglink should only be $100 or so.

And finally - do a thorough power wash of the engine bay, and front suspension so you can get a better look at everything.

EDIT:
Another observation - your steering gear is wet with fluid on the bottom side of the steering input shaft, but the high and low pressure lines on the top of the box look dry. Points to the steering input shaft leaking.

Check the steering gear by having someone turn the wheel, and check the steering INPUT shaft of the steering gear. The pitman arm should turn pretty much immediately as the steering shaft turns.
Have them go back and forth at the wheel to see how many degrees of play you have at the steering wheel - it should really not be more than 5* or the steering gear is out of adjustment or shot. I had mine rebuilt for $100 locally and they did a fantastic job - made my jeep feel like a new car (I have all brand new steering and suspension up front though)

dj31499

At this point, I might just have it done at the mechanic's shop, not sure if its worth rebuilding or if I should just put a whole new box in. Bushing and stuff like that I can do myself. If you don't mind me asking, can I ask what you specifically had done on yours so I have a list of things I can go through and check out. I'd really like for my Jeep to feel new like you said.

tony270

I see it when the recorder is panned over starting at about the 16 second point in the video. Then I just went back and viewed the video and studied the drag link starting at the beginning and it seems to be jerking like the pitman arm.
With what I have to study I'm looking for a smooth transitions of the pitman arm and drag link without the slightest hint of jerking, from the steering gear spindle, to the steering knuckle. But that doesn't matter, it still has to be changed.

A hydraulic system has various components that prevent fluid from partially or totally being push back into the system. Something as simple as a check valve partially open can allow that to happen. The steering gear is a hydraulically assisted steering (power steering) motor and is powered by the power steering pump.

When you hit a bump it can push against the tire/wheel and that puts pressure on the fluid at the steeting gear and trys to force it back to the power steering reservoir. I'm trying to put it as simple as I can.

Retired Heavy Mobile Equipment Mechanic

tony270

You center the steeting wheel first, then remove the steering gear, then you have to make sure the steering gear is centered by counting the turns it makes from the extreme R or L to the end, then divide the numbers to find the middle, small adjustment can be made after installation. It is critical to torque the steering gear to specifications, so it won't fall off.

Get a manual for specifics, you can take it to a shop to have the steering wheel adjusted if necessary.

dj31499

So based of what you've said, my understanding is that when I go over a bump, the steering fluid is supposed to act like as a force to counteract the upward force of all the components in the suspension. But if there's a leak or an opening in the system, the fluid's counteractive force can't repulse any incoming energy, because it's not a pressurized system. It would much rather leak through a crack or opening than compress and compress until a point a which it can give an opposing force. I'm trying to use physics as an aid to understand what you're saying, not sure if what I said is right though

tony270

It is not a pressurized system, only when the steering is turned, that basically opens a valve that powers the steering. There are components like one-way check valves that prevent fluid form being forced back into the system, that what stops steering wheel backlash from braking your wrist, and components like resolvers, blocks, dumps, restrictors, etc, that slow fluid down or redirect, hydraulics are very completed.

tony270

The fluid is pressurized in the the high pressure line from the pump to the steering gear, the return line isn't pressurized.

tony270

I don't take steering gears apart every day, so a quick google search using search terms "how does a power steering pump work" made me remember that the steering wheel moves a slide valve/piston that opens fluid ports, it is closed in the middle and when moved right or left it opens a port to allow fliud to flow.

dj31499

Alright I see what you're saying now, so it might not even be totally suspension problems, those inner components of the steering box could not be absorbing the shocks from the road as well as it could be. Obviously it's not all the steering box, ball joints and sway links play a huge role. But I never would've connected the worn steering to the absorption of bumps in the road.

tony270

You would be surprised how much scock is generated when high pressure fluid is flowing and then suddenly stopped or pulsates past a valve. I

dj31499

[QUOTE=tony270;3366252]You would be surprised how much scock is generated when high pressure fluid is flowing and then suddenly stopped or pulsates past a valve. I[/QUOTE

I guess that answers my question then, I'm probably going Monday or Tuesday to a mechanic and he said he'll let me know about the ball joints since I cant get to them by myself. Tony270, you've been a great help, thanks for responding to my thread, and walking me through everything. Ill post on here after I come back from the shop if you're interested. Might start another new thread because I've got 1000 other things wrong with my Jeep so if you've got any input, it would be greatly appreciated

tony270

I'm tightening mine up as well, next is a transfer case. That's in a couple weeks. Yes I would be interested in knowing how it comes out, please post it. Thanks

dj31499

Update: So I went to the shop today and had my mechanic jack up the car, he said that the ball joints are tight, and he greased the upper joints because they were dry I guess. Also, he doesn't think the box is leaking, because he said I'd be running low on PS fluid and it would run out of it rather quickly. I told him that my radiator hose went a few months back and he suggested that whatever I was seeing down there was greased up coolant. He said the only things he'd replace are the sway links and the track bar, because they make "these things handle like ****". But other than that, he said everything looked fine. I'd much rather do the track bar and sway bar myself for 150$ than pay around 1000$ for the steering and ball joints, so I'm thankful for that. I'm hoping that those two things will help fix my handling, I plan to do that on Thursday, so I'll update the rest then.

investinwaffles

Go to a coin car wash and power-wash the engine bay. Helps diagnose leaks but he's right - probably not the PS if it's not loosing fluid.

Check rockauto.com and Amazon for better prices.

Well, most of my suspension and steering was factory original. After the RE 4.5" lift and Bilstien 5100 shocks I did;

Ball Joints
Front Axle-U Joints
Front Wheel Bearings

Few weeks later;
New Jeep ZJ steering (including a new draglink)
Driveshaft u-joints

Months later;
ZJ rear disc brakes and new rear axle bearings
New track-bar bushing
New Sway Bar Bushings (both wallowed out after several 4x4 trips)

like 6 months later;
New Power Steering pump
New Steering gear
Sleeve kit through the frame for the steering gear bolts
Steel steering box spacer (highly recommended).

My steering gear was really worn so it made probably the most substantial improvement, BUT I did know it was shot and wanted to do it last to "exaggerate" the effect when it finally all came together.

It was all SUPER easy. 99% of those tasks have detailed how-to's and youtube videos. All of those groups were done on Saturdays in the street (I don't have access to a garage). Most were done with basic hand tools, or rental tools from Oreillys or Napa as well. Front Axle u-joints were the most tough IMO (even using the beefy u-joint press), but just took some grunting.

Guesstimating $500 in parts for all of that except the rear brakes ($300) but maybe not that much. Cheaper if you shop online, but watch out with things like the Power Steering pump and Gear. Bad parts are a PITA to have to ship back and those are two likely ones that will be bad right out of the box

dj31499

Over the weekend, I did the sway bar bushings and links, and also the track bar. It feels a little stiffer when I go over bumps, but the steering is still giving me the same problems as before. Especially when I am on the highway going 70 and hit a small bump and it feels like I am going to go in the other lane. I was looking on a Honda Forum when I typed in on Google "Steering Jerk when Driving Over Bump", and a lot of people were mentioning an alignment or Tramlining, not really sure what that is. I just had an alignment done on Saturday because the new track bar messed it up, but then he mentioned something about a loose steering joint, and about getting a whole new column. Is this a possibility for my car too? and if so, is it a hard job to do.