On Aug 25, 12:12 pm, Mike Romain > wrote:
> I had a grabbing and not returning issue on my CJ7 a bit ago. I checked
> the steering shock first and found out it wasn't a shock, only a rod in
> an empty tube so that wasn't the cause.
>
> I then found a lower ball joint bad during a grease job when I noticed
> the torn boot. Replaced that and all is well again.
>
> You can sometimes pick off a bad ball joint by looking at the tires or
> using a level even. If one tire seems to sit out at the top or bottom a
> bit more than the other side, suspect a bad ball joint. You need a
> 'big' pry bar to get movement in them with the solid axle setup.
>
> Sometimes if you are a big person, you can grab the top of the tire and
> rock it in and out hard enough to get the Jeep just a bouncing, you
> might feel a click or thunk or shift as the joint flexes.
>
> On a TJ, you also might want to check the track bar bushings. If worn,
> they can cause it to 'hang' before centering too.
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's - Gone to the rust pile...
> Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> Jan/06http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2115147590
> (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
>
> 97tjMike wrote:
> > I have a 1997 TJ Sport with power steering. I posted this question a
> > while ago but never really got an answer. The problem is that the
> > steering wheel does not *completely* return to center after a turn. It
> > attempts to, but never completely bounces back. Also, when driving
> > straight down the road, the steering wheel does not "bounce back" to
> > center if it is turned or flicked a little bit. It's kind've like
> > something is binding. I asked a mechanic and he suggested checking the
> > U-Joints, which I did and they are both OK. I suggested an alignment
> > due to a bad castor angler but he said the castor cannot go off
> > enought to do what it's doing. The dealer I called also said an
> > alignment wouldn't fix the problem, and it was probably a worn out
> > part. Here's what I know:
>
> > Recent new Steering Box (problem happened before and after
> > replacement)
> > Good Front U-Joints (not binding up anyways)
> > New sway bars (don't think that's related but I'll put it up here
> > anyways)
> > Recent lube of all zerk fittings when I did my oil change a few months
> > ago.
>
> > I haven't had it aligned since I bought it, however I have put a 2
> > inch spacer coil lift on it and when I did that I did a self-
> > adjustment of the toe-in and the steering wheel centering.

Hmm, I think I possibally may have found the problem. I do remember
when I last lubed the chassis, the lower ball joint on the drives side
had a rip in the boot. I wonder if this is it.