Did I blow my steering box?

[Chaseweston]

The other day I had my belt off when was putting a new harmonic balancer on and I had to move the jeep. While it was off I turned the steering wheel really hard to turn the tires. Now I it's all back up and running and the steering wheel is about a quarter turn left to drive straight. At first it drove perfectly straight just the wheel was off center. But driving to work tonight, on wet roads it was pulling hard to the right.

Question: Did I damage something by turning the wheel without the jeep running? Or do I just need to adjust my drag link? I will check in the morning if it's still pulling.

[bigjim350]

Your problem is drag ling or tie rod related. Turning the jeep without it running would do absolutely no damage to the steering box.

[Chaseweston]

Your problem is drag ling or tie rod related. Turning the jeep without it running would do absolutely no damage to the steering box.

Ok sweet, thanks. I'll try adjusting the draglink tomorrow. Along with inspecting my end links. Appreciate it.

[Mudderoy]

Still I'm a little confused how changing the harmonic balancer would have changed the position of the drag link.

[Chaseweston]

Still I'm a little confused how changing the harmonic balancer would have changed the position of the drag link.

no no no. I had the belt and crank pulley off therefor i could not turn the jeep on. that being said I had to move the jeep and I yanked on the steering wheel turning the wheels while it wasn't moving.

The harmonic balancer part was explaining the situation that made me turn the wheels with the jeep off..

[NW99XJ]

The drag link wont really affect pull to one direction or another unless you're holding the steering wheel to keep it's rotation centered. The drag link MAY have been pulled out of adjustment, thus causing your steering wheel to be more or less off center. But the drag link does not "control" alignment as much as the tie rod does. That is unless your drag link goes directly to the knuckle. In which case it could push the passenger side out of alignment, this of course is assuming that the TRE's didn't budge at all. It would help to know your steering set up, including whether or not you have any sort of ram/hydraulic assist.

[Chaseweston]

The drag link wont really affect pull to one direction or another unless you're holding the steering wheel to keep it's rotation centered. The drag link MAY have been pulled out of adjustment, thus causing your steering wheel to be more or less off center. But the drag link does not "control" alignment as much as the tie rod does. That is unless your drag link goes directly to the knuckle. In which case it could push the passenger side out of alignment, this of course is assuming that the TRE's didn't budge at all. It would help to know your steering set up, including whether or not you have any sort of ram/hydraulic assist.

Its the stock steering system.. I checked again today and it drives perfectly straight down the road with the steering wheel rested at 1/4 turn to the left.. TREs look fine I just cant imagine how it could put the drag link that far out of whack just by turning the wheels with the car off and not moving. I understand thats a lot of force but its not like its a sleeve.. its a threaded collar.. I'll adjust my drag today and see if that fixes it

[Mudderoy]

Its the stock steering system.. I checked again today and it drives perfectly straight down the road with the steering wheel rested at 1/4 turn to the left.. TREs look fine I just cant imagine how it could put the drag link that far out of whack just by turning the wheels with the car off and not moving. I understand thats a lot of force but its not like its a sleeve.. its a threaded collar.. I'll adjust my drag today and see if that fixes it

Yeah I agree, just turning the wheel shouldn't cause an issue with the steering wheel being centered.

The last time my steering wheel wasn't centered I tried climbing a creek embankment, and bent my track bar.

[4.3LXJ]

Check the sector shaft for a twist

[NW99XJ]

I HAVE had my drag link adjuster collar sleeve thingy pull past a thread or two, ....big wheels, dry cement, no power, thats a lot of force, and all it takes s for one of those clamp bolts to be a hair loose, and that drag link could get pulled out of adjustment.