Hi folks. I have a 97 TJ (auto) and recently (this week), when I turn
my steering wheel, it start to squeak. The steering wheel and the wheel
turn fine, it is just the sound (no matter I turn left or right). I was
going spray 10-40 on the steering wheel but I want to ask the group
before I damage anything. Thanks.

Lynn did pass the time by typing:
10-40? If your talking WD-40, don't do it, it's not a lube
it's a Water Displacer and only works to attract and hold dust.
Besides there isn't much you can get to from the outside.

Where is the squeek? In the wheel or from the engine bay.
You might have a slipping belt.

--
DougW

Lynn wrote in message news
My steering wheel starts to squeak when the temperature
gets below freezing (mid 20s or so). Goes away after the
interior warms up.

99TJ

"gregw45" <gregw45 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote

Could be the clockspring that carries signals to the airbag (assumig you
have airbags)

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003, Lynn wrote:

"weekweekweek"? I don't know about your `97 but I can tell you about my
`79 -- perhaps they didn't change the columns much. In mine there's a
greese-packed bearing at the top of the housing, just under the signal
switch mechanism. It stays clean and dry and shouldn't be part of the
problem, and squirting WD-40 into the space under the wheel probably won't
do much other than stain your carpets, since you won't be able to reach
the bearing (or now a bushing, I suspect) with the spray.

Under the hood, at the bottom of the steering column tube (again, on my
Jeep, yours may be different) there's a plastic collar, a wire clip to
hold it in and another bearing. Since this one is exposed to road splash
it can dry out and squeek. Eventually it wears out, the keeper splits and
the balls fall out. If yours is built that way I'd try squirting it with
WD-40. If it stops squeeking you know you've found the problem, but it
won't fix it, since WD is mostly solvent and boils off in a few days.

In my case the fix involved pulling the steering wheel and breaking the
steering shaft apart at the u-joint to replace the lower bearing.

Good luck.

My 98 TJ and my 2000 XJ both have the squeak. Sounds kinda like
something rubbing on the plastic surround thingy that goes around the
steering wheel where the key switch is. I haven't got around to trying
to fix it yet, but it seems like a common ailment with the newer
interior style. =:{)

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 02:51:53 GMT, Lynn <lynn (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote:

Thanks for all the information and suggestion. I will take a closer look but
so far the noise is definitely is at the steering wheel (putting my ear close
to the ignition key area) area. It does went away for a bit when I drive a
bit (more than 35 minutes) and makes a lot of turn. Oh, sorry about the
10-40, don't know what I am typing :-)

"DeepDiver

The TSB for this problem is to spray the steering wheel shaft with a
silicone lubricant where it passes through the firewall.

Jerry
--
Jerry Bransford
To email, remove 'me' from my email address
KC6TAY, PP-ASEL
See the Geezer Jeep at
http://members.cox.net/jerrypb/

"Lynn" <lynn (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote

at the floor were the steering goes through the floor you will find a rubber
boot
apply some greese to the boot contact area

Lynn wrote: