steering gear replaced, still bad

[4x4JeePmaNthINg]

I recently replaced my steering gearbox with a refurbished durango box.

The vehicle tracks straight, but holy hell it has at least 2" of play at the steering wheel. When I crawled under expecting to see the pitman arm not turning promptly with the steering input, I instead found the output shaft moving side to side slightly.

I plan to pull this junk and return it, but before I do I figure ill ask if there are any other options I should consider before doing so.


fyi I pulled the last steering gear because it was leaking from the output and the output shaft moved side to side. Ide already put new seals in a year ago, JY box.
I still have my mopar box, that sucker has almost as much input play, but did not leak.

 

[cruiser54]

I don't think run of the mill rebuilds are any good at all.
There are other reputable independent sources for a good steering box.
How do you use your Jeep?

 

[4x4JeePmaNthINg]

80/20 on road/wheeling

 

[cruiser54]

do you NEED a Durango box?

 

[4x4JeePmaNthINg]

Absolutely not, the stock box worked fine until it got sloppy. I just decided to try a little beefier gear as I was needing to replace it anyway.

 

[cruiser54]

You'd be better off with a good used box.
I know the 94 to 98 Grand Cherokee box bolts right in. I've used them a coupla times.
Quickens up the steering a little also.

 

[old_man]

I don't think run of the mill rebuilds are any good at all.
There are other reputable independent sources for a good steering box.
How do you use your Jeep?

This has been my experience. Most have not had the pinion bearing replaced during rebuild and are not even adjusted correctly. Even worse, I purchased 4 rebuilt boxes at once to tap or assist. None were assembled correctly with the right number and size of balls.

Send it to West Texas Offroad in San Antonio, TX for a rebuild.

 

[4x4JeePmaNthINg]

You'd be better off with a good used box.
I know the 94 to 98 Grand Cherokee box bolts right in. I've used them a coupla times.
Quickens up the steering a little also.

I'm not opposed to this route, but I worry it difficult to find u pull one that hasn't t already been replaced with a junkstore box. I might have to peak at the yard

 

[cruiser54]

Turn the steering wheel, if it has one, and look for slop.
Look at the odometer, if it has one and isn't digital.

 

[kcox506]

I have had great luck with Blue Top Steering Gears. However that costs more money than the cheaper remans. But you’re getting a quality rebuilt box. Also consider a steering box brace. That will also significantly improve your steering response. You could potentially have other sources of play from the unibody or steering box spacer. A brace can eliminate all of that and hold the sector shaft center. Look at the one from Ironman4x4fab. Changed my life when I first put it on.

 

[MiWiAu]

You can get a sector shaft bearing from Motion Pro for about $30, and the input bearing and seal kit are available on Rock Auto, if the internals are otherwise good and you want to attempt a rebuild yourself. It's a bit tedious, but not hard, and no real special tools needed other than an in-lb torque wrench to set the over-center adjustment.

These are the part numbers I used to rebuild my OEM 98 gear:

Seal Kit - Gates 349630 (Rock Auto)
Input Bearing - National DB53313 (Rock Auto)
Sector Shaft Bearing - INA SLH12501 (Motion Pro)

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