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Replacement steering gear options?

Y

yossarian19

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Grass Valley, CA
It's that time: my gear box leaks & has gotten loose.
I've heard of people using GM F-body steeirng boxes as well as YJ boxes and, I think, Durango boxes.
I can't for the life of me remember what the supposed advantages were to each of them.
Are any of them a definite upgrade to the XJ stuff, or should I go with a quality rebuilt box for $90 and call it a day?
 
IIRC, the durango box is an upgrade. Don't remember exactly why. But a quality steering box that works is better than anything that is broke.
 
The durango box is a physically larger brother of the stock box. You may have to pull the internal stops to get full range of motion.

The.yj box has an extra mounting hole.

The Fbody box supposedly has a faster ratio.
 
I've got a TJ steering box in mine now, just swapped out a YJ box that was toast, which was swapped when my XJ box was done.
TJ box seems to be fixed ratio and was a direct swap, the YJ box required a few extra mounting shims and a large re-adjustment on the drag link. (it was slightly larger on the casting).
I do know that now I can drive down the highway and my Jeep doesn't attempt to kill me anymore.
 
dont know about the gm or durango but I swapped mine to a yj which has a higher fixed ratio compared to the xj's smaller variable ratio.
the ability to turn is much smoother and quicker and to me, a bit stronger too.
durango is suppose to be stronger because its bigger, the gm I've never even heard of that?

Devilfrog said:
I've got a TJ steering box in mine now, just swapped out a YJ box that was toast, which was swapped when my XJ box was done.
TJ box seems to be fixed ratio and was a direct swap, the YJ box required a few extra mounting shims and a large re-adjustment on the drag link. (it was slightly larger on the casting).
I do know that now I can drive down the highway and my Jeep doesn't attempt to kill me anymore.
Click to expand...

if I'm not mistaken(probably am wrong lol) but I thought the tj boxes were exactly the same as a xj?
 
Durango box is horrible. Took away a nice chunk of my steering. Part number 27-7588 but anyway its a crap shoot if your going to get one with a decent turning radius or the crap one I got.
 
I think you're supposed to get the durango box from the snow-plow ready truck.

All this info could be easily found with a quick search on here. It's been discussed many times.

I have a YJ box tapped for assist and it wore out too. Utilizing the 4th hole is a PITA, even with a kit like the one from JCR. The 4th hole goes right through the top of the frame rail and is really hard to drill/cut out.
 
sunburned said:
I think you're supposed to get the durango box from the snow-plow ready truck.

All this info could be easily found with a quick search on here. It's been discussed many times.

I have a YJ box tapped for assist and it wore out too. Utilizing the 4th hole is a PITA, even with a kit like the one from JCR. The 4th hole goes right through the top of the frame rail and is really hard to drill/cut out.
Click to expand...

dont need to use the 4th hole, you can for added insurance but I just used the stock 3 holes.
 
sunburned said:
I think you're supposed to get the durango box from the snow-plow ready truck.

All this info could be easily found with a quick search on here. It's been discussed many times.

I have a YJ box tapped for assist and it wore out too. Utilizing the 4th hole is a PITA, even with a kit like the one from JCR. The 4th hole goes right through the top of the frame rail and is really hard to drill/cut out.
Click to expand...

Snow plow just gives you extra holes for hydraulic steering or something like that. The turn ratio is 3 turns lock to lock but the lock to lock is still the same as the non plow box. The only way to get the turning radius of out the durango box is to take it apart and pull some crap out of it (there is a write up google 'naxja durango turning modification'). I didnt have the know how so never tried it. Just lived with a horrible turning radius making austin powers turns in parking lots lol.
 
SBpunk said:
You keep your turning radius or lose a nice chunk? Wish someone sold the modified boxes online. That would be greaaaaat.
Click to expand...

It turns just as tight as it did with the stock box. I haven't gotten out and looked, but I'm pretty sure it hits the stops on the knuckles. It's tight enough to make the front tires squeal at crawl speed on fresh asphalt.
 
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