Steering box

[Mountaincajun]

Help! I grenaded my stock steering box. Upgraded steering components, large tires, and a stroked 6cyl. were more than my stock box could take. I have a 1992 cherokee xj laredo. What durango year and make or zj year and make are compatible with my xj. WHich is a better setup?

 

[old_man]

Exactly how did the box fail? I've rarely seen a box really fail. I've seen tons leak like a seive. I've run 35's for years and lots of guys run 37's.

I port and rebuild them all the time. I've done probably 20 in the last six months. The early Renix boxes have a superior seal setup over the newer boxes.

What size tires and steering setup are you running. If the boxes can't handle it, I wouldn't trust the Durango box either. It has a bigger ram, but the bearings are all the same. It sounds like it is time to go hydroassist.

 

[Spaz_Soldier]

The ZJ ones are pretty similar to the XJ ones. The Durango box uses a thicker main shaft. Stronger. Just ask for one from a '99. I don't know if the one for the plow fits or not.

 

[XJ89JEEP]

I did the Durango steering box upgrade, its a 1998 Durango box with NO snow plow. There is a lot of write ups on this swap, Try the search button.

But just so you know, my turning radius is a lot shorter. That's the only thing I don't like about the swap. Other than that its solid, and I recommend inner and outer frame stiffeners. I used the one's from C-rok.

 

[jeeperjohn]

I have a box from a '99 Durango. You will need to space the box out 1/4" from the inside of the frame to fit. I used 1/4" washers between the box and the spacer. You will also need longer bolts. I suggest at least grade 8. It was a bolt in other than that.

 

[old_man]

The ZJ ones are pretty similar to the XJ ones. The Durango box uses a thicker main shaft. Stronger. Just ask for one from a '99. I don't know if the one for the plow fits or not.

SPOBI

Don't know where you got the idea the sector shaft is bigger in a Durango box. I've rebuilt both and they both use the same pitman arm and the bearings are the same size.

 

[Spaz_Soldier]

http://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/durango-steering-box-upgrade-3805/

There you go! One I found in my thread browsing.

 

[Spaz_Soldier]

SPOBI

Don't know where you got the idea the sector shaft is bigger in a Durango box. I've rebuilt both and they both use the same pitman arm and the bearings are the same size.

Really? I've heard a lot of people say it's slightly thicker.

 

[Goatman]

Unless I am horribly mistaken, which I don't think I am, there are only a couple variations of Saginaw steering gears that bolt onto our Jeeps. There is a 2.75" bore gear and a 3.125" bore gear. They are interchangeable as far as fit and sector shaft/pitman arm size. There are variations of ratio and whether or not they are a variable ratio. Most common are the 2.75" bore with a 13-16 to 1 variable ratio that comes stock in our XJ's, and a 3.125 bore with a straight 16 to 1 ratio. But, there are gears with other ratios, and ratios are available from at least 10 to 1 up to 20 to 1.

Both PSC and AGR sell the smaller bore gear as street and trail, with or without ram assist, and the bigger bore gear as extreme use, both with and without assist. Bolt patterns and sector shaft sizes are all the same, other than some 3 and some 4 bolt patterns.

I personally run a 12 to 1 small bore gear in my XJ based rock buggy with assist.

 

[old_man]

There are several variations of configurations of the bearings and the seals on the output shaft. Some of the bearings have a lip, while others don't and early boxes have two stacked seals while the newer only have one seal and sometimes a dust seal.

Also several numbers of balls used in the recirculating bearing/nut are around.

 

[aintright]

that's weird, i've never heard of balls recirculating nuts around. man i must be out of the loop.... hahahaha

 

[Spaz_Soldier]

that's weird, i've never heard of balls recirculating nuts around. man i must be out of the loop.... hahahaha

:roflmao:

 

[jeeperjohn]

I hit a ledge hard enough to break my aluminum wheel almost in two and it twisted the shaft on my previous Durango steering box and it kept working with no leaks. It did have some play after that though.

 

[Spaz_Soldier]

Damn. There's one thing I haven't heard anybody comment on. Is it just stronger or is it also more powerful?

 

[old_man]

The larger ram gives it more power to turn the pitman arm shaft, but the shaft is no larger. What I have seen fail are the bearings. The stock bearings on both boxes have a spacer between each roller. The replacement bearings I use have bearings side by side all the way around. They look like they have probably twice the contact/support area as the stock bearings. That is one of the reasons why I like to see a box rebuilt prior to stressing it a ton on an off road rig with big tires.

 

[Goatman]

Damn. There's one thing I haven't heard anybody comment on. Is it just stronger or is it also more powerful?

It's not stronger, and assuming it's the bigger 3.125" bore box it's more powerful than the stock XJ 2.75" bore box. However, like Tom said, I hate spending money on stock steering parts because over time they just don't hold up to big tires. The extra cost for a modified box is money well spent for both performance and long term durability. If you're tight on cash and have time to go through the junkyard to pick up a used box (that may or may not last very long) then go for it, otherwise if you can afford it the investment in a performance box is well worth it. I would NEVER buy a new or remaned stock steering gear or pump, the cost is just too close to what good performance parts cost.

 

[jonzer12]

The larger ram gives it more power to turn the pitman arm shaft, but the shaft is no larger. What I have seen fail are the bearings. The stock bearings on both boxes have a spacer between each roller. The replacement bearings I use have bearings side by side all the way around. They look like they have probably twice the contact/support area as the stock bearings. That is one of the reasons why I like to see a box rebuilt prior to stressing it a ton on an off road rig with big tires.

You selling rebuilt stock ported boxes?

 

[Spaz_Soldier]

That's what I was hoping. Running 35"s with the stock box gives a good arm workout. Lol.

 

[Spaz_Soldier]

It's not stronger, and assuming it's the bigger 3.125" bore box it's more powerful than the stock XJ 2.75" bore box. However, like Tom said, I hate spending money on stock steering parts because over time they just don't hold up to big tires. The extra cost for a modified box is money well spent for both performance and long term durability. If you're tight on cash and have time to go through the junkyard to pick up a used box (that may or may not last very long) then go for it, otherwise if you can afford it the investment in a performance box is well worth it. I would NEVER buy a new or remaned stock steering gear or pump, the cost is just too close to what good performance parts cost.

I is broke. That is why I am looking through junkyard threads. Lol.

 

[old_man]

You selling rebuilt stock ported boxes?

I do sell rebuilt stock boxes that are ported. I started a while back to make some Christmas money. As it turns out I have all the fancy equipment to do it right and have the experience and a reputation for being a perfectionist so it kind of exploded. If you are interested, PM me.