Issues after replacing steering box

[Joseph]

Been awhile since I posted here. Noticed my steering box was leaking fairly bad (enough to get me to min after a 1.5 mile ride) so I got another box and put it in

Everything went fairly smoothly. My wheels are straight when my steering wheel is straight and the steering wheel moves nicely. It’s bled properly I assume. The column might’ve moved a hair with the gearbox removed in the process.

Now the issue is, when turning left, I can feel the steering wheel get “hung up” almost a little stuck. I can move past this position easy and the wheel turns easy after that.. I don’t know exactly how to explain this but every full rotation it seems to get hung up in one spot.

Any input would be appreciated

 

[Joseph]

I’m bringing it down to an issue of a faulty gearbox or I didn’t bleed properly.. and there’s air caught in the line somewhere..? I didn’t have this issue before replacing the new one.

I also didn’t do a full 25 stop to stop with the Jeep off. It was more like 15-20 and then I did some more with the engine running.

Oh well at least power steering isn’t leaking everywhere

 

[TJ4Jim]

Jack up you front end and see if the issue persists without the weight on the front wheels. You can also try re-bleeding the system at the same time turning lock to lock about 20 times.

Would not be unusual for the steering box to be faulty.

 

[Joseph]

Jack up you front end and see if the issue persists without the weight on the front wheels. You can also try re-bleeding the system at the same time turning lock to lock about 20 times.

Would not be unusual for the steering box to be faulty.

I can still feel it snag up with the wheels off the ground, although I feel the snag significantly less. We had felt this before reattaching the pitman arm as well when we corrected everything. I’m at a loss and I know it’ll drive me nuts.. But we’re no longer leaking and the power steering isn’t whiny etc. so I’m in better shape (hopefully) than I was before. Really would just hate to have to do this all over again!

 

[RaymondT]

Jobber gear? Sounds it wasn't set up properly or has worn internals.

My AC-Delco reman gear didn't work out and eventually got a Mopar reman which has worked quite well.

 

[Joseph]

Jobber gear? Sounds it wasn't set up properly or has worn internals.

My AC-Delco reman gear didn't work out and eventually got a Mopar reman which has worked quite well.

It’s an a1 cardone rebuilt steering gear. took me about 15 miles to lose my power steering which blows. more to do now

 

[RaymondT]

Another thing with jobber boxes. Sometimes you get the wrong ratio. I read somewhere that there was 2.7 and 3.1 stop-to-stop boxes out there. The AC-Delco box was too touchy at center with very little movement required to change position on the highway. Got to be a pain-in-the-rear. I finally bailed on it when I found a trail of fluid on the driveway making a tight turn. When I (or the wife) turned it to the right stop, it puked fluid out the sector shaft.

The Mopar box is perfect on the highway. Noticeably more input is required in the turns. I can keep it perfectly in the lane without effort.

 

[Joseph]

Another thing with jobber boxes. Sometimes you get the wrong ratio. I read somewhere that there was 2.7 and 3.1 stop-to-stop boxes out there. The AC-Delco box was too touchy at center with very little movement required to change position on the highway. Got to be a pain-in-the-rear. I finally bailed on it when I found a trail of fluid on the driveway making a tight turn. When I (or the wife) turned it to the right stop, it puked fluid out the sector shaft.

The Mopar box is perfect on the highway. Noticeably more input is required in the turns. I can keep it perfectly in the lane without effort.

Well just an update i’ve put around 300 miles on that box. Still feels like it gets hung up but hasn’t created an issue.

 

[John Scoggins]

Worm gear has a bad spot in it, bring it back and get another one is really the only solution.

 

[mrblaine]

Worm gear has a bad spot in it, bring it back and get another one is really the only solution.

Yep, the box is shot and was exactly that way when A1 got their grubby little crumb snatchers on it. It would not be uncommon for that steering gear to have little more than a coat of paint slapped on it after a new output seal and some cleaning. A1 is the only caliper reman company that reuses the caliper pistons after checking them for a tolerable amount of physical damage. As in, is it only sorta messed up? Yes, okay, toss it in the good bin.

 

[Joseph]

I had to go and say something! Cause today while driving the steering became significantly tighter in the one spot it was getting hung up. Throwing in the towel and going to try and tackle it on Wednesday. What a PITA it’s gonna be to take it out, go to the parts store, get the new one and put it in, for a second time! The icing on the cake is getting a code for the sending unit I believe.

 

[Tonywill92]

Mine does the same thing kinda gets hung up and stuff in one spot and makes a popping sound then frees up did you find a solution?