POP sound comming from steering box

I have been having some minor play in my steering and a loud pop comming from the front of my xj. Its been getting worse so i got my buddy to turn the wheel left and right while i was checking out the front end. I narrowed it down to the the steering box.

Do i need to replace my steering box now? Is there a bearing that i can just replace?

'loud pop' sounds like a trackbar or bracket loose, but could be in the steering box. is the steering box secured properly on the unibody, no cracks or anything.

hey,

if there is a loud pop is sounds like a wallowed out trackbar mount at the axle end. take the trackbar off and check the size of the bolt compared to the size of the hole. if the hole is oval and the bolt can move around in it, then weld a reinforcement plate over it like they did at the link below. if it is not the track bar then...

check for play at the pitman arm. check to see if you can move the pitman arm up and down. lay under the rig and use a long pole or something and try to lift the draglink up, if the pitman arm moves up and down, then replace the steering box.

-tim

trackbar fix link found here
http://www.jeepin.com/features/trackbarfix/index.asp