Power steering box options
- Thread starter The Real Lxxtsy
- Start date
I just pulled one off my 2000 parts wrangler. If you are looking for used. I can give you a great deal. I’m local in Mundelein
With what they cost and my experiences following Tom's recommendations over the years, I only use Swepco 715 per Tom's recommendation.
My way of thinking for the $$$ in this setup, why use just as good fluid? I use their recommended fluid.
I missed the "just as good" part. Sure, if you know exactly what is "just as good" and can find it for less money, go for it. I only know of two and one of them is more than the Swepco. If I had a case of the GM fluid of the correct part number (there are several) sitting around, I would use it. Nothing else though. Too much money invested in these parts to take the risk.
Moonshiner
New Member
Okay, okay lol I digress. It is my hard-earned money after all and more importantly all the time I've invested in this ratchet's nightmare. I guess I was hoping there would be an oil or fluid engineer in here somewhere just waiting to break down all the dichotomies between different power steering fluids and ATFs. I realize post statement that has already been done for me by the gearbox manufacturer (tapping my temple).
Moonshiner
New Member
Well, it was all going swimmingly until I tried to dry-fit it in. I have my new PSC steering box and a 04 TJ with what I thought was enough body lift. Nope. It appears not. I'm rubbing a steering shaft on the bottom of the water bottle (I did shorten the shaft) and the return line quite obviously is not going to work. Now, I could modify the mounting on the water bottle somehow but I'd prefer not to. I also could modify the bodywork around the return line but that does not agree with me - tolerances would be to close for my liking. Even modifying the return lines metal tube or using the HK2000 conversion kit is still going to cause issues. (I've kept the original PS pump and I have Swepcos fluid just dying to work for me.)
Who else has had this issue and what did they do to resolve it?
Is a taller body lift really the route I should go?
What else have I missed that I might look into instead?
Who else has had this issue and what did they do to resolve it?
Is a taller body lift really the route I should go?
What else have I missed that I might look into instead?
Get the lower shaft from a 97-02 and that will solve the problem. Works even with no body lift. You can also use the return line from the same years.
Moonshiner
New Member
I always appreciate the advice here and thank you.
I've read about the 97-02 steering shaft being a solution but cannot find immediate visual information supporting this. Do you have a link to something showing the configuration and change using such?
I see you already answered this earlier - my bad....
Essentially, my original line is not configured to work with a longer steering gear. It introduces a need to route around the metal of the body (lower part of the grill) to be useable as-is. The metal tubing on the end which mates with the steering box would need some very difficult bending. Could I do this with a tubing bender? Maybe. Do I want to? No.
I'm not wholly against changing the body lift I have but I really do like it the way it is. As far as I can tell it is 1.5" body lift. Now, a whole day later and I'm no longer throwing tools around the garage in a fit I've started to accept the idea she might get taller.
I guess what I'm really asking in order to fit this gear correctly is should I go with a 2" body lift to achieve the fit with the most success?
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I guess this would be easier for you if you understood that the PSC steering gear is roughly the same body as the 97-02 steering gear which worked with stock pressure line, stock return line, and stock lower steering shaft in those years without a body lift. As for the steering shaft, it is shorter by 2 1/4" below the first u-joint back from the input shaft on the gear. That means due to the angle of the steering gear, it lowers the steering shaft to clear the bottom of the coolant overflow reservoir.
Moonshiner
New Member
So, I am completely clear you are saying the shaft section indicated in my photo within the blue marks is 2 1/4” shorter on the 97-02? I can fully understand how that lowers the overall shaft angle.
This won't interfere with the frame rail / engine mount support?
The 97-02 return line must do some gymnastics to come off the steer gear port and route under the grill / body?
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Again, one last time and I'm typing very slowly so it will sink in. The parts to install the PSC steering gear into the 03-06 TJ in stock form with no body lift exist because it is virtually the same steering gear body as a 97-02 steering gear. The pressure line exists, the return line exists, and the shorter steering shaft exists.
The 03-06 steering gear is much shorter. All Jeep did was extend the lower shaft from the u-joint down to the input shaft. By doing it that way, no other changes had to be made to mount the gear with the exception of one frame bolt which PSC had already done for you.
Moonshiner
New Member
I have the Mopar 97-02 shaft (from Quadratec) - that needed some extra milling to accept the upper steering shaft (whatever). I also have the 97-02 return line and even though I read slowly, one last time so it "sunk in" it is obviously not the correct part. This TJ is stock save a 1" body lift and 4.5" suspension lift. Parts take weeks often to make it to me and I rarely have time to screw up or around.
What has happened in the past 8 hours has been maddening even though the steering shaft now seems to work as intended. The pressure line and the return line do not fit around the grill/body with anything approaching the word clearance. Let's talk about the fact that these lines run against the PSC body touching it - that is unacceptable. There is also no conceivable way to route these lines at all so it doesn't rub on the PSC gear, the steering shaft, a steel body part or the frame.
What am I missing and why has this job become a quest for custom lines made? It's not an abnormal TJ folks.
I'm not an inexperienced mech and I don't have an ill-equipped garage. On the contrary, I'm quite capable and equipped.
Moonshiner
New Member
The stock steering gear on this year TJ (2004) is historically prone to failure when using larger than stock tires. While right now this rig only has 33" it has completely worn out the stock steering gear. I was attempting to take the opportunity to upgrade and build something I could continue to service in an environment where parts are less than accessible.
Being I often need a month's lead time on parts to be shipped (on a ship or small boat/small plane) new parts are like Christmas time around here. That leads to ordering and fitting the best possible as often as is possible. I hope that helps a bit.
I install PSC steering gears in 03-06 TJ's often. I also often use the stock OEM style pressure line from the PSC pump to the steering gear. It won't hurt the hard line to rest against the steering gear body. Tweaking of a slight nature may be required to point the line up the steering shaft but it is never much. The same is true of the return line.
If I get a few spare moments today, I will try to hook the lines up to a PSC gear and get a picture for you.
As promised. TJ steering gear for 03-06 from PSC. Stock 97-02 pressure and return lines installed.
That's awesome. Helper, go get that new steering gear off the shelf and open it up so we can stick it in the vise. I'll go dig through the take off parts and see if I can find an early return and pressure line so we don't have to open a new one. He does, I find the return line, he has to go find a pressure line. We do so, and get them mocked up in the steering gear, takes about a half hour to get it done while I should be fitting up a set of coil-overs. But, hey, the pic came out tolerable.
I’m not the one you took the photo for or who askedThat's awesome. Helper, go get that new steering gear off the shelf and open it up so we can stick it in the vise. I'll go dig through the take off parts and see if I can find an early return and pressure line so we don't have to open a new one. He does, I find the return line, he has to go find a pressure line. We do so, and get them mocked up in the steering gear, takes about a half hour to get it done while I should be fitting up a set of coil-overs. But, hey, the pic came out tolerable.
But I’ll remember to not give you any compliments from here on out.