steering problem?

[frhrwa]

ok guys, I know you have an answer to this.. '84 Jeep Cj-7 4" lift, 33" tires.. can't go straight, got it almost under control but still goes back and forth!.. replaced the power steering box (it was shot), replaced the steering rod (from the column to the PS unit), replaced the steering dampner or that shock under there), had alignment checked, tested ball joints and tie rods, and a few other things.. someone mentioned castor, what should it be? and what else can I look for.. getting tired of hanging on to the steering to stay off the sidewalks.. thanks.. wayne

 

[superj]

I think you might mean castor because camber is when the wheels lean in and out. Castor is when the ball joints are tilting forward or back and toe is when the wheels are turned in towards each other a hair or outwards from each other a hair.

When I lifted my Cherokee, I had to adjust toe outwards, if I remember right. I know to much inwards toe makes my jeep squirrelly on the roads

 

[steady.foot]

Concensis around here is that you don't steer a CJ, You point it. CJ's were never known for there handeling abilities, Especialy with lift kits and large tires. If all other front end parts are tight and everything is adjusted right, Try adjusting the toe in a little more. It always helped with any that i had. When the tire manifacturers suggested that radial tires should be without toe in, I don't think they were thinking about CJs.

 

[69jeepcj]

Get a steering box brace and the bearing/bushing at the bottom of your colunm. Its a plastic bear and wears out, every jeep I have had needed this bearing when I got it. The bearing is above your upper ujoint just where the rod comes out of the colunm (at the end of the fat part) and is held in with a clip. Replacing it will tighten up the feel of the steering. Get a brace for the box, I bet if you have someone turn the wheel back and fourth as you stand in front of the jeep and watch your box, it will flex back and fourth. With all the other new steering parts you have put on it, Id bet money these two things will improve things a lot. My colunm bearings had just slight play in them and I swore it was fine, but replacing it made a differance. I did everything you have done to yours but didnt get a improvement until I did these things to it.

 

[frhrwa]

SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN.. will get these items and give it a try, tried everything else, may as well go for these... makes sense anyway.. right now I'm trying to get it to start, got in, went a block, and it quit.. no spark.. so, got the book, going to look at everything and see what the heck disconnected on me, then back to the steering.. if its not one thing, its another.. I know its OBAMA's fault tho..

 

[69jeepcj]

Ignition module. They go out all the time.

 

[frhrwa]

what's it look like and where is it? the wonderful chiltons doesn't tell you anything worth a darn..

 

[69jeepcj]

It will look like this. It should be on the drivers fender or firewall. There are wires coming from your distributor that plugs into it. Autozone or the likes should have them in stock.

 

[frhrwa]

never found one of those, I think i found the plugs where one may have been.. will get out and take pictures right shortly.. wait for the sun to come up... fair warning, I haven't detailed under the hood yet, been so busy repairing the outside.. also, checked the castor angle, read 1 degree.. so, is it 6 degrees forward, or backward, that I adjust it? and thank you all for the inputs on this..

 

[frhrwa]

some shots of the plugs, and (what looks like a temp sensor?), some sort of actuating valve?

 

[69jeepcj]

In the first and third picture you posted, you have another cracked hose, could be another source of vac leak. As for the no start, If you have a muti meter I would start by checking power to the coil, then from the coil to dist then check power out of dist. You should have 12volts at these points.
Anyone know why his stock engine doesn't have a ignition control module??

 

[PoliceMonkey161]

Does it have an upgraded HEI system? It , the module, would not be used in this case. A good installer would remove the old module. Not to sound like a jerk, but if your distributor looks like this, it's HEI:

On the two CJ's I've had beforethe HEI upgrade, if you crawl under the vehicle just behind the front drivers wheel well and look up, you will see a metallic box mounted to the fender well with wires going to the bottom of it. That would be the module.

 

[BUTTY]

HEI or DUI ignition

As for the steering I had the same problem on my 84. Ball joints were tight but ungreaseable. Replaced with new greaseable ones cured problem