Power Steering Gear Box Replacement for CJ5 1978

I have purchased and returned two power steering gear boxes. The problem I am having is the "nipple" the steering shaft connects to is the wrong size. The original part (what I assume to be original I've only had the jeep for a year) has a diameter of approximately 0.7" and the ones I have found are coming with a 0.8" "nipple". The steering shaft won't fit the new part. I guess I could attempt to re-build, but that would be the absolute last resort. I watched a video and see myself going into some sort of uncontrollable rage super fit. Just wondering from where should I acquire the correct part. I know two places that do not stock the correct part. Or do I go with the part and get a different steering shaft? Any guidance would be appreciated.

 

Given the age of the vehicle and unknown repair history anything is possible. Try to "test fit" the gear box and steering shaft at the parts store to eliminate a variable.

 

I ordered a rebuild kit and will attempt that. There's a pretty good "go-by" on youtube so it might be ok, knock on wood. I'd give myself about a 5~6 as mechanic capabilities go, just know enough to know I don't want to be a mechanic ;-). Guess I have the wrong vehicle for that. Seems to me a welding machine might be a valuable tool to have went dealing with this guy. I'm off to buy a tool to disassemble the power steering gear box.

 

Well so her is where I am. This video on Youtube was fine and good, but when I opened up the box it was different. Everything was going according to plan, but I was sideswiped by totally different internals on the box. So, I have ordered the parts from RockAuto (my first order from them, my buddy seems to shop there quite a bit). Anyway here is a picture and more details to follow when I get the parts in.

 

Well the parts came in from Rock Auto. I'm guessing you can probably guess the parts kit did not fit on this gear box. I just wanted to lay down and piss straight in the air!

I decided to go a different route. I looked up pictures of gear boxes and worked with the guys at Oreilly's. They were actually pretty cool about the whole order and see if something worked. Any rate while on line I noticed the 2000 Wrangler Power Steering looked very similar to mine. Put in the order, when it came in I matched it up and bam! Same Same

I was a happy camper at that point. Got it home and installed the guy. When I went to put the Pitman arm on it would not fit! Took the arm off and went to Oreilly's, luckily they did not have one (you read that right). Got back to the house and was trying to figure my next move. Had an adult beverage or two and said to myself "Self I wonder how much of that arm we'll have to grind out?" So I get under there and it fit. I didn't notice the notches and it fit like a glove.

Seems like on these older than dirt cars you just got to use the shotgun approach for getting parts.

Pretty happy with myself right now.

 

Funny how after a couple "adult beverages" we always seem to find a solution or a fix. . LOL. Think more clearly????
Can anyone in Colorado weight in on this subject from a different angle. Just curious. LOL.

Good to see it all worked out for ya dude. I follow threads like this because I do always learn something.

 

Glad you got it fixed. My 79 CJ-7 was put together from 3 different jeeps that I can tell. And they all shared different parts. Some stuff metric when it should have all been standard. Wide track axles when they should have been narrow track. They wrong hubs, drums, brake pads, steering boxes, powersteering pumps, etc. I have had to keep a log of exactly what year I have purchased all of the above parts and more just to keep everything straight. At first I was getting really angry, then I just starting taking it in stride and made it part of the puzzle, now it is almost fun to see what craziness the POs have done to this jeep.

 

Well since I had a new steering gear box I decided to change out all the shocks as well. Right front shock bracket broke off last September. So I put the old jeep on a trailer and headed over to my buddies place of work and have the bracket welded on. Making sure I had the proper sockets to take off the tire I noticed three of the four tires had locks. WTF? Why would you have locks on a deer lease jeep. So after welding a nut onto the locks and removing them I was in business with four new shocks. The uploaded picture is the one we replaced.

Got the front bumper put back on:


Removed the back seat and added back-up lights (the ones on the roll bar):

If it last another season I'll change out the wire harness next year and get her street legal.
All ready for another season at the lease! I can't wait to see what it's like to actually have shocks now.