Your existing gearbox is likely the best one out there!

All the newer ones are made cheap and fail fast, like the TJ one. It
pukes out all the time and the the oldest ones are only from 97!

Putting a kit into your gearbox is pretty easy to do and is best done on
the bench. You can change the adjuster plug seal by leaving everything
connected to the box and just lowering it a bit for room.

The turning radius is usually controlled by the steering stop adjustable
bolts or by the tire size limit when it hits fenders or springs. The
bolts are in the fronts of the steering knuckles and hit the axle tube
when turned all the way. Or they should hit before the tires do
anyway....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

HomeBrewer wrote:
>
> I got same problem today. I wiped everything down and now I know I have
> a leak where the steering arm enters the gear box. I am turning 36"
> tires on dana 44 front axle with the original 24 year old gear box. I
> need advice on what gear box to replace with to get a better turning
> radius with my full width axles.
>
> Will Honea wrote:
> > Thanks, Doug. At least things are a little more accessible with the
> > fender and grill headers off. I can't believe how much I had to
> > remove to get that @#$%^ fender off. I'm hoping for a hose leak -
> > lots cheaper and easier to do that replacing the steering gear -
> > especially the pitman arm.
> >
> > On Sun, 18 Sep 2005 21:31:43 UTC "DougW"
> > <post.replies@invalid.address> wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Will Honea did pass the time by typing:
> >>
> >>>About a week back, I noticed a (new) small drip on the driveway.
> >>>Couple of days later, the PS fluid was a little low. Pulled the MJ
> >>>into the garage to repair a bit of tree rash on the fender and found a
> >>>big puddle the next morning. The PS is losing fluid fairly rapidly
> >>>and appears to be losing it just sitting. Will a steering gear seal
> >>>go bad that fast and allow a gravity drain? How about a hole in the
> >>>hose? I don't see an obvious leak when I crank the wheel with the
> >>>engine running but the hoses and gear are pretty well buried from
> >>>sight with the skid plate and mud panel in place so I thought i'd ask
> >>>before I start pulling pieces.
> >>
> >>Usually it's a hose and most often the return line.
> >>A leak in the pressure line will spray fluid all over the place.
> >>Leaks can happen in the O ring between the fluid reservoir and
> >>the pump.
> >>
> >>Your going to have to get in there and wipe everything down and clean
> >>it up, top off the fluid and idle it for a bit. Then go back and find
> >>your leak.
> >>
> >
> >
> >

 

Ditto.
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Mike Romain wrote:
>
> Your existing gearbox is likely the best one out there!
>
> All the newer ones are made cheap and fail fast, like the TJ one. It
> pukes out all the time and the the oldest ones are only from 97!
>
> Putting a kit into your gearbox is pretty easy to do and is best done on
> the bench. You can change the adjuster plug seal by leaving everything
> connected to the box and just lowering it a bit for room.
>
> The turning radius is usually controlled by the steering stop adjustable
> bolts or by the tire size limit when it hits fenders or springs. The
> bolts are in the fronts of the steering knuckles and hit the axle tube
> when turned all the way. Or they should hit before the tires do
> anyway....
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

 

Ditto.
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Mike Romain wrote:
>
> Your existing gearbox is likely the best one out there!
>
> All the newer ones are made cheap and fail fast, like the TJ one. It
> pukes out all the time and the the oldest ones are only from 97!
>
> Putting a kit into your gearbox is pretty easy to do and is best done on
> the bench. You can change the adjuster plug seal by leaving everything
> connected to the box and just lowering it a bit for room.
>
> The turning radius is usually controlled by the steering stop adjustable
> bolts or by the tire size limit when it hits fenders or springs. The
> bolts are in the fronts of the steering knuckles and hit the axle tube
> when turned all the way. Or they should hit before the tires do
> anyway....
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

 

Ditto.
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Mike Romain wrote:
>
> Your existing gearbox is likely the best one out there!
>
> All the newer ones are made cheap and fail fast, like the TJ one. It
> pukes out all the time and the the oldest ones are only from 97!
>
> Putting a kit into your gearbox is pretty easy to do and is best done on
> the bench. You can change the adjuster plug seal by leaving everything
> connected to the box and just lowering it a bit for room.
>
> The turning radius is usually controlled by the steering stop adjustable
> bolts or by the tire size limit when it hits fenders or springs. The
> bolts are in the fronts of the steering knuckles and hit the axle tube
> when turned all the way. Or they should hit before the tires do
> anyway....
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

 

> The turning radius is usually controlled by the steering stop adjustable
> bolts or by the tire size limit when it hits fenders or springs. The

OK, radius wasn't what I was searching for it just sounded right. What I
meant to improve was the travel? I now turn my steering wheel 3 turns to
make wheels move a full lock - I would like to turn my steering wheel
1.5 times to full lock - is this possible with a different gear box?

 

> The turning radius is usually controlled by the steering stop adjustable
> bolts or by the tire size limit when it hits fenders or springs. The

OK, radius wasn't what I was searching for it just sounded right. What I
meant to improve was the travel? I now turn my steering wheel 3 turns to
make wheels move a full lock - I would like to turn my steering wheel
1.5 times to full lock - is this possible with a different gear box?

 

> The turning radius is usually controlled by the steering stop adjustable
> bolts or by the tire size limit when it hits fenders or springs. The

OK, radius wasn't what I was searching for it just sounded right. What I
meant to improve was the travel? I now turn my steering wheel 3 turns to
make wheels move a full lock - I would like to turn my steering wheel
1.5 times to full lock - is this possible with a different gear box?

 

On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 02:15:01 UTC HomeBrewer <HomeBrewer@***.net>
wrote:

> > The turning radius is usually controlled by the steering stop adjustable
> > bolts or by the tire size limit when it hits fenders or springs. The
>
> OK, radius wasn't what I was searching for it just sounded right. What I
> meant to improve was the travel? I now turn my steering wheel 3 turns to
> make wheels move a full lock - I would like to turn my steering wheel
> 1.5 times to full lock - is this possible with a different gear box?

Different question. You can probably find just about any ratio you
want, but that may involve fitting a completely new gear box with all
the problems that entails. One thing to consider: if you have power
steering (and I assume you do - or have arms like a gorilla) you are
going to be putting a whole lot more stress on the gear box and PS
pump/hoses. You don't cut the mechanical advantage in half without
penalty. I know some Jeeps that already have problems with steering
gear mounts and have to beef them up even with the stock gear. You
could also gain the same advantage with a longer arm on your present
box, but I would pretty much bet that doing so would kill the box in
short order. Just moving 36's is a huge increase in stress over
"stock" all by itself.

--
Will Honea

 

On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 02:15:01 UTC HomeBrewer <HomeBrewer@***.net>
wrote:

> > The turning radius is usually controlled by the steering stop adjustable
> > bolts or by the tire size limit when it hits fenders or springs. The
>
> OK, radius wasn't what I was searching for it just sounded right. What I
> meant to improve was the travel? I now turn my steering wheel 3 turns to
> make wheels move a full lock - I would like to turn my steering wheel
> 1.5 times to full lock - is this possible with a different gear box?

Different question. You can probably find just about any ratio you
want, but that may involve fitting a completely new gear box with all
the problems that entails. One thing to consider: if you have power
steering (and I assume you do - or have arms like a gorilla) you are
going to be putting a whole lot more stress on the gear box and PS
pump/hoses. You don't cut the mechanical advantage in half without
penalty. I know some Jeeps that already have problems with steering
gear mounts and have to beef them up even with the stock gear. You
could also gain the same advantage with a longer arm on your present
box, but I would pretty much bet that doing so would kill the box in
short order. Just moving 36's is a huge increase in stress over
"stock" all by itself.

--
Will Honea

 

On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 02:15:01 UTC HomeBrewer <HomeBrewer@***.net>
wrote:

> > The turning radius is usually controlled by the steering stop adjustable
> > bolts or by the tire size limit when it hits fenders or springs. The
>
> OK, radius wasn't what I was searching for it just sounded right. What I
> meant to improve was the travel? I now turn my steering wheel 3 turns to
> make wheels move a full lock - I would like to turn my steering wheel
> 1.5 times to full lock - is this possible with a different gear box?

Different question. You can probably find just about any ratio you
want, but that may involve fitting a completely new gear box with all
the problems that entails. One thing to consider: if you have power
steering (and I assume you do - or have arms like a gorilla) you are
going to be putting a whole lot more stress on the gear box and PS
pump/hoses. You don't cut the mechanical advantage in half without
penalty. I know some Jeeps that already have problems with steering
gear mounts and have to beef them up even with the stock gear. You
could also gain the same advantage with a longer arm on your present
box, but I would pretty much bet that doing so would kill the box in
short order. Just moving 36's is a huge increase in stress over
"stock" all by itself.

--
Will Honea