[Jiffydarren]

Mine is leaking. Bad. I've put AT 205 in and it's slowing the leak a little, but I know I'm only postponing the inevitable. Question is, (being it looks really time consuming) should I do it myself? Or would I be better off having someone else do it? I can do it, but it just looks like too much of a pain, and it also stands to reason that I'd need an alignment afterwards. What are your thoughts? Also, best choice for an inexpensive replacement?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Water Dog]

A stock steering box is available at Napa for less than $150. I changed mine out in a couple of hours. It's really not that bad a job. I had to unbolt mine to get to the hoses, and scramble to find something to set it on...it probably weighs 30 or 35 pounds. The hardest part will most likely be getting the pitman arm off. You shouldn't need any re alignment just from changing the steering box.

 

[jherrington]

You dont need an alignment afterwards as you arent messing with any other steering components besides the box. If everything is ligned up correctly and no one turns your steering wheel while you're working on it, everything should be fine.

Go to auto zone and get a new box. ~140 +core and it comes with a liftetime warranty. If it leaks again, you go to autozone and get a new one for free. I changed mine out in about two days. its not that bad. the only reason it took me so long was that i couldnt get the pitman arm off and ended up having to take the box out with the pitman arm attached, setting it over a flame for a few minutes, then beating it with a BFH.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Replacing the steering box is a relatively easy task... remove its three mounting bolts, remove the bolt that holds the steering shaft to the top of it, and disconnect its two hydraulic hoses. I replaced my steering box while laying on the rocks on a trail several years ago.

Once you have replaced it, make sure not to start the engine until you have bled the majority of the air out of the power steering system. That means turning the steering wheel fully back & forth 25-30 times which will get most of the air out. Not doing that can damage the vanes inside the power steering pump by the air causing cavitation. Supporting the front axle with a pair of jackstands will make the bleeding process a lot easier.

The first pic shows the power steering fluid just starting to puke out after the steering box's seal blew out while on Sledgehammer. I was thankful there was a spare steering box sitting in Blaine Johnson's Magic Parts Box back at camp.

 

[doclouie]

If you need to change it out you may want to upgrade it to a Durango one that is heavier duty.