almost hit a car head on in my truck steering help needed

[01maroonz71]

well, yesterday on my way home from work my steering went caputs!!!! luckily i was about 1/10th of a mile from my hosue when it happened, so i limped it home....

basically over the last few weeks i have felt a little "slop" in the steering...well, i was driving home and all of a sudden as i was going around a slight turn, the steering jolted/straightened out. then as i pulled off the road i could feel it trying to pull left or right, almost like which ever way caught the tires.

now, i have checked alot of things....the steering pump was almost out of fluid thanks to a leaky seal on the box(slow leak) but i geuss while it was driving it was leaky ALOT FASTER THAN I THOUGHT!!!!

i have checked for cracks,etc in the frame, no loose components, is it possible for the box to get air in it and have these effects, maybe the worm gear is worn out beyond repair or something...i dunno. any ideas???

BTW... i have crossover w/ the ord steering brace if it matters. every joint is nice and tight and so is the steering arm on the axle, and the pitman arm on the box. when my buddy moves the wheel as i look, there is a little movement in the frame(like 1/8-1/4inch) but it's all down the frame, not like it's broken.

any help would be appreciated.

 

[dadof5]

steering

do you have a hydroboost system?

 

[howdiy]

Maybe the servo in the streering box went bad

 

[4X4HIGH]

Sounds to me like a bad rag joint. Time for the XJ steering shaft upgrade.

 

[thatK30guy]

Check the splines on the pitman arm.

I had a Skyjacker drop pitman arm go bad once.

 

[gmc4cw]

set it up on jackstands and check for binding. I had a box go bad. it locked up and you couldn't turn at all. something inside went bad and the fluid was pressurizing the entire box all at once.

 

[01maroonz71]

well, i do not have hydro assist...and i have the xj shaft also, so no rag joint at all... the pitman arm is brand new, but ill check that out as well...how can i check that??? i will try throwing it on jackstands also... thanks guys~
~Dave

 

[Mudstud]

So you lost all steering but after you stopped on the road you were able to limp it (steer it) back home? On jack stands it all seems to work right? I have no clue besides what others have said.

 

[goofy1]

Also check the spring center pins. My driver side pin sheared and the U-bolts were just loose enough to let the axle move forward and back on one side and almost eliminate all steering