Steering box shot

Turned into a parking lot yesterday and heard a poping sound and the steering wheel went over 90 degrees real quick and the jeep went straight, not good. Looking to upgrade but a search here showed the AGR steering boxes to be nothing more than a stock rebuild, and not a good one at that. Should I just get a stock replacement box and add the c-rok braces? Heck the stock box lasted 230,000 hard miles.

Where do you get the c-rok brace kits from, Direct from them?

Thanks,
Jim

87XJ 3" lift, 31's

jwillettgn said:

Turned into a parking lot yesterday and heard a poping sound and the steering wheel went over 90 degrees real quick and the jeep went straight, not good. Looking to upgrade but a search here showed the AGR steering boxes to be nothing more than a stock rebuild, and not a good one at that. Should I just get a stock replacement box and add the c-rok braces? Heck the stock box lasted 230,000 hard miles.

Where do you get the c-rok brace kits from, Direct from them?

Thanks,
Jim

87XJ 3" lift, 31's

Click to expand...

It could be your Trackbar. It pops when it geting worn out.

Check the steering box mounting points first. The front of the unibody where the box bolts is also know for being a weak area. If you do indeed need to replace the box, a 99' Dodge Durango box bolts in with the use of some very small spacers (or washers) on the inside of the unibody. This will give you the 3.5" bore instead of the factory 3". The price tag for a reman isn't that outragous either. You're also on the right track with the C-Rok plate. I would do that at the same time as the box. Good luck!

My box went out this summer. It froze on me for a second as I was turning a corner on the street and then came back. The fluid had all leaked out from the input shaft of the box and there was no fluid on the dipstick. I refilled it and drove home about 10 miles very slowly and checked the fluid once I was home. It had turned from a nice clear color to the color of ATF and had a very pretty sparkle to it. Not a good thing.

Also the pump was moaning more than a french whore being gangbanged by black men :shocked:

I just got a rebuilt box and pump from Autozone with a lifetime warrenty, new hoses, a big cooler, and filter and called it done. Its been doing great for about the last 2 months with wheeling in the sands of Daytona Beach, FL and two trips to Uwharrie here in NC.

AARON

MDMIKE said:

Check the steering box mounting points first. The front of the unibody where the box bolts is also know for being a weak area. If you do indeed need to replace the box, a 99' Dodge Durango box bolts in with the use of some very small spacers (or washers) on the inside of the unibody. This will give you the 3.5" bore instead of the factory 3". The price tag for a reman isn't that outragous either. You're also on the right track with the C-Rok plate. I would do that at the same time as the box. Good luck!

Click to expand...

A bigger cylinder bore in the steering box will use more volume but will create less psi. This is because the pressure is being displaced by a larger surface area. Not sure but I would think this would make your steering feel harder.

Dan

Dan Turner said:

A bigger cylinder bore in the steering box will use more volume but will create less psi. This is because the pressure is being displaced by a larger surface area. Not sure but I would think this would make your steering feel harder.

Dan

Click to expand...

Nope. My '99 Durango box works awesome compared to the stock box. Wouldn't go back. Of course, I replaced the old pump when I did the box. Durango box is a good swap!

Thanks for the info, just ordred the C-rok kit.

Jim

99 dodge durango 2wd or 4wd? (does it matter?), motor size?


thanks

-Red

I don't think it matters, just measure the round end of the box - it should have a 3.5" cylinder cap.

One thing to be aware of about these Durango boxes: If you've installed the box and find that you can't turn the wheels enough each way and the box is turning lock to lock, the box has internal spacers that need to be removed. I'm not sure why some Durango boxes have the spacers and others don't, maybe the difference between 2wd and 4wd, but removing the spacers gives you more movement. The spacers are at each end of the piston cylinder. The round cap at the end of the box is where you'll find one spacer. The cap itself is held in with the large snap ring and is easily removed by using a scribe or small screw driver. Insert the scribe into the hole drilled in the outter flange around the cap and push the snap ring out. Then turn the input shaft enough to press the piston against the cap - the cap will pop right out. If the cap has 3 raised castings (about 1/4" tall) on the inside, then you'll need to get a cap that is flat - or grind the castings down smooth. The other spacer is a 1/4" thick pentagon shaped snap ring that's at the other end of the piston cylinder. It's kinda complicated to remove the guts, so I recommend that if you find those raised castings in your Durango box, take it to a rebuilder and have him open it up and remove the snap ring spacer.

If you're buying a rebuilt Durango box, then have the rebuilder remove the end cap while you're there to see if the spacer castings are there. If not, more than likely, the pentagon shaped snap ring isn't inside it either and you're good to go.

.....And yes, I learned this info the hard way.