Steering Box Swap

[Kat's TJ]

2000 Wrangler 4.0
Leaking steering box is a unit with 25 stamped on the outside. Got one with 76 stamped on the outside. Other than the extra threaded hole (4th one) the others seem to measure the same. What other differences should I be aware of?? gear ratio? Thinking about cutting the 4th hole off not sure if necessary? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[P man]

Is this a reman steering box? The tj is a 3 bolt box as you have found out. Where did the replacement box come from?

 

[Kat's TJ]

It doesn't look like it. From a local Jeep parts place. short of putting this "new" in wondering if re sealing the 25 unit makes better sense.

 

[P man]

I wonder if you ended up with a yj steering box? They are 4 bolt if I recall

 

[Kat's TJ]

Could be. It looks bulkier but the mounting locations measure out to be the same, going to mount it this next week and just wondering what I'm in for with the weather projecting snow.... Should be able to post results. Really hoping I don't have to grind/cut that fourth location. Resale if it doesn't work. Wondering if anybody else had the same issue or replaced a TJ steering box with an YJ box and it worked? More research needed by me (more time under the TJ and then behind the steering wheel.)

 

[freedom_in_4low]

From what I hear about how hard it is to get decent boxes, if yours is still tight and just leaks, I would definitely consider just replacing the seals and keeping it.

Would the local Jeep parts place happen to be FN Jeep up in Springs? When I've been there it almost seems miraculous that anybody could get the right part. Just piles of parts without any labels as to what they came out of, as if they assume everything is interchangeable. It'd be one thing if everyone there had the knowledge to know what was what, but they couldn't tell a YJ transfer case from a TJ one, so.. .

I used to live and work in your neck of the woods...actually owned 5 acres in PW for a bit but took a different job before building on it.

 

[Kat's TJ]

Yeah they could use some organization of their parts for sure. The leaking one is out now so I do plan on rebuilding it. Winter project number I don't know but at least on the list, haha. I will get the YJ installed soon tho and let you know how it runs. Going to do some research today but early indications are it should work just fine if not better. If it doesn't work then the priority of new seals gets raised up.

 

[Kat's TJ]

completed the swap. No issues or problems whatsoever. Works great. Drives well. Next project on that vehicle is resealing the old TJ model and then sell it.