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Steering Box Bracket

Highmiles

NAXJA Forum User
Location
New Hampshire
Vehicle: 1999 - all stock except for budget boost and 235 tires

I broke a bolt holding the steering box onto the frame over the weekend. I was able to remove the remaining two bolts but the aluminum spacer / bracket was sacrificed when getting the broken bolt out of the box.

I replaced the bolts using grade 8 hardware and used steel spacers to provide the same spacing that the old bracket provided. Everything is tight and the jeep drives correctly.

2 questions: does the aluminum bracket serve any purpose beyond simply providing the correct space between the frame and the box? Does it need to be replaced?

Second - does anyone make a replacement bracket?

My rig has 235,000 miles on it, so my priority is road safety, not hard core wheeling.

Thanks,
Chris
 
Additional info: local Jeep dealer says the part is $10.00, but none in stock. He checked and there are none listed in any dealer across the country.

Looks like my "shade tree engineering" may have to work.
 
..local Jeep dealer says the part is $10.00, but none in stock. He checked and there are none listed in any dealer across the country.

The Parts department often says that when they don't want to bother with a special order. Try any one of the on-line parts departments - http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/index.cfm?siteid=214583 - or stop by the junkyard. A number of NAXJA vendors make steering box braces and may sell you just the frame insert to replace the aluminum one.

.
http://www.c-rok.com/sb.html
 
Last edited:
thank you for the link - they had the bracket for $7 cost more to ship it!
I don't know if it does anything, but I feel better having the correct part in there.
 
I think it is either the C-Rok inner for $40 or simply making up my own backing plates for the bolts to spread out the load. No one (including the on-line parts store provided above) seems to have the factory part. I am a cheap SOB on the XJ because it has so many miles on it, but $40 is a good investment for safety.
 
when you put it in make sure you check for cracks around the frame holes where the bolts go through. if it is cracked and you dont fix it the problem will come back.

good luck
 
I am a cheap SOB on the XJ because it has so many miles on it
235k isn't too bad. Mine has 320. Those c-rok plates and frame supports are about the greatest thing that you could do to an XJ. It takes nearly all the stress off the "framerail" and spreads it further back as well as across the front crossmember.They are well worth the few bucks they cost to salvage a destroyed unibody... Although your hasn't gotten that far yet...
 
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