Replaced steering box, turning raduis sucks now

I replaced the box with a junk yard one and now my turning radius to the right is about half as good as it should be..is this a bad box or just an improperly installed box?

You have to zero the box, turn the input shaft all the way to the left (or right) turn it the opposite direction and count the turns until it stops, split the difference, then center the input shaft as good as possible. Make sure the tires are pointed straight forward and your Trac bar (or other front end parts) don't have excessive play.

I forget the socket size that fits the input shaft splines. I always mark the socket with a stripe (magic marker). You have to disconnect the Pitman arm.

I remember reading a warning from someplace about exceeding the box design when turning. I was always pretty careful about making sure the box was zeroed, one of those jobs I did twice just to make sure I did it right.

8Mud said:

You have to zero the box, turn the input shaft all the way to the left (or right) turn it the opposite direction and count the turns until it stops, split the difference, then center the input shaft as good as possible. Make sure the tires are pointed straight forward and your Trac bar (or other front end parts) don't have excessive play.

I forget the socket size that fits the input shaft splines. I always mark the socket with a stripe (magic marker). You have to disconnect the Pitman arm.

I remember reading a warning from someplace about exceeding the box design when turning. I was always pretty careful about making sure the box was zeroed, one of those jobs I did twice just to make sure I did it right.

Click to expand...

pitman arm and steering box are indexed, none of that will help, original poster will have to adjust the drag link.

I did the same thing as you. I threw a box out of an irocz in my jeep only to find out I had a nice quick steering ratio, but my steering radius was not good. Since the steering stops are internal to the end plate and steering box I swapped the irocz gears into the stock jeep box. Now I have a quick ratio with full lock to lock turning, and I used the better assist valve body from the stock jeep box. So overall I am very happy with the mod.

I adjusted it right after the install to get the wheel straight but is there more I can do?

ROBZ95Xj said:

pitman arm and steering box are indexed, none of that will help, original poster will have to adjust the drag link.

Click to expand...

If he installed the steering box one full revolution off on the input shaft, he is going to have to disconnect the steering wheel shaft and recenter the input shaft. Disconnecting the pitman isn't really absolutely necessary, but what you want to do is find the center of the steering box and not the stops at the knuckles.

I usually center the box before I ever put it in the vehicle. But in my opinion doing it step by step is likely prudent. Lock the steering wheel to the center, disconnect the input, disconnect the pitman and center the box. Reconnect the input, it may not exactly align with the input shaft notch, but will be close. Center the tires and see how far off the pitman is, it should be close. If it isn't. I'd look first at the top trac bar connection. A seriously worn top trac bar connection can cause the steering wheel to be a quarter of a turn off center.

If your trac bar is good and you take a test drive and the steering wheel isn't center, then it is time to mess with the drag link.

My steering is about one and three quarters revolutions, from center, to the right and left stop. Or around three and half revolutions stop to stop. The disconnected steering box, if I remember correctly (it has been awhile maybe ask Oldman) is around two and quarter to two and half revolutions from center until it runs out of worm gear. It is possible to have the gear box off a full revolution when installing it. Then instead of hitting the steering stops, you run out of worm gear (or sector shaft teeth) inside the steering box in one direction.

I'm by no means an expert so I've always done it by the book, first zero the steering box and then start hooking everything up. I've never had any real issues doing it this way.

Depending on the year, you may have to re center the clock spring also, if you turned the steering wheel any when the box was out.

ROBZ95Xj said:

pitman arm and steering box are indexed, none of that will help, original poster will have to adjust the drag link.

Click to expand...

Like Rob says they are indexed, but rechecking the setup from the beginning is IMO prudent. I always do, mostly because I'm usually installing a rebuilt box and who knows what parts they stuck in there, is it the right box or whether the box binds or not?

Funny, I actually stuck a box into an old Dodge P.U. and when I turned the steering wheel to the left and the tires turned right.

Thanks. I had the box zeroed in when I bolted it up but then when the shafts wouldnt line up I think I rotated the pitman arm to get them to line up.. I guess I will have to mess around with it more.

possible JY vehicle had the wrong box installed.

try another, or a YJ box.

do you have shorter radius to one side, or both?

I put a "faster steering" box on my hurst/olds 30 some years back and it wouldn't turn in a 3 acre field. Some boxes have more travel.