Anyone rebuilt their steering gear? Advice?

[rang-a-stang]

I am thinking of rebuilding my rebuilding my steering gear. I see lots of kits for pretty cheap compared to the cost of a box with a lifetime warranty and there are quite a few "How-To's" out there. It looks fairly straight forward.

Anyone rebuilt their box? Any special tools needed? Any lessons learned? Any advice?

[rocklaurence]

I rebuilt one several years ago. I think the kit was only $40 but it does take some time. Tip: dont loose any of the roller balls that are in the housing and pack the balls with grease when re-installing. IMO, the only reason to rebuild vs remanufactured is to keep a Large Bore J20 box [because finding a re-man' is like finding Hen's teeth.

[jpcoutts]

I'm curious how it turns out for you! It seems like the reman'ed units don't last to long, but maybe that's because they weren't set up right.

[rang-a-stang]

Yeah, I see rebuilt units starting at $180 and up. Rebuild kits are only $20. If I take about $20 in cleaners and sealants, that is a savings of $140+. Would be worth the time... i think. But if it is a PITA and/or I am going to need a special tool then maybe it is not worth it.

[Tripwire]

well you will need a inch pound wrench IIRC to adjust the preload

[78 WIDETRAC]

I just watched a video on rebuild yesterday by Bleepin jeep. The guy was very thorough and had a couple of cool tips for re installing the bearing cage. He used a zip tie after he filled it with ball bearings to hold the halves together and capped the ends off with high temp wheel bearing grease to hold them in. I'll look for it and try to link it here.https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...0-naCDYH59wZmN

[FleetFox]

Agreed, it's not a high drama rebuild. The vids are good and there are plenty of them. Using the grease to keep the balls in is a great hack. The TSM is helpful as well. Just work on a blanket when you tear it down and segregate the 2 different size ball bearings as they come out. I believe they are 2 different colors black and silver. You can do this.

Fleet Fox

[rang-a-stang]

OK, just finished building the Saginaw power steering box from my XJ (same as ours). What a miserable job! Almost everything was seized, getting the piston back in with the new Teflon seals took forever, it was an oily, dirty, gritty, mess. I will never do that again. With the troubles I had, it took me four hours to rebuild that stupid box. Do not go into a job like this thinking it goes as smoothly as the bleepinjeep video shows. It was not worth only saving $100.

[FleetFox]

Sorry man. Mine was pretty drama free.

Fleet Fox

[SOLSAKS]

I sent my steering gearbox to red head steering gear

maybe in Washington state ?

used then on many restorations.....

steering is smooth as silk.

dave in NC

[SJTD]

Gotta ask, always do. Did yours have little black balls and little silver balls or all one color? If both did you alternate them?

[rang-a-stang]

Yeah: 2 colors, yep: alternated them. Steering feels good and it is all back together it was just a miserable job. I have talked with 2 people in person and they had the same story as fleet fox: really? It should be super easy and take no time at all... I had no problems.. they said. So it must just be me.

I considered them, SOLSAKS but they were out of my price range this time. Maybe when my daddy Cherokee needs a box it will get a red head.

[rocklaurence]

LOL! I didnt have a good time rebuilding mine either! In the middle of the build, Im thinking "I should have bought one at Advance Auto. You Big Dummy"! But it was cool to se the inside of a Box

[SJTD]

Idunno. You might have been calling yourself worse than dummy if you had gone for the rebuilt.

[Waggymcgee]

I am in this boat too and redhead do not do 85 wags. My steering feels fine though so at these prices I might just top it up monthly. Hillbilly band aid. Remanufactured are really bad?