cmpmacchia

Ok....I know this issue has been mentioned before but what i can't find is a Good description of the dreaded steering wheel clunk.
-Is it something you feel, feel and hear or just hear?
-When you have it is it really distinctive (you know you definitely have a clunk) or is it something that slowly sneaks up on you because its hard to detect?
-Does it start mildly then get worse?

I'm not sure if i have the clunk but I am noticing what I perceive to be a very slight clunk when I'm driving strait and going over small bumps. Its especially noticeable when my hand is resting on top of the steering wheel while driving.
I'm just not sure if its always been there or if the problem is just now in its beginning stages of development.
Before I bring it in to the dealer I'd like your opinion. I'm not a mechanic by trade but I do notice (What I perceive to be) slight abnormalities while driving in the steering wheel.
Yesterday I grabbed a hold of the steering shaft and I could feel a very small amount of lateral play. It did not feel like it was coming from the splined shaft however. It felt like it was coming from the area where the bottom of the shaft enters the "steering box" (Or whatever its called)?
So not the top of the shaft (nearest steering wheel) the bottom (Nearest the front of the vehicle).
OK I'm done now.

User 12721

For me, I can both feel and hear it.

Without a doubt, it's like a siren going off once you have it, but it crept up on me at a pretty moderate pace once it began.

See above

While stopped, turn your steering wheel back and forth at a moderate pace (just enough to put tension on the shaft, not so much that the wheels actually have to physically turn). You'll know if you have it if it goes "knock" each time you reverse the motion. Before I could get it to do that, however, it would do the same thing as you are describing, minus the bumps.


Not sure...but here's how I've found you can also reproduce it: sit in the drivers seat and lightly rest your foot on the gas. Have someone use their hands and rotate the intermediate steering shaft back and forth. If you have it, you'll feel the knock in the pedal/ steering wheel and may even be able to hear it.

cmpmacchia

Try and move yours. Tell me if there is slight movement as well. Its really slight but its there.
P.S. Thanks for your input Colin it was really helpful!

User 12721

Just tried what you asked...it was a bit hard to get to since my jeep is lifted and it's pitch black out, but there was maybe a 32'nds of an inch of lateral play to the collar (I think there was one?) of the shaft going into the steering box. That isn't the root cause of the knock, as I have heard, though...rather, it's due to the binding of the slip shaft above that collar when it tries to change length as the steering wheel is turned, and it's that slip shaft (inside the rubber boot) that needs to be greased with heavy grease if you want to temporarily fix the problem.

cmpmacchia

Is it really a temp fix? I understand the Logic of the 5th wheel grease acting as a shock absorber in the splined shaft but shouldn't that stuff stay in there? It is covered with a boot.
Man...thanks again Colin! I can't believe you actually went out there to check! Yea mine has the same slight lateral movement (32'nds). I guess its normal.
Cheers Mate!

motabus

im waiting for a TSB for this. I might be waiting in vain :(

Hellbound13

I tried the 5th wheel grease to no avail. It ending up seeping out of the hole on the boot I had to make and making a big mess on the heat shield in my engine. I eventually had to replace the whole shaft and that stopped it. It does start out slow and gets worse over time. For me it got so bad that there was no denying it anymore.

MELONHED

I had it too, gradually got worse over time, more so when things warmed up. Drove me nuts. I bought the Amsoil fifth wheel grease and rubber malleted the bushing through the fire wall.........CLUNK IS GONE.......for now......

User 12721

Glad to help. As for the longevity, I had my dealer pump the grease in because supposedly that clamp on the boot is only a one time use thing and needed to be special ordered so I just let him fix it. He put in wheel bearing grease, and it worked great for about two weeks, but then after I took it wheeling again, it came right back. That was a couple of months ago, and I've just been living with it since. I've sort of gotten used to it and don't usually notice now, but every now and again it just goes nuts, and that's usually when it's really pronounced. Some people have pretty good luck with the grease method, and me using wheel bearing grease may be the reason why it came back so quick since I don't believe it's as heavy in viscosity as the fifth wheel stuff or whatever others are using, but I really don't want to mess with it anymore and figure if it really drives me up the wall in the future I'll just replace it since it's a relatively cheap part.

blkpearl

i thought i had the steering clunk....but checked alot of stuff couldn't replicate and out of frustration pushed on the bumper click.......come to find out it was the damn SJ quick disco's pins with a little wear make noise that you can feel...blows....getting jks disco and noise should be gone..

my jeep is lifted, but your post is in the stock section, just wondering if you are lifted?