Looking into a new steering gear. Quite a bit of play in mine. What’s everyone using as replacements ?
Which steering gear?
- Thread starter Peppergat
- Start date
New PSC. You can get a Lares new for half but it's rolling the dice. I rarely recommend expensive parts but this is one that is going to hurt no matter how you look at it. I think 2005 is Mercedes unless you convert it to an older mount. If you really want to save money you can try a cheap rebuilt box but plan on doing the job a few times until you get one that works or is better than what you've got.
)Mine too, it isn't super tight either but considering the replacement cost I'm going to run it until it leaks or causes some really bad steering issues.
OP
Hmm , I’m not sure. I’m going to have to research that. Guess I was thinking there was only one style.
It would be very rare for your Jeep to have anything but Mercedes. If yours was converted you'll have to check it to see, solid metal cast box sticking down in the front generally it's Mercedes, pressed on cap and it's not.
OP
OP
Make sure you check your linkage and everything before you throw the box under the rug and like I've done, try to live with the suck for as long as you can.
OP
Yup. I’ve already replaced all the other wore out parts. It’s definitely the box. It’s pretty exciting driving it especially on some of the narrow bridges in my area.
Don’t worry about the steering gear yet. For the time being, install V8 ZJ or Currie steering linkage. Right now you have Inverted T which is garbage for handling. That steep angle on your drag link directly causes vagueness in handling because your tie rod rolls to a limit each time you turn in the opposite direction.
Somebody deviated from stock in a misguided effort to beef up the steering and did so with a subpar design. It’s a mistake many make. Assuming the steering knuckles have not been reamed out larger for 1-ton tie rod ends, you can bolt on the stock style steering once again and fix that part of the issue. If your knuckles have been reamed larger then you need new knuckles to revert back. You may have steering box issues but that steering linkage is definitely contributing to the vagueness so you need to address it first.
Somebody deviated from stock in a misguided effort to beef up the steering and did so with a subpar design. It’s a mistake many make. Assuming the steering knuckles have not been reamed out larger for 1-ton tie rod ends, you can bolt on the stock style steering once again and fix that part of the issue. If your knuckles have been reamed larger then you need new knuckles to revert back. You may have steering box issues but that steering linkage is definitely contributing to the vagueness so you need to address it first.
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2016
- Messages
- 53
Machoheadgames- as a bandaid to his tie-rod induced steering vagueness, the OP could install Ruff Stuff's "The Cure" on those tie-rod ends. They make a Delrin spacer that prevents the tie-rod from rolling. It should help as a short term fix till he comes up with a better long term solution.
I'm a bit confused. Reading their description it states that it gives slightly flexible connection and anyone who has worked with acetyl knows that it is anything but flexible. I do know that if you use a flexible high stiffness polymer in that application, you wind up with something like this.
