You don't need a lift to check for steering gearbox play. Just unlock the steering wheel and not running and turn your steering wheel back and forth and watch the left front tire to move. The tire should move back and forth with every movement of the steering wheel. If the steering wheel moves...
Some years of the JK's the neutral safety switch is located inside of the trans, when the trans gets hot sometimes the switches would fail. Just maybe the problem is on more then just the JK's.
There's a fuse in the box in the engine compartment I think it's the IOD or something like that, it's surrounded by a yellow cradle. Just pull it out, not sure what will happen if it's left out long term.