Calgary Jeep Association
4x4 Related Groups => Tech Talk => Topic started by: EviLAnTo on February 26, 2014, 12:42:13 PM
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Like all tj's my poor steering box is starting to go along with my nerves on the highway, so ive been looking online and im wondering
if its worth swapping out for a Durango steering box from a junkyard or just buying a brand new one. im a student so im looking for more of "less pricey"
alternative. Any thoughts/tips?
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Like all tj's my poor steering box is starting to go along with my nerves on the highway, so ive been looking online and im wondering
if its worth swapping out for a Durango steering box from a junkyard or just buying a brand new one. im a student so im looking for more of "less pricey"
alternative. Any thoughts/tips?
Are you sure its the box itself? I just had problems with my steering and I was 100% positive it way excessive play in the box. I was just about to order one until I checked the track-bar bushing at the axle end, it had about 1/8" play and after a new TB was installed the steering tightened right back up to like new.
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after you check all that stuff out if you have determined it is indeed your steering gear (steering box) i have one off my ZJ that should bolt right up, and its solid. pm me if you're interested. 50$
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And if you decide on the upgrade with a durango box, just buy new.
Its a roll of the dice grabbing one from the junkyard; you can end up going through 5 bad ones before you find a good one. You won't know for sure until you've installed it in your vehicle.
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And if you decide on the upgrade with a durango box, just buy new.
Its a roll of the dice grabbing one from the junkyard; you can end up going through 5 bad ones before you find a good one. You won't know for sure until you've installed it in your vehicle.
That doesn't sound like you Pip! Junkyard parts ftw bro!! :P
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That doesn't sound like you Pip! Junkyard parts ftw bro!! :P
omg x2.
who is this guy? lol
I can't wait to hit the JY this weekend. -25? hells ya should be nobody there to compete for parts hahaha
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That doesn't sound like you Pip! Junkyard parts ftw bro!! :P
Must be a sign of me growing up :(
I actually bought my Durango steering box brand new for Limey.
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omg x2.
who is this guy? lol
I can't wait to hit the JY this weekend. -25? hells ya should be nobody there to compete for parts hahaha
Haha! Yup....been there done that a couple times... brrrrrrrrr.
Must be a sign of me growing up :(
I actually bought my Durango steering box brand new for Limey.
Where at and how much did it run ya? My steering box is official pooched as well...I think the sticky rocks in MOAB were the last straw
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I saw rock auto had rebuilt tj boxes for around $100
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i bought one of these for my Dodge after reading many reviews. They also have jeep ones...
http://www.redheadsteeringgears.com/ (http://www.redheadsteeringgears.com/)
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And if you decide on the upgrade with a durango box, just buy new.
Its a roll of the dice grabbing one from the junkyard; you can end up going through 5 bad ones before you find a good one. You won't know for sure until you've installed it in your vehicle.
Although pnp has a 30 day exchange policy, do you want to keep going back till you find a good working box? Im curious on the Durango box too. In my application I've read the draglink may require shortening, but i cannot confirm this. I was going to swap in the box when i change out my dayner tirty. I like the quicker steering.
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Hey guys thanks for all the help! Im sorry for the extremely late response, ive been getting into the last leg of school.
so i narrowed it down to the steering box i checked the joints and rod ends everything seems fine, along with the track bar shes on pretty tight ;)
when i lifted up the jeep up i noticed i subtle "clunk" when changing direction with the steering wheel and noticed a little bit of play coming from the
steering box drop arm (not the right word i know) that connects to the rods. im wondering if tightening the box with an allan key will work or
if i should purchase a new box.
thoughts?
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The steering box is attached to the frame with 3 bolts. Make sure these are TIGHT! From personal experience, I have known these bolts to back-out and loosen up from time-to-time.
Also, check your steering box brace. Sometimes they crack or even break. If this is the case, you can order after-market braces (or even build your own if you know how).
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This may be just me but I did find the Durango box to be beefier, shorter lock to lock , but I did notice that it seemed like I lost Turing radius,.. Anyone else?
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You may be right Jenssen. I think I also lost a bit of turning radius with the Durango box too. Didn't seem like a huge loss though. Bigger tires seem to hurt the turning radius more so than the Durango steering box.
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Yes, you lose turning radius with the Durango box. The stops inside of it are larger. I believe I saw a writeup on the internet years ago about how to swap the stops from a Jeep box to retain the same turning radius.
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Yeah, from what I've read many of the Durango boxes had a spacer installed that decreased the max steer angle by reducing the max stroke of the power piston. Some say the box for Durangos with the plow package didn't have the spacer but I can't confirm that.
If you want to remove the spacer, it's a bit of a process but between these threads and the FSM you should have all the info you need to get the box apart and back together again:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=915103
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/general-4x4-discussion/570869-saginaw-box-rebuild-how.html
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f13/how-rebuild-your-saginaw-zj-steering-gear-1287958/
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This may be just me but I did find the Durango box to be beefier, shorter lock to lock , but I did notice that it seemed like I lost Turing radius,.. Anyone else?
Yup. Did the swap and now have decreased steering radius. Great swap to run single-digit air pressures on bead locks but not great for a daily commuter . I think I was better off with a stock XJ box.
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Hey thought id throw in a delayed update, SO i went with a remaned box no problems with the removal/install (thanks to a ratchet strap)
unfortunately i pulled a dummy move when bleeding the system. instead of (what i know now) jacking the front end up and turning the wheel side to side in my excitement i drove around in figure 8s
and im pretty sure im, in the market for a new pump now. :'(