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steering box leak?

4x4JeePmaNthINg

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Colorado
yall

ive been reading on the steering box leak issue a bit. A year ago or so i put a JY mopar one in as the last one was way sloppy. It still drives great but recently started leaking from the bottom, possibly the top to but idk if its residual from road wind.


anyhow i just wanted to ask the well versed on here as to their success rate on getting new seals vs another box. I know many say if its leaking it could be from a groove having worn into the pitman shaft.


thoughts/recommendations?

thanks
 
Rebuilt mine 4 months ago w a kit from napa.
A word of caution.... mark a few index marks before you fool w it, and watch as many youtube videos you can find. Biggest pain for me was getting the FIRST ball bearing down o to the worm shaft during assembly. The rest was pretty easy
 
As stated NAPA sells kits. I'm sure other places do too. You will need an Inch-LB beam or dial torque wrench to set loads. Yes, seal can 'grind' a grove in a shaft. Sometimes you can get very fine sanding paper to take them out. Also, seals just get old and crack. As to the recirculating balls, I used grease to hold them in place. I read about that somewhere.
 
i dont think i need to rebuild anything, its functioning pretty well other than the leak.

anyone have success driving the seals out by turning lock to lock hard(using the fluid to eject the seals), rather than pulling the shaft?
 
i dont think i need to rebuild anything, its functioning pretty well other than the leak.

anyone have success driving the seals out by turning lock to lock hard(using the fluid to eject the seals), rather than pulling the shaft?

If you have to take out the shaft, or the sector gear, then you have to reset the drag loads on both of them. Not sure if you could drill small holes in the seals. Then put some screws in them. Then pull on the screws to pull out the seal.
 
I have successfully change the lower (pitman arm) seals easily on 2 different vehicles, solving leak in both cases. Yes you can turn it on and turn wheel to lock (after removing snap ring) and it will come out.
 
It can be done. Not that hard but you have to remove the box for this one.

I recommend you clean the area first and double check its leaking form the inner seal. The reason is it can also leak form the outer threaded area if an internal o-ring is bad. That can also be repaired but you have to remove the lock ring, cap and make sure you get the preload back in place.

I think the shop manual explains this if you can get your hands on one.

It has been a long time since I did the inner seal but I think the seal is just held in by a snap ring. Problem its pretty tight and your going to have to use a pick to remove the seal.
 
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