CJ Steering Gear Adjustment to Remove Steering Wheel Free Play

I have the Haynes manual and see where it describes replacing the steering
gear but I find no instructions for filling it with oil and adjusting it to
remove free play from the steering wheel. I can remember doing this before
but I can not remember how I knew what to do - I guess another Jeeper must
have told me. Anyway I have too much play in the steering wheel that I hope
I can adjust out without having to replace anything so I ask how to do this.

I forgot to say my Jeep is a 1981 CJ5

"MStevens003" <MSTEVENS003 (AT) dc (DOT) rr.com> wrote

I have the Haynes manual and see where it describes replacing the steering
gear but I find no instructions for filling it with oil and adjusting it to
remove free play from the steering wheel. I can remember doing this before
but I can not remember how I knew what to do - I guess another Jeeper must
have told me. Anyway I have too much play in the steering wheel that I hope
I can adjust out without having to replace anything so I ask how to do
this.

LOL!

Manual or power...

I don't think it matters though. The adjustment plug is on the end the
steering column goes in. You loosen off the large lock nut, then turn
the plug via the slots until it bottoms out, then back it off 1/8" in
rotation and snug up the lock nut.

There is another adjustment up top with a nut and a screw, but this is
the gear preload, not an adjustment per say. If you tighten this like
some folks think it should, it will make the steering tighter, just
before it cooks the steering box.... To set this up, the box has to be
in a vise, it can't be done on the vehicle. Well.. it 'can', but the
pinion movement is in inch lb so it is pretty much impossible to do
hooked up.

I have the PDF file on doing the Saganaw power steering box if you would
like it.

For slop, also check the u-joints on the steering shaft just under the
brake Master.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

MStevens003 wrote:

I forgot to say my Jeep is a 1981 CJ5

"MStevens003" <MSTEVENS003 (AT) dc (DOT) rr.com> wrote in message
news:4603f956$0$17186$4c368faf (AT) roadrunner (DOT) com...
I have the Haynes manual and see where it describes replacing the steering
gear but I find no instructions for filling it with oil and adjusting it to
remove free play from the steering wheel. I can remember doing this before
but I can not remember how I knew what to do - I guess another Jeeper must
have told me. Anyway I have too much play in the steering wheel that I hope
I can adjust out without having to replace anything so I ask how to do
this.

Hi Mike:

I have replaced all the U joints; the slop is in the steering gear. I'm real
happy you replied because I had done exactly what you said not to do and
cranked dowm the preload!

No power steering. Did you notice there is nothing in Hanes about this? I'll
look for that adjustment plug. Also I think my box has leaked out all it's
oil and I don't see a filler hole. Maybe you use the preload hole? And
having messed with the preload can I reset it? I'm not going to drop the
gear from the frame right now.

Is the great white north warming up yet? If you believe it its 5:11 pm here
and I'm typing this in my swim shorts and the thermometer is saying 81 deg
F.

Michael




"Mike Romain" <romainm (AT) sympatico (DOT) ca> wrote

LOL!

Manual or power...

I don't think it matters though. The adjustment plug is on the end the
steering column goes in. You loosen off the large lock nut, then turn the
plug via the slots until it bottoms out, then back it off 1/8" in rotation
and snug up the lock nut.

There is another adjustment up top with a nut and a screw, but this is the
gear preload, not an adjustment per say. If you tighten this like some
folks think it should, it will make the steering tighter, just before it
cooks the steering box.... To set this up, the box has to be in a vise,
it can't be done on the vehicle. Well.. it 'can', but the pinion movement
is in inch lb so it is pretty much impossible to do hooked up.

I have the PDF file on doing the Saganaw power steering box if you would
like it.

For slop, also check the u-joints on the steering shaft just under the
brake Master.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

MStevens003 wrote:
I forgot to say my Jeep is a 1981 CJ5

"MStevens003" <MSTEVENS003 (AT) dc (DOT) rr.com> wrote in message
news:4603f956$0$17186$4c368faf (AT) roadrunner (DOT) com...
I have the Haynes manual and see where it describes replacing the
steering gear but I find no instructions for filling it with oil and
adjusting it to remove free play from the steering wheel. I can remember
doing this before but I can not remember how I knew what to do - I guess
another Jeeper must have told me. Anyway I have too much play in the
steering wheel that I hope I can adjust out without having to replace
anything so I ask how to do this.