Need help with '75 CJ5 steering

I am starting to do some work on my daughters jeep while she is out of country.
1. The steering shaft can rotate 90 degrees without moving the front wheels. I don't think this is a good thing.
2. The headlight grille is cocked up on the passenger side 1/2 inch. This has caused the hold down 'T' to pull out of its socket.
Can anyone help me with either of these two items?

 

Welcome from Boston!

re 1, You need to isolate where the slop is coming from. Have someone turn the wheel slowly side to side,and follow the steering shaft down. There are lots of places to check, including the coupling, steering gear, tie rod ends, ball joints, cracked frame, spring end bushings ... could be one or all of these.
2 - The front clip is held by the where the fenders bolt to the body, and a single big bolt in the front crossmember. Could be that the hood is misaligned, the front clip could be bent, the body mounts are rusted or missing, the hood is bent, or the frame is bent. You'll have to look at all of these and see why the grille isn't sitting level.

Do you have the factory service manual?

hth!

 

I fixed that problem by actually bolting the PS box to the frame, something the PO didn't seem to think was neccesary R)

 

OK. First, Hello Boston! Look up New Durham, NH. on your map and thats where we are from.(were from)
I rotated the steering shaft with my hand at the firewall. The knuckles seem fine. It looks like the slop is in the steering box. I will give it another twist tomorrow. The Grille is bolted to the frame with a single bolt on the passenger side and two bolts on the drivers. The bottom hole on the pass. side did not lign up so the bolt was left out. The owners manual is with the owner (go figure). I took some pics tonight that I will try and post as soon as I figure out how.

 

Check the coupling between the staft and gear ... common wear item.

Not owners manual - tech manual. http://thejeep.com/shop/HOT+SELLERS....html?osCsid=feaca63e3f373c03470e6bcacdf5a6d9
There are other sources, and sometimes they turn up on eBay.

Will look for New Durham - where are you located now?

 

I am in Detroit. We will be moving to Arizona by the end of the year.

 

Toss the stock steering shaft from the column to the steering box. Buy a flaming river replacement shaft. PAINT the F.R. shaft before installing it. (They develop ugly surface rust...)

The stock union that connects the steering box to the shaft is CRAP. The universals on the FR really tighten up the steering.