CJ wandering issue...

[DHR Motorsports]

I have an 80 cj-5 that has a wandering issue as in you don't know what it's gonna do...

Is it fine to buy the rebuild kit for the steering box or should I just buy a new one??
It is a power box. What about a manual changeover??
It has 39" IROKS is the only problem there....
How much does the steering shaft play in the handling??
It has about 1/4-3/8" of slop and movement in the shaft.
The box has a third of wheel turn it seems like.

 

[PUO-BANNED]

Are you for real?

suspension and street race specialist yet you don't know **** about a steering box?

Yeah manual steering with 39.5s':haha:

 

[Not Jobless]

Steering shaft?

Steering box?

TRE's?

Shackles?

U-bolts holding the axle on loose?

 

[Money Mark]

Are you for real?

suspension and street race specialist yet you don't know **** about a steering box?

Yeah manual steering with 39.5s':haha:

Ouch......:haha:




Steering box, tie rod ends, steering geometry, large unbalanced tires.......all these factors can contribute to sloppy street handling. A few words of advise, "Don't try to make your CJ handle like your DD car/truck." That is all......

 

[DHR Motorsports]

Are you for real?

suspension and street race specialist yet you don't know **** about a steering box?

Yeah manual steering with 39.5s':haha:

Lets see...
We build 7 second drag radial cars at our shop so I believe we DO know a little about DRAG race stuff and now I am just getting feelers on my thoughts for the off road stuff.....

Why not give your HONEST input please....

Thank you,

DHR

 

[PUO-BANNED]

Ok DHR. :beer: give people a little more info. 39.5 on a CJ5? stock steering?

Worn out steering components or bad geometry (bump steer) bad ball joints, worn out steering box, big tires on a short wheelbase narrow track vehicle :eeek:

way too many variables to narrow it down to your problem.

 

[pokey]

Steering shaft?

Steering box?

TRE's?

Shackles?

U-bolts holding the axle on loose?

Ball joints

wheelbearings

broken centerpin in a spring pack

A combo of all of the above.

It does sound like your box has to much play. Shouldnt have more than a 1/8 of a turn of slop max.

 

[TreeClimber]

Eliminate the obvious.

Put some decent 35 inch radials on and redrive it. My 35 Boggers on my CJ5 were f'king dangerous. Put 35 radials on, and it drove as smooth as a baby's behind.

 

[DHR Motorsports]

Ok DHR. :beer: give people a little more info. 39.5 on a CJ5? stock steering?

Worn out steering components or bad geometry (bump steer) bad ball joints, worn out steering box, big tires on a short wheelbase narrow track vehicle :eeek:

way too many variables to narrow it down to your problem.

The replaced items are as follows:
springs,all steering rods and ends with heims,all bushings,u bolts(yes they are tight) axle assy only has 1500 miles on it and it is all new hub to hub.

STOCK:
Steering box,shaft,column.

It has conferr shackles that are 3/4" over stock and 4" rough country springs.

 

[DHR Motorsports]

Eliminate the obvious.

Put some decent 35 inch radials on and redrive it. My 35 Boggers on my CJ5 were f'king dangerous. Put 35 radials on, and it drove as smooth as a baby's behind.

It has driven the same with the 33" wild country street treads and 35" MTR's which I just took off yesterday.

I'm just going to rebuild the box.

 

[TreeClimber]

Eliminate the obvious.

Put some decent 35 inch radials on and redrive it. My 35 Boggers on my CJ5 were f'king dangerous. Put 35 radials on, and it drove as smooth as a baby's behind.

It has driven the same with the 33" wild country street treads and 35" MTR's which I just took off yesterday.

I'm just going to rebuild the box.

Waste of time and money.

Just go to Pull-A-Part and grab one from a late model GM. With the drag link disconected, wiggle the pitman arm and check for freeplay. If tight, buy it. THEN unbolt the steering column and remove from frame. Probably cost you $20 including gas to drive there and back. Hellava lot easier.

 

[Blueleader]

How much positive caster do you have? Any?

 

[nowires]

How much positive caster do you have? Any?

That is what I thought
He said that he put shackles on it and arn't they in the front

I would start with an alinment, get about 6 deg positive caster in it

Sounds like 0 caster and towed out

 

[PUO-BANNED]

39 inch bias ply tires. I'm sure you thought it was cool at the time but now you are reaping the rewards.

 

[Blueleader]

That is what I thought
He said that he put shackles on it and arn't they in the front

I would start with an alinment, get about 6 deg positive caster in it

Sounds like 0 caster and towed out

After I posted that, I saw a picture of the Jeep in another thread. Looks like front shackles. Also, with 4" springs I'd bet it has shims that improved the driveline angle but pushed the caster negative.

 

[DHR Motorsports]

39 inch bias ply tires. I'm sure you thought it was cool at the time but now you are reaping the rewards.

It has driven just as shitty as now with the 33" and 35" radials.

It does have front mount 3/4" shackles

What is this "pull-a-part" you speak of???

 

[DHR Motorsports]

After I posted that, I saw a picture of the Jeep in another thread. Looks like front shackles. Also, with 4" springs I'd bet it has shims that improved the driveline angle but pushed the caster negative.

No shims on the springs

 

[no excuses]

What is this "pull-a-part" you speak of???

thats a wrecking yard or recycling center now days, just head over to Ace on 3rd or better yet CARS in Rainier.

 

[DHR Motorsports]

thats a wrecking yard or recycling center now days, just head over to Ace on 3rd or better yet CARS in Rainier.

Gotcha...

The guys at CARS did some work on my log skidder a couple years ago and they are GREAT!!!

 

[DHR Motorsports]

Waste of time and money.

Just go to Pull-A-Part and grab one from a late model GM. With the drag link disconected, wiggle the pitman arm and check for freeplay. If tight, buy it. THEN unbolt the steering column and remove from frame. Probably cost you $20 including gas to drive there and back. Hellava lot easier.

What year GM boxes work on the 80 CJ???