Aluminum steering box. Leave or replace?

[gonzoy5]

Y'all have convinced me. I've got an appointment at 11:30 for them to "examine" the vehicle. I've printed the TSB out and am taking it with me.

Good decision. It's one of those things that you may notice it, but think eh it's not worth the hassle, but then once you do it, you realize how bad it really was.

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[Trailman]

Y'all have convinced me. I've got an appointment at 11:30 for them to "examine" the vehicle. I've printed the TSB out and am taking it with me.

Keep in mind that not all dealers keep one on hand. I was explicit when making my appointment that I wanted the TSB steering box and confirmed they had them before I went in, so I wouldn't have to go twice.

 

[ShrimpHappens]

Keep in mind that not all dealers keep one on hand. I was explicit when making my appointment that I wanted the TSB steering box and confirmed they had them before I went in, so I wouldn't have to go twice.

I'm gonna have to go in twice. Local dealership is part of a huge conglomerate, and step one is talking to their scheduling service (in Orlando) to even get to go in. But when I got the to the dealership and actually talked to an on-site person, they knew exactly what I was talking about. Sounded like they've done a ton of them and it's routine for them by now. They don't have a new box on hand, but they've still got my Jeep for the time being to run the VIN and get everything verified.

 

[Dim]

lucky guys to live in a country where they "obey" to the TSB withour any questions... my US specs JT has this issue since day one , even worst since the lift and tme 35's but still the dealers here doesnt want to replace it because it's not an european spec Jeep.
anyway im waiting for the full kit and will do it . and will take the opportunity of this to replace the whole steering system. drag link, reinforcement shaft , tie rod etc etc .

Now just have to decide which brand to go with for the whole system

 

[Chance_P]

My aluminum box + metalcloak sector brace is way better than my steel box with no brace.

 

[WILDHOBO]

My aluminum box + metalcloak sector brace is way better than my steel box with no brace.

Probably, but a free steel box plus that or my Steersmarts brace is better still.

 

[Tapiaroi]

If my warranty pass I'm at 77k I need to pay out of pocket will it be expensive?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

If my warranty pass I'm at 77k I need to pay out of pocket will it be expensive?

You can find the parts costs online - but keep in mind this is a dealer thing because it REQUIRES the software be updated.
The aluminum steering gear used one version, the steel steering gear uses another version of the software.
I'd not even try to run the steel gear without the update - this is EHPS - Electro-hydraulic Power Steering - it's not engine driven - it's an electric controlled by the "computer" which regulates pressures and so on.

People keep talking about the brace and so on - this isn't about stiffness or needing a brace or not. This is about looseness and pressures and so on.
You can't possibly fix the issues with the aluminum-housed with a brace because the issue isn't flexing of the housing. It's just plain loose - or pulls even, and a brace can't fix a pull.
Again - a bit of missing the points of the change and what's wrong with the original steering gear.

For parts you need new frame-to-gear bolts (different lengths/sizes), new pitman nut (they are supposedly a one-time use only nut), EHPS fluid, and the flash of the system after it's replaced.
MAY need the steering wheel recentered.

 

[Tapiaroi]

You can find the parts costs online - but keep in mind this is a dealer thing because it REQUIRES the software be updated.
The aluminum steering gear used one version, the steel steering gear uses another version of the software.
I'd not even try to run the steel gear without the update - this is EHPS - Electro-hydraulic Power Steering - it's not engine driven - it's an electric controlled by the "computer" which regulates pressures and so on.

People keep talking about the brace and so on - this isn't about stiffness or needing a brace or not. This is about looseness and pressures and so on.
You can't possibly fix the issues with the aluminum-housed with a brace because the issue isn't flexing of the housing. It's just plain loose - or pulls even, and a brace can't fix a pull.
Again - a bit of missing the points of the change and what's wrong with the original steering gear.

For parts you need new frame-to-gear bolts (different lengths/sizes), new pitman nut (they are supposedly a one-time use only nut), EHPS fluid, and the flash of the system after it's replaced.
MAY need the steering wheel recentered.

I'm not even thinking doing it myself.
As long the thay will not kill me at the dealer I have no problem the big question is how much it should cost me

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I'm not even thinking doing it myself.
As long the thay will not kill me at the dealer I have no problem the big question is how much it should cost me

As far as labor - they are allowed 1.9 hours under the TSB so you should not have to pay more than that for labor.

And - it appears the part in the TSB has been replaced by yet another version. Maybe that's why my 2022 feels so much "tighter" and steers even better than my 2020 did.

Now that's an online discount price - and there will be bolts and the pitman nut and the fluid.......

 

[XraytecH]

Get It Done

 

[XraytecH]

My aluminum box + metalcloak sector brace is way better than my steel box with no brace.

It would even be better if you replace the box too.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

It would even be better if you replace the box too.

Yes. The gear assy itself is problematic - nothing to do with the pitman arm or flex.
They just plain had too much play inside, and perhaps other issues because they also changed the software.
If they do the fix now, it will get an even better steering gear than my 2020 got in 2021.

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