wandering

My 74 wanders quite a bit. Is this a characteristic of the short wheelbase jeeps or do you think something else is wrong. I replaced the wheels and tires and added a steering stabilizer, this helped some, but it can still get hairy sometimes especially at speeds over 45-50 mph. It has a saginaw power steering box.

 

Mine wandered dangerously until I replaced the steering box. It is now better, but probably needs to be aligned. I have heard, through this forum, that stabilizers only mask greater problems, not solve them. Do you have a lot of play in the wheel? I had a quarter turn or there abouts. Now it's down to nothing. It's been a major improvement. What size tire do you run??? I have 33X 12.5 and I think the big footprint actually hurts on uneven roads.
If I were you, I would start at the steering shaft and make sure everything there is tight and move your way down to the box. A new box isn't cheap, and not fun to put in, but it was worth it in my case.

Good luck

High5

 

I don't notice any play in the wheel. I run 31x10.5's.
I put the column in from a mid 80's chevy and the steering box from a late 70's GM. Was manual steering. I will check the universals in the shaft and try to tighten up the steering box.
Thanks

 

Have you altered the suspension, longer shackels, lift springs or swapped in a different front axle? Sounds like your castor is incorrect, a common result of the forementioned mods. You may need angled shims to get the castor back into specs. Do a search in the forum for this topic.
Hope that helps,
Ty

 

Check your steering box mounts. If it is not bolted in tight to the frame and crossmember, you might be bending one or the other. I was missing a bolt, and had a noticable "sway".

 

Check for cracks in the frame around the steering box.

 

Check the castor like Ty said, mine was doing the same thing.

 

Yes I have 2" lift springs. I will have to take it in for an alignment. Thanks for the suggestions.