can you adjust a power steering gear box?

[djmac]

on an "82 j-10 can you adjust slop in the gearbox? i have a bit of slop and the rest of the steering linkage appears tight. i also have a problem on cold mornings. the steering is very stiff for the first 2 or 3 minutes usually you can turn one way easier than the other when it is cold but suddenly it will break loose and be fine for the rest of the day. any ideas? by the way this jeep has a ford 460 and i am not sure if it is a jeep ps pump or a ford.

[LRRH]

yes...it can be adjusted but it is a PITA...and many will warn you not to do it and just get a new box. I've never had to do it yet but some people report great results.

http://www.ifsja.org/tech/steering/boxadj.shtml

[The Anti-Chrysler]

The cold problem sounds like a pump problem. Ford PS pumps suck. I'd swap out the steering box if its really loose. You can use Saginaw boxes from other GM applications, cheap from a junkyard.

[tgreese]

The Jeep TSM (technical service manual) specifically warns against adjusting the gear mesh (top screw on box) without first adjusting the end play (big nut on the steering shaft end of the box). The tech article that _LRRH_ refers to says to adjust just the top screw - v. risky IMO.

Probably cheaper and better to scrounge a late-model box and replace the whole thing. There was a posting about using a Blazer box recently - do a search.

hth :cool: Tim

[The Anti-Chrysler]

Originally posted by tgreese:
The Jeep TSM (technical service manual) specifically warns against adjusting the gear mesh (top screw on box) without first adjusting the end play (big nut on the steering shaft end of the box). The tech article that _LRRH_ refers to says to adjust just the top screw - v. risky IMO.

Probably cheaper and better to scrounge a late-model box and replace the whole thing. There was a posting about using a Blazer box recently - do a search.

hth :cool: TimThe Blazer box was me. smile.gif Let me know if you need more info on it, but it should come up in detail on the search.

[djmac]

thanks guys i will check out the blazer articles.

[The Anti-Chrysler]

Here is one of my posts from about a year ago...

"I used a steering box from a '97 4x4 S-10 Blazer. I got it at the bone yard for about 40 bucks; there are tons available. The truck only had about 20 something thousand miles on it, and they have variable ratio, which I'm sure is probably tighter than any box Jeep offered. Use a box from any 4x4 from 1995 up. The box is identical; the only difference being that it has 3 mounting ears vs. 4 on the Jeep box. Weld it on, or just bolt the other 3 like I did, unless you do serious wheeling. A great budget alternative to a new box!! The J-10 drives like a truck now, and no longer like a school bus!!"

[incocknito]

It was me that AC told to get the blazer box and it works great. Picked up one with <20K for $50 and steering issues are resolved <for now>.
BTW, THANKS AC for the advice!

[The Anti-Chrysler]

Originally posted by incocknito:
It was me that AC told to get the blazer box and it works great. Picked up one with <20K for $50 and steering issues are resolved <for now>.
BTW, THANKS AC for the advice!Cool!! Glad to hear you went ahead and it did the trick for you! smile.gif Now don't be jinxing yourself saying "issues are resovled for now".... tongue.gif

[djmac]

by the way do you need to change the pump and hoses when you use the blazer box.