Steering problem, won't turn left

[damo252]

Alright, I am tapped out of ideas. I have taken the pitman ar off, and checked alignment, I have taken the drag link off and realligned the system. I have jacked up the front end, and everything works fine. I put resistance on the steering, even a curb, and the XJ will turn right like you would not believe, but not left.

Will someone please help!

 

[Jess]

Don't be a Nascar driver! :laugh:





Sorry, I couldn't pass that one up!

What did you do to it to make it not turn?

 

[KarlVP]

Is the pittman arm on correctly?

Did your steering box make poo all over the place?

 

[old_man]

Cycle the steering wheel from full lock left to full lock right. Count the turns. Then center the wheel based on this number. Then get out and make sure the wheels are facing straight forward. My guess is that your drag link is not adjusted correctly.

 

[turbojoe]

Alright, I am tapped out of ideas. I have taken the pitman ar off, and checked alignment, I have taken the drag link off and realligned the system. I have jacked up the front end, and everything works fine. I put resistance on the steering, even a curb, and the XJ will turn right like you would not believe, but not left.

Will someone please help!

I figure any helpful idea is better than no ideas at all, so...
I don't know the exact mechanics of the power steering system. I do know, however, how all of the power steering systems on my 240 and 740 volvos work/worked. I know that there have to be valves for the power steering to turn one direction at a time. On one of my old 240s, the valve to turn right somehow seized, and I had twice the power steering going left, and none to the right. ::shrugs::

I do know that it was a problem inside my ZF power steering rack and pinion, but that couldn't be the case with the jeep. Maybe the pump itself?
Just a thought.

 

[Prepmech]

Its probably the drag link.

Were you working on something before it stopped turning, or is it trail carnage?

 

[EMSJEEP]

Move to New Jersey....sorry, I don't have anything constructive to add, your Zoolander-like problem is beyond my experiance, but I did get lost in the Garden State recently.

 

[TRAILREADYXJ]

Since you said with the wheels off the ground it works properly, I doubt it's the draglink, pitman, etc... Especially if this is something that has developed on it's own, or did you change something to cause it?

I had the same problem one time and it turned out to be the pump, but make sure your lines are good and there are no leaks. Like brakes, or any hydraulic system, power steering won't work properly if there is air in the system.

I also wanted to add, NEVER adjust your draglink by taking the pitman arm off. If it's not put back on correctly, you can't turn far enough in one direction, and too far in the other.

 

[mattyg]

i thought the pitman arm can only go on one way??

 

[damo252]

i thought the pitman arm can only go on one way??

The pitman arm only goes on one way. I will try to adjust the drag link.
I actually just installed the rock Krawler X steering stystem, and It was working fine before any sort of pressure was put on it. I did not have any crap spit out of the pump, and don't hear the box grinding or popping?

 

[MudDawg]

Ok....so if you have the wheels in the air with the engine off it turns both ways??? Does it still turn both ways with the wheels in the air and the engine running??? The steering box has a spool valve (or equivalent) that applies hydraulic force to turn the wheels....it is not too uncommon to have the spool valve go bad....and fail to apply pressure one way or the other...

 

[damo252]

I adjusted to drag link, and the problem is better, but it is still not right.

What do I need to look at with the gear box and /or pump to make sure that they are working correctly. I can't think of anything else to look at.