had a competent friend look at it. the problem was much simpler than i thought-the steering box detached from the frame after an ear broke off of the box. it moves freely, and is still attached to the u joint and the pitman arm. u joint is okay thankfully.
thanks for so many useful replies and bearing with my wrong terminology!
$uch a $imple problem.
It’s certainly one that I have never had to deal with. Those steering gears are usually mounted at 3 points.
At least the problem has been identified . . . you need another steering gearbox
What about the rest of the vehicle?
Is the rest of the steering system in reasonable shape?
Is the frame damaged, where the gearbox bolts up . . . ?!
Steering gearboxes are fairly robust, and for them to physically break with no outside influence isn’t that common
Do not really know what that means, got in, hopped a curb, dukes of hazard bridge jump?
The ear on the gear box broke because that was the only bolt that was tight. The other two either came loose or tore out of a rusty frame channel.
It’s an expression
To simplify . . . OP got in the vehicle, started it up and proceeded to drive
I’m pretty sure it doesn’t have anything to do with hopping curbs OR Dukes of Hazard
Yup. Rust would be an influencing factor
GC = Grand Cherokee.
Tester