Symptoms
Light, vague, loose steering and wandering on the highway, sometimes with play you can see at the pitman arm. One owner described it as 'super light, vague and loose' at nearly 100,000 miles.
The fix, step by step
- Early JLs used an aluminum steering gear, and Quadratec says Jeep moved to cast-iron boxes.
- Owners on JLWranglerForums cite TSB 08-074-20 for the swap (we couldn't see the bulletin itself), who also note it won't cure death wobble by itself.
- DIY: disconnect the battery, mark and remove the pitman arm with a puller, unbolt the intermediate shaft, disconnect the pressure and return lines (catch the fluid), then unbolt the box from the frame.
- Fit the new box with new bolts, refill and bleed the system with the specified fluid, and center the steering wheel.
Tools & part numbers
- Pitman-arm puller
- line wrenches
- large sockets
- torque wrench
- drain pan
- power steering fluid.
Where to buy the parts
Mopar 68250506AD power steering box, 2018–2020 JL UnlimitedQuadratec ↗Amazon ↗
Mopar 06512518AA short steering box bolt, 2018–2020 JL/JTQuadratec ↗Amazon ↗
JL steering linkageExtremeTerrain ↗Amazon ↗
Hunting a used or discontinued part? Search eBay Motors for Jeep Wrangler JL Unlimited parts →
Rated for a competent home mechanic with a decent tool kit. Confirm torque figures, fluids and procedures against the factory service manual for your VIN, support the truck on stands rather than a jack, and work at your own risk (disclaimer). Some parts links are affiliate links, which pay us a small commission at no cost to you.