I have my 37's since last year may and didn't experience steering issues for a year. I don't when it exactly started, but at this point I have the following problems whe I try turning my steering wheel;

- On the road standing still, most of the time I can't turn the steering wheel unless I put a lot of pressure on it
- When the car is moving the problem is gone, but sometimes there are moments during steering that I need to put
more force on the wheel to get it to steer. It has some sort of weak spots.
- Last week I was in France wheeling and there where several hairpin corners in the mountains. When I tried to turn my
steering wheel during standstill, it wouldn't move an inch. I really put a lot of force on the steering wheel, without trying
to break someting, but no movement at all. Move the Jeep a little back and forward and al off a sudden it seemed to
get some fluid and I was able to steer again.

What would be the problem? pump, steering house? I know I need to add the assist, but it never steered this bad before.

 

Ive never had any poblems on my jeep but similar things with my camaro i used to have, seems to me like you may have fried the powersteering pump or its very low on fluid, does it make noise? Im no expert on lifted vehicles and i could be wrong but thats my 2 cents

 

No it doens't make any noise. Not even when I try to put more pressure on the steering wheel when the wheels are facing forwards.

 

Sounds like a weak pump to me too.

 

The pump has the least amount of power at low idle. As the rpm's spool up so does the pump power. If your pump is losing it's ability to work efficiently, then it would definitely show up at low idle.

37's will work the pump over. Check to make sure you have enough fluid and then start making plans for a hydro assist.

 

Hi Dennis,
Almost ten years later, did you get this problem solved.
Not sure if you still got this JK but I still have a 2007 Sahara and having similair problems lately.
Did the steeringbox last week, new seals and o-rings but no big change.

 

So this member hasn't been on the site in 4 years. Not sure we'll see a reply or not. Are you working with the orginal PS pump on your '07? This doesn't seem like it would be a steering box issue unless you were losing fluid there. It seems like it's more of a pump delivering the fluid issue. Do you have 37s like the OP?

 

Thanks for replaying Resharp001, yes it's the original PS pump. I had seals starting to leak on the steering box and the oil was dark and dirty but not burned.
Did a quick flush and changed oil not all that long ago and that helped steer more easier for a while.
Forgive my english, it not my home language.
So I thought that perhaps remaining dirt was or is the reason why it plays up like it does.
But the problem is still there. Running stock tires and the moment but will go to 33", so nothing special.
Did take the back of the pump off but it was clean inside for as far I could see. Perhaps the regulator valve is dirty or the pump is just gone.
Its done more than 350.000 km, but the more I read up about this I see a lot off younger JKs with similair issues.
Pumps and boxes are replaced only to run into the same problem as before.

 

That is an impressive amount of kms on your JK, it is likely time for a new pump.

 

I have a brand new 2012 pump on my V8 conversion and the steering is a little heavy at idle mainly when it is first started. Going to do the budget hydro install later this year and will do the steering box seals as well. And my tires are only 285/70/17 running 29psi on the road. Seems ok though off roading.