Steering rebuild kit

Steering rebuild kit
J

Jimmyp

Jeeper
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Location
oviedo
Vehicle(s)
80 cj5, 305.
Hey everyone,

Is there a steering rebuild kit that comes with everything to rebuild the steering and tighten it up? If not can someone shoot me an idea of all the pets needed to get as tight of a steering setup as possible for the CJ5 .?

Thanks!
 
There is no kit I'm aware of to completely rebuild the entire steering system.

Which parts are your issues?

The lower steering shaft is a common issue and can be replaced with an upgraded aftermarket one. There is also a bushing in the bottom of the steering column that is a common wear point. If it's in the steering box, I would replace it. Tie rod/Drag link ends can be simply replaced or upgraded to stronger aftermarket ones.
 
jp360cj said:
There is no kit I'm aware of to completely rebuild the entire steering system.

Which parts are your issues?

The lower steering shaft is a common issue and can be replaced with an upgraded aftermarket one. There is also a bushing in the bottom of the steering column that is a common wear point. If it's in the steering box, I would replace it. Tie rod/Drag link ends can be simply replaced or upgraded to stronger aftermarket ones.
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Not really sure which part is the issue but as of right now the jeep pulls hard with any light slope in the road or bump. I do know my steering dampner is leaking which i have the replacement for. If there are a few parts that the team here could recommend to replace first and brands that would be greatly appreciated.
 
For the steering shaft, open the hood and try to turn it back and forth by hand . If there's play in the joints, you'll be able to see it.

For the steering shaft bearing, try to move the shaft up and down/side to side. If the bearing is bad there will be a lot of noticeable play.

For the TREs and Steering box, jack up the front of the jeep and get the tires off the ground. Turn the steering wheel back and forth while someone watches for play/movement in the input vs output of the box and at the TREs.
 
This guy wrote up quite a complete steering post on this forum quite some time ago and I seems to be quite good:http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f99/troubleshooting-correcting-your-steering-4106/. From what I have found as old as the CJ is it is time to replace the steering box after going thru what was stated in that article. The expensive aftermarket steering shafts are nice because they get rid of the lower steering coupler. For steering shaft wobble, replacing the bearings purchased from the big box 4wd outfits helped also.
 
The Rusty's steering box mount looks pretty much the same as the one from Mountain Off Road Enterprise (M.O.R.E) that I use and it works well. I replaced the stock mount after I went to 35s and it flexed a lot. I've been pleased with it, but I also added a MORE steering brace to take some of the stress of the frame.


The Crown steering box is grossly overpriced and in general, Crown has a history of poor quality. I try to stay away from Crown & Omix as much as possible. If you just want a replacement steering box, you can get one from the parts store much much cheaper. If you want to spend the money on the Crown unit, I would look AGR. They have variable rate boxes and I think bigger bore boxes for more power assist. There are stock replacement boxes from other vehicles that are upgrades from the CJ box (H1, FSJ, and Durango/Dakota are a few).
 
jp360cj said:
The Rusty's steering box mount looks pretty much the same as the one from Mountain Off Road Enterprise (M.O.R.E) that I use and it works well. I replaced the stock mount after I went to 35s and it flexed a lot. I've been pleased with it, but I also added a MORE steering brace to take some of the stress of the frame.


The Crown steering box is grossly overpriced and in general, Crown has a history of poor quality. I try to stay away from Crown & Omix as much as possible. If you just want a replacement steering box, you can get one from the parts store much much cheaper. If you want to spend the money on the Crown unit, I would look AGR. They have variable rate boxes and I think bigger bore boxes for more power assist. There are stock replacement boxes from other vehicles that are upgrades from the CJ box (H1, FSJ, and Durango/Dakota are a few).
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Does it matter the year for lets say the durango/dakota. i tried looking through the threads and saw some rhd stuff but that doesnt do anything for me.

I did see the 76 j20 steering box is a nice direct bolt on upgrade. Thoughts on this?
 
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Jimmyp said:
Does it matter the year for lets say the durango/dakota. i tried looking through the threads and saw some rhd stuff but that doesnt do anything for me.

I did see the 76 j20 steering box is a nice direct bolt on upgrade. Thoughts on this?
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I'm not sure on the years for the Durango or Dakota box.

True mid-late 70s J20 boxes are nearly impossible to find. Other than the larger bore, they are the same as (and directly interchange with) the J10/Waggy/Cherokee boxes of the era. Many parts stores even list them as the same part. So what most folks now end up with is a J10 box instead. Your '80 should have metric o-ring fittings, and anything '79 and older will be SAE flare fittings, so you'd need to change out the lines and fitting on the pump also. The FSJ boxes also use a different coupler, so you'll have to change either the bell coupler or the lower steering shaft to a CJ manual steering one.

I'm running 35s with a stock 80s Waggy steering pump and box and can steer with 1 finger. Unless you really need the extra power of the big bore box, I think an 80s Waggy box would be a good option. You will still need to swap the steering shaft for a CJ Manual shaft, but if it needs replacing anyway, then that cost is pretty much a wash. But the reman Waggy boxes are cheaper than the reman CJ boxes. The advantage is the Waggy boxes are variable ratio, so the steering is "slower" near the center. To me, it doesn't feel as twitchy as the factory CJ boxes.
 
jp360cj said:
I'm not sure on the years for the Durango or Dakota box.

True mid-late 70s J20 boxes are nearly impossible to find. Other than the larger bore, they are the same as (and directly interchange with) the J10/Waggy/Cherokee boxes of the era. Many parts stores even list them as the same part. So what most folks now end up with is a J10 box instead. Your '80 should have metric o-ring fittings, and anything '79 and older will be SAE flare fittings, so you'd need to change out the lines and fitting on the pump also. The FSJ boxes also use a different coupler, so you'll have to change either the bell coupler or the lower steering shaft to a CJ manual steering one.

I'm running 35s with a stock 80s Waggy steering pump and box and can steer with 1 finger. Unless you really need the extra power of the big bore box, I think an 80s Waggy box would be a good option. You will still need to swap the steering shaft for a CJ Manual shaft, but if it needs replacing anyway, then that cost is pretty much a wash. But the reman Waggy boxes are cheaper than the reman CJ boxes. The advantage is the Waggy boxes are variable ratio, so the steering is "slower" near the center. To me, it doesn't feel as twitchy as the factory CJ boxes.
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To make sure i am understanding correctly a 1980s jeep wagoneer steering pump and box with a manual shaft is an upgrade and for the most part direct swap. I have a chevy 305 right now and was wondering if the wagoneers pump is needed because i have one already on just not sure from what and if it is will it work?
 
Jimmyp said:
To make sure i am understanding correctly a 1980s jeep wagoneer steering pump and box with a manual shaft is an upgrade and for the most part direct swap. I have a chevy 305 right now and was wondering if the wagoneers pump is needed because i have one already on just not sure from what and if it is will it work?
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The CJ box is a fixed ratio. The Wagoneer box is a variable ratio. I prefer the way it drives over the stock box, so I consider it an upgrade. The pump isn't needed, but you will need to check the fittings on the 305's pump. If it's an 80 or newer, it should have metric o-ring fittings and you'll need an 80 or newer box. If it's a 79 or older pump then it should have SAE flare fittings and you will need a 79 or older box.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Yes, that manual CJ shaft will fit the Waggy power steering box.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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