Steering box adjustment - lost my bearing

[Cottontail]

I'll pipe in since I just changed my box on my 2001.

First, plan on ordering a new brace for the box. The one I had in mine was cracked. A beefy replacement was like $35 from JCR. Money well spent

I did go with the Durango upgrade. Really can't tell a lot of difference, but six of one, half dozen of the other, might as well go with the bigger box. Get it from a 1999 V8 Durango. I ordered mine from Advance Auto Parts on line. They had some coupon codes for 25 or 30% off with free shipping. The core was $110, but once I returned my old box and got the 30% off, I paid right around $140ish. The box I got from Advance was a reman.

I pulled my box off with the pitman arm still attached. I used an air ratchet to pull the nut off (32, 33, 34mm somewhere in there) and then used some PB blaster and small plumbers propane torch to heat it up. Rented the Pitman Arm Puller from Advance also and had the arm off in about 10 minutes. I would have removed it while still mounted, but I didn't have the puller kit on hand.

If you go with the Durango box, you need to space out the box about 1/4 inch. I used 2 nuts on each of the 3 bolt holes. Again, I used the JCR brace. I JB Welded the nuts onto the JCR brace so I didn't have to worry about putting them onto the bolt between the brace and box. The box is heavy, shipped weight was 28 lbs, so you want to make it as easy as possible.

Once the new box was in place, the intermediate shaft just slid right on and bolted into place and the pitman arm slid right up. The arm is grooved to slide property onto the "bolt" on the bottom of the box. Pretty hard to mess it up. Once everything was tighted up on the box, the pitman arm, and the steering shaft, I had to move my tie rod end to line up with the pitman arm.

After all that was buttoned up, just replace the lines, bleed the system, and then take it to get aligned.

ONE WORD OF WARNING....before you start to unbolt anything, move the drivers seat all the way up, wrap the seat belt around the bottom of the steering wheel so it can't move and then buckle it. You DO NOT want your steering wheel moving freely while you do this swap.

It was a very easy modification and didn't require any fooling around with the box. It came centered and I just never touched the setting.

 

[duck1982]

Thanks for that info.
I actually just ordered the brace/bolts from JCR.

I guess I will stick with the stock box, since I ordered it already and most people on the forum that seem to praise the durango box have bigger wheels, etc.

 

[Matthew Currie]

Thanks for that info.
I actually just ordered the brace/bolts from JCR.

I guess I will stick with the stock box, since I ordered it already and most people on the forum that seem to praise the durango box have bigger wheels, etc.

A wise decision on the brace and bolts. It will make your job simpler and safer.

 

[ocean_jet]

I am looking to possibly get a Durango box?

Any chance the parts store (RockAuto or Advanced) might refuse to accept a Cherokee box as a core for a Durango box?

 

[old_man]

While not exactly ethical, most couldn't tell the difference if they were sitting side by side.

 

[duck1982]

here is a possibly dumb question:
do I need to lift the car in order to replace the box?
I've read on some other write ups to keep the car level,
but the manual says to lift.

 

[old_man]

If you can get under there, no need to lift.

 

[duck1982]

I can get under there.
BUT the stabilizer bar is in my way, covering the pitman arm bolt. I'd rather not lift the car.
What to do? Should I go ahead an take down the stabilizer bar?

 

[heyhar]

Take the stabilizer bar down, if you can get the bolts out of the captive nuts. Keep your fingers crossed! The bushings probably need to be renewed, anyway!

 

[duck1982]

So, the pitman arm came off without TOO much trouble,
the remanned box is in.

So the results are this: at first, there was some "tense" spots in the steering.
I kept turning the wheel back and forth until all the bubbles came out.
I think that took care of those spots where I felt a little resistance.

HOWEVER my center return is not all I've hoped for.
Perhaps there are some bubbles left in there?
Or perhaps the remanned box needs to be "broken in?"

The center return is not so zippy, and it just stops returning as it almost hits center. I really really hope I don't have to adjust the box!

Any suggestions/feedback?

Thanks guys for all your help

 

[duck1982]

+ I just called the company I ordered the box from to get their input.
They said that most likely, because its a new box, my older power steering pump might have difficulty keeping up. he recommended i check the pressure.
I will look into it!

 

[old_man]

Return to center is not really a function of the steering box, but rather a function of the amount of caster in your steering/suspension system. When you lift an XJ, you tend to point the pinion up towards the TC. This reduces your caster. That is why with larger lifts, many cut and rotate the knuckles.

 

[duck1982]

But I didn't lift the jeep.
It could possibly be, because the track bar needed replacing, one of the front tires has uneven ware.

I don't think its the pump because I could probably steer the car now with a finger or two, so it must be doing its job.

I will get to the bottom of it and post my results.

 

[Matthew Currie]

I don't recall any of my XJ's having a strong centering action. They track straight when on center, but they don't snap back. I remember years ago some tester, I think for Consumer Reports, was taking cars out on the track and letting go of the steering at full crank to test how fast they recentered. I'm pretty sure the XJj would flunk that one.

 

[duck1982]

The pump is fine, and the caster is not adjustable on a stock xj from what i understand..

It turns out I have one bad passenger's side u-joint.
I think that is the problem!