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Thread: Steering Rack Yoke Adjustment (Solve popping noise)

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member Getting Dirty Matt's Avatar
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    Steering Rack Yoke Adjustment (Solve popping noise)

    While i'm not sure if this is the root cause to my popping noise (ill find out Saturday), I know this has solved a lot of WK/XK owners issues who couldn't track down a strange pop/clunk in their front end.

    There's a yoke adjustment on the steering rack. It's used to set the gear mesh during assembly and I can replicate my clunk noise with a pry bar pushing upwards on the driver side tie rod, indicating excessive clearance in the gears at this location. The adjustment is on the driver side of the rack pointing up/forward; you can see it if you look above the sway bar.... though I think 3.7L and 4.7L vehicles you need to remove the oil filter drain guard because that sits over it. I think that, primarily for us lifted guys, we wear our pinion gear down more due to the upward force from the angles associated with our lift kits.

    You need an External Torx socket, size E20. (You can get one for $10 off amazon/sears/etc.) or a 17mm socket/wrench depending on model model year.

    I'll take some pictures when I do mine this weekend, but here's a diagram:

    Last edited by Matt; 01-02-2013 at 04:01 PM.

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    Senior Member Getting Dirty BonesWK's Avatar
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    Looking forward to hear about your results
    Ryan ---- 2006 WK 4.7 QDII <- Click for Garage
    2.25" RR Lift - Front Bilstiens - Rear OMEs - 32" Wildpeaks - Saguaro 4x Shackles - Tail Light Guards - AFE intake - Rola - Exhaust
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    Super Moderator Getting Dirty 07JeepXK's Avatar
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    Nice! Unfortunately if this does fix that issue, my rack still needed to be replaced because it was gushing power steering fluid everywhere.
    2007 4.7 Liter XK | Front Modified OME HD Lift | Rear 4" Superlift | JBA UCA's | Rusty's Rear Adjustable Track Bar | Rysty’s Adjustable Upper and Lower Rear Control Arms w/Heim Joints | Mickey Thompson Classic III 17x9 Wheels | 315/70R17 Goodyear Duratracs | Airflow Snorkel | Flowmaster 40 Series Muffler | Superchips Flashpaq | Mopar Skids | 4xGuard Belly Guard | American Rebel Rear Diff Cover | Rear Powertrax No-Slip | Front Electronic Locker | Rear Heat/AC Delete

  4. #4
    Lifetime Member Getting Dirty Matt's Avatar
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    The GOOD news: I just adjusted the yoke and my tie-rod doesn't knock around anymore!
    The BAD news: (Well... just for me) I still have a crappy pop/creak sound in the front that I can't find! lol

    Quick update, my rack wasn't an E20 (I read that elsewhere). 17mm wrench was all I needed

    This is originally how I came to looking at my steering rack. With a pry bar lifting up on my tie rod I was able to get a knocking noise (the wetness on the boot is silicone spray- I use this periodically to protect all the rubber boots. My rack is not leaking):



    Here's some shots of the yoke adjustment and how I adjusted it:








  5. #5
    Super Moderator Getting Dirty 07JeepXK's Avatar
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    Which way did you turn the wrench and how much did you adjust it??
    2007 4.7 Liter XK | Front Modified OME HD Lift | Rear 4" Superlift | JBA UCA's | Rusty's Rear Adjustable Track Bar | Rysty’s Adjustable Upper and Lower Rear Control Arms w/Heim Joints | Mickey Thompson Classic III 17x9 Wheels | 315/70R17 Goodyear Duratracs | Airflow Snorkel | Flowmaster 40 Series Muffler | Superchips Flashpaq | Mopar Skids | 4xGuard Belly Guard | American Rebel Rear Diff Cover | Rear Powertrax No-Slip | Front Electronic Locker | Rear Heat/AC Delete

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    Lifetime Member Getting Dirty Matt's Avatar
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    Clockwise to tighten it. Said and done I probably went a ~3/8 turn tighter.

    - I tightened it little by little until I couldn't make the knocking sound with the pry bar
    - Went for a drive.
    - Came back and was able to make the knocking sound again so I tightened it again until the sound was gone, and gave it a little extra for good measure (probably almost a full 1/2 turn at this point).
    - Went for another drive and noticed the wheel wouldn't return to center on its own...
    - Loosened it up about 1/8 turn, made sure the knocking noise wasn't there
    - Went for a drive and the wheel returned to center like its supposed to... left it like that

  7. #7
    Senior Member Getting Dirty BonesWK's Avatar
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    Awesome Matt, thanks for the pictures!

    is it hard to turn the nut? have to use any PB or should it turn on its own?

    I may have to take a peek at mine this weekend and do the same thing.
    Ryan ---- 2006 WK 4.7 QDII <- Click for Garage
    2.25" RR Lift - Front Bilstiens - Rear OMEs - 32" Wildpeaks - Saguaro 4x Shackles - Tail Light Guards - AFE intake - Rola - Exhaust
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    Quote Originally Posted by AJeepZJ View Post
    Can't wait to see that big girl on those fat meats!

  8. #8
    Lifetime Member Getting Dirty Matt's Avatar
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    It wasnt very hard to turn once it broke loose but took a bit of a push to start. That wrench I have is pretty long which helped.

    To get a ratchet on there you'll need to loosen the rack mounting nuts. They're easy enough to get to but just some extra FYI that there'll be an extra step if you dont have a wrench like mine (or need to use an E20 socket)

  9. #9
    Member Looking for Dirt JumpmasterRT's Avatar
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    This may be the solution I've been looking for. When mine pops it causes the left wheel to come out of alignment and resets when I hit the brakes. It usually only happens when i'm turning left excessively... can't wait to try it.

    Sent from my Galaxy S III using Tapatalk 2
    2008 4.7 Liter XK Limited 4x4 | RC 2" Suspension Lift | MB TKO Wheels

  10. #10
    Lifetime Member Getting Dirty Matt's Avatar
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    Take a good look at your control arm bushings as well

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