steering fixed...kinda Need infoabout soft 8's asap

JeepNCrowd · **Posted:** Thu Aug 01, 2013 12:57 pm

Well last night my steering linkage went out. Any body think my extended warranty will cover it with a 4" lift? If not any body have any ideas on how to prevent this so it doesn't happen again? Anybody know of any upgraded aftermarket products?

khalilw · **Joined:** Fri Sep 30, 2011 10:37 am **Posts:** 81

Wow!! That's dangerous!!!! :dead:

Did your steering shaft came out of the steering rack? There are few U-Joints between the steering rack and the steering wheel, did any those U-Joints failed?

JeepNCrowd · **Posted:** Thu Aug 01, 2013 1:50 pm

It's a fluid leak from the "steeing rack linkage" or something like that. I still have steering, just not power steering. The tie rod or whatever it's called is still in tact. (you can tell how automotivally incompetent I am. I'm learning as I go)

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 01, 2013 1:52 pm

Wow you really have to try and make that steering shaft fail.No aftermarket,only OE as of yet and most likely no they will not warranty it due to the larger then stock tires.

I'm turning 35" tires with the stock steering shaft with no issues.

JeepNCrowd · **Posted:** Thu Aug 01, 2013 2:01 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

Wow you really have to try and make that steering shaft fail.No aftermarket,only OE as of yet and most likely no they will not warranty it due to the larger then stock tires.

I'm turning 35" tires with the stock steering shaft with no issues.

That's the bad part. I haven't done any off roading for a couple of months. I was backing out of a parking space when it happened. Hopefully it was just a fluke and won't do it again after I repair it. Cost is ~$400 for part.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 01, 2013 2:04 pm

JeepNCrowd wrote:

It's a fluid leak from the "steeing rack linkage" or something like that. I still have steering, just not power steering. The tie rod or whatever it's called is still in tact. (you can tell how automotivally incompetent I am. I'm learning as I go)

Pkay you have a leak not a failure.Yep just put a new R&P in,alignment,and call it a day.The bigger then stock tires,yes even on pavement,cause undue stress on the R&P and will blow seals since the pump is over worked.Not a warranty issue but a owner induced issue.

khalilw · **Joined:** Fri Sep 30, 2011 10:37 am **Posts:** 81

Good to hear its just a leak. Fix it asap, it's still very dangerous if it fails while driving, not parking.

JeepNCrowd · **Posted:** Wed Aug 14, 2013 6:56 pm

Well I got my jeep back from the dealer. But it seems that the new mopar tie rods have a strsng curve near where it meets the rim. This is causeing the tie rod to rub the rim at near full lock. It has already worn down a little bit of the rim.

The only thing I can think to do is push the wheels out . Either spacers or new rims.

I'm thinking of getting the soft 8's. Just how much does the extra weight from steel wheels affect power and mpg's?I believe they are 35lbs.
If I am to get them before Saturday (My trip to Colorado) I need to order them by tomorrow morning from discount tire.

Bmxer524 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 14, 2013 7:40 pm

JeepNCrowd wrote:

I'm thinking of getting the soft 8's. Jow much does the extra weight from steel wheels affect power and mpg's?

I always wondered the same thing actually.

John3:17 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 14, 2013 8:14 pm

Check their website for weight, I forget what they weigh but I think they are heavier than that. I had 4mpg - difference between my 16x8 soft 8's and my factory steel rims with the same tires.

JeepNCrowd · **Posted:** Wed Aug 14, 2013 8:28 pm

John3:17 wrote:

Check their website for weight, I forget what they weigh but I think they are heavier than that. I had 4mpg - difference between my 16x8 soft 8's and my factory steel rims with the same tires.

Is that city, highway, or both? That seems like a lot of loss in mpgs. I love wheeling my jeep but I still have a 30+ min drive to work every day. Any body have any suggestions for some similar wheels that are aluminum? Or should I try to go TJ MOABs? Would they push my wheels out far enough to clear the tie rods?

John3:17 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 14, 2013 9:03 pm

That was city and highway combined, calculated by dividing the miles on the trip meter by the number of gallons to fill back up. I ran them for several months then went back to the factory wheels.

At The Helm · **Posted:** Wed Aug 14, 2013 9:30 pm

How much is the contact? I'd just grind off a little of the tie rod end if its just barely contacting. If you don't have an angle grinder the $12 ones at HF work well for occasional use.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 14, 2013 9:56 pm

JeepNCrowd wrote:

Well I got my jeep back from the dealer. But it seems that the new mopar tie rods have a strsng curve near where it meets the rim. This is causeing the tie rod to rub the rim at near full lock. It has already worn down a little bit of the rim.

The only thing I can think to do is push the wheels out . Either spacers or new rims.

I'm thinking of getting the soft 8's. Just how much does the extra weight from steel wheels affect power and mpg's?I believe they are 35lbs.
If I am to get them before Saturday (My trip to Colorado) I need to order them by tomorrow morning from discount tire.

If you get the 16x7 style with 4" of back spacing they are about 8lbs heavier then your stock rims.You may see 2-3 mpg drop at most but maybe less.

Never grind the tie rod ends as it will weakin them.

JeepNCrowd · **Posted:** Wed Aug 14, 2013 11:01 pm

I'm starting to think that the dealer may have put them on backwards. It looks like they would offer more clearance with the way that there shaped if they were only angled the opposite direction.
If the dealership says they're right, then I may just buy the soft 8's at discount. Is there any difference between the Unique soft 8 vs. the Cragar soft 8? Discount tire only sells the unique brand.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 14, 2013 11:09 pm

JeepNCrowd wrote:

. Is there any difference between the Unique soft 8 vs. the Cragar soft 8? Discount tire only sells the unique brand.

Same rim as Unique makes the Crager Soft 8's.

At The Helm · **Posted:** Wed Aug 14, 2013 11:44 pm

Dealer installed them backwards

JeepNCrowd · **Posted:** Thu Aug 15, 2013 12:12 am

Atthehelm wrote:

Dealer installed them backwards

Thanks. I needed confirmation. Maybe I'll get those soft 8 for free since I have to take off again, be without my jeep again, was underqouted on repair cost, have scraped rims, and only have 2 days begore I leave to CO. I hope this works out.

steering fixed...kinda Need infoabout soft 8's asap

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