Durango Steering Box swap completed/results

[Lake_v2]

Small review of the Durango Steering box swap.

There are 3 Different year/combo steering boxes that are used in the swap.
1998-4x4 durango
1999-4x4 durango
1999-4x4 durango with snowplow option(rare by a bit lol)

The 1998-1999 standard boxes have 20% more assist/steering power than stock yj/tj/xj boxes, use same mounting holes for all, except the 2003-newer tj's, and one less mounting hole than the standard yj box.

To install in my yj the hardest part was finding the steering box, got a grand tour of nearly every jy/dismantler in Bako to find right year/chassis box.

All the hoses and mounting holes are simple plug/play affair. after installing, jacked up front wheels, added fluid, bleed system(steer to stop several time, making sure to top off fluid as air is forced out).

The steering end result is great, much easier to turn the 35's sitting at idle, and a firmer feel n the road at speed.


Also built a steering brace at the same time to compensate for loss of one mouting hole compared to stock. Brace goes from old swaybar mount to snout of steering box.

[t_long927]

This is great...

AWESOME WRITE UP!!!

[casaintsfan]

No pics?
Never happened!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TheBigDogg]

we want pics!!

[t_long927]

go to the infected room... I'm sure B-rad has some for you...

[Lake_v2]

Pics added

or not... gimme a min...

[img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a400/lake_v2/steeringbox2.png[/img]

[img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a400/lake_v2/steeringbox.png[/img]

[Beck*A*Poo]

Nice pics...

[Desert Dog]

NICE! Time to make a skid plate now.

Good move on the brace

[Lake_v2]

[quote="desert dog"]NICE! Time to make a skid plate now.

Good move on the brace [/quote]

new bumper with intergrated skid for box and intergrated winchmount and grill hoop is coming soon. Have the steel, just need to get to cutting/welding...

[two_much_talk]

I just did this swap in a 2004 LJ last night. . .

1.) I had to cut part of the bracket containing the lower bolt out
2.) bolt up the Durango steering box including the piece that I cut out
3.) tack weld the bracket piece back on
4.) un-bolt the Durango steering box and finish tack welding the bracket piece
5.) finish welding the bracket
6.) prime and paint
7.) loosely reinstall the Durango steering box
8.) taking your time not to kink them - bend the fluid supply lines to meet the Durango boxes inputs
9.) tighten down the three mounting bolts
10.) cut out 2" of the steering shaft
11.) butt the two pieces back together and sleeve them with a peice of tube
12.) tack them together rotating the shaft pieces to limit warping/pulling [b]**[/b]
13.) finish weld
15.) prime and paint
14.) reinstall steering shaft
16.) add fluid and bleed system

took roughly 3 hours pulling into the pole barn to pulling out of the pole barn

[b]**[/b] note to put the steering shaft back together with the mounting bolts in the same orientation as they came apart ( I didn't and had to cut and weld it back together again added 20 minutes to the process )

[Dirty LJ]

Pictures?

I am interested in hearing about the difference this makes on the LJ.

Sent from the beach with a beer in hand!

[two_much_talk]

Not sure how being an LJ changed things? It was simply what I was working on.

But it was the newer style "mercedes" box that's not a direct swap. I've done the Durango steering box swap in a 97 TJ, 99 XJ and a 98 5.9 ZJ. All had "saginaw" style steering boxes. Piece of cake compared to saturday nights conversion!

I don't wrench with friends much and don't have a smart phone to upload stuff to the internet with but i have few shots of the frame bracket I can send you.


well I'm third shift ... so I gotta get to work ...


it's 9:19pm here ? the clock in the corner of my screen says 5:19pm so I probably gotta do something about that ...


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