Straighten Out the Steering Wheel

After replacing the steering shaft (Read all about it) my steering wheel had a slight left turn to it. Fortunately, it's easy to correct with a wrench and a pipe wrench.

Start by getting your supervisor setup to ensure you do quality work. Oh, also make sure when you pull into your parking location you let the wheel self centre while moving forward to make sure you're going dead straight (or as close as possible)

Loosen off the two nuts holding the adjusting collar, and start making VERY small adjustments with a pipe wrench on the collar. Check the steering wheel frequently (or have a helper) to make sure you're going in the right direction and that you're getting close to centre.




 

Once done, tighten up the nuts and celebrate with a smile and a Jeep wave

Jeep TJ Upper Steering Shaft Replacement

There comes a time in every Jeep life, when a u joint goes. In this case, mine was on my upper steering shaft. In Jeep engineer wisdom, the joint is not a serviceable/replaceable part. I had to replace the entire shaft. That in itself proved to be a difficult pIart to find. I was finally able to source it via Amazon.ca in the form of a Crown Automotive 5102531AA Steering Shaft. It's a simple two bolt process to replace it, and aside from bending in ways that I didn't think my body could bend, and a buggered thread that needed tapping, it was an easy swap

Engine compartment bolt

Undo the bolt on the joint by the firewall. Start the jeep and turn the steering wheel about a quarter turn to access the inside bolt. Under the dash, get your socket on the bolt and undo it. 

Potato quality short under the dash

Slide the shaft off in the engine compartment, and off the splined shaft under the dash. Pull the shaft into the cab and it'll pop through easily. 

Old vs New shaft

Get your new shaft, repeat the process and tighten your bolts down. Just remember, when the shaft is disconnected, do not let the steering wheel spin, as you'll break your clock spring and mess up signals and air bag. I used a bungee cord to hold the wheel from turning. 

You can kinds see the gap in the u joint pinion