Tightening steering steel steering box

[OHJeeper]

I just re-adjusted the set screw to closer to 1/8 turn. Still good feeling on the road (much reduced dead spot and slop) and after stress-testing like I did before the steering wheel felt good with no binding.

The obvious silver marker line at about 10 o'clock is the original position of the nut against the steering gear housing. The not-so-easy-to-see silver dot at almost 12 o'clock is the set screw position

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[ShadowsPapa]

It doesn't handle the rocks very well at all. The 37's were tolerable on the street assuming the air pressure was kept up, but I ran into issues while backing a trailer when it was hot and tires were sticky. A guy we just did Rubicon with was man handling his steering wheel a lot.

A guy like you with an intermittent load of the snow plow and smaller tires especially in the cooler weather could probably get away with the Apex booster.

The extra leverage generated by 35"+ tires on the trail just screams to spread the loads out to the components that are moving them....IE Tie rod. No way I could get behind someone on 40's, aluminum steering knuckles, and an Apex booster combined with a big bore box. Yes, it will probably work for a while till it doesn't and you end up with a bad failure on the trail in the middle of nowhere?

Remind me I want to have a quick conversation on this topic when I get back to the house... related to what we just addressed.

For now, back to some restoration work - and plating.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I just re-adjusted the set screw to closer to 1/8 turn. Still good feeling on the road (much reduced dead spot and slop) and after stress-testing like I did before the steering wheel felt good with no binding.

The obvious silver marker line at about 10 o'clock is the original position of the nut against the steering gear housing. The not-so-easy-to-see silver dot at almost 12 o'clock is the set screw position

Looks like about 1/8" turn or as close as you can tell without a Starrett protractor.

It's been a while since I've rebuilt steering sectors because these days there are a few decent reman units out there (a few, not many, but a few)
There are 3 things to set preload and check torque on. One you have to have the steering gear apart, the other is when going back together, and the third is what you are showing and the spec for that is stated above and beyond the cumulative torque of the prior two settings.
So if you had xx inch/pounds before setting preload on this one, this one would be xx inch/pounds plus yy.
In other words, you work through the three, write each one down, and they are additive. And this one gets a spec that should read yy above what it was before.
To do that, you have to disconnect the pitman arm and the steering column, etc. so how many are going to do that? Yeah, it's that sensitive and it's measured in inch pounds on the Saginaw units of a few years ago.

 

[OHJeeper]

There are 3 things to set preload and check torque on. One you have to have the steering gear apart, the other is when going back together, and the third is what you are showing and the spec for that is stated above and beyond the cumulative torque of the prior two settings.
So if you had xx inch/pounds before setting preload on this one, this one would be xx inch/pounds plus yy.
In other words, you work through the three, write each one down, and they are additive. And this one gets a spec that should read yy above what it was before.
To do that, you have to disconnect the pitman arm and the steering column, etc. so how many are going to do that? Yeah, it's that sensitive and it's measured in inch pounds on the Saginaw units of a few years ago.

This is exactly why I don't do my own gears! similar test/fail/test/fail/test/bingo!

 

[Northridge4x4]

Just wanted to add, that if you're going to run 35-37s or bigger (?) on an OE box, add in a sector shaft brace. The one we do the most is the Steer Smarts Track Bar and Sector Shaft Brace.

Steer Smarts Sector Shaft Brace - Rubicon:
https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/...-w-frame-side-track-bar-reinforcement-bracket

Steer Smarts Sector Shaft Brace - non-Rubicon:
https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/...ts-yeti-xd-sector-shaft-reinforcement-bracket

 

[Rusty PW]

Just wanted to add, that if you're going to run 35-37s or bigger (?) on an OE box, add in a sector shaft brace. The one we do the most is the Steer Smarts Track Bar and Sector Shaft Brace.

Steer Smarts Sector Shaft Brace - Rubicon:
https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/...-w-frame-side-track-bar-reinforcement-bracket

Steer Smarts Sector Shaft Brace - non-Rubicon:
https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/...ts-yeti-xd-sector-shaft-reinforcement-bracket

What's the difference between the 2 steering braces?

 

[OHJeeper]

Just wanted to add, that if you're going to run 35-37s or bigger (?) on an OE box, add in a sector shaft brace. The one we do the most is the Steer Smarts Track Bar and Sector Shaft Brace.

Steer Smarts Sector Shaft Brace - Rubicon:
https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/...-w-frame-side-track-bar-reinforcement-bracket

Steer Smarts Sector Shaft Brace - non-Rubicon:
https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/...ts-yeti-xd-sector-shaft-reinforcement-bracket

That's my next purchase

 

[Northridge4x4]

What's the difference between the 2 steering braces?

They're listed as Rubicon and non-Rubicon.

I've got an email into Steer Smarts to ask what are the actual differences. Though it's SEMA week, so it might be awhile to get an answer.

That's my next purchase

That is a good call.

 

[Rusty PW]

They're listed as Rubicon and non-Rubicon.

I've got an email into Steer Smarts to ask what are the actual differences. Though it's SEMA week, so it might be awhile to get an answer.




That is a good call.

I have the Steer Smarts brace on my JTRD that I got from you guys. Just wonder what the difference is.

 

[jc99]

They're listed as Rubicon and non-Rubicon.

I've got an email into Steer Smarts to ask what are the actual differences. Though it's SEMA week, so it might be awhile to get an answer.




That is a good call.

@Northridge4x4 Did you ever get a response back on what the difference is between the Rubicon and Non-Rubicon Steersmarts brace?

 

[Northridge4x4]

Just spoke with them. The Rubicon model has a slightly different shape to it to allow clearance of the Rubicon Swaybar.

 

[Mad Mac]

Had 3 to 4 inches of play in the steering wheel on my 2021 Rubicon.
Tightened adjusting screw clockwise slightly more than 1/4 turn.
Now have about an inch of play. A great improvement.

Maybe I missed it, but no one has mentioned the "W" word, wander.
The drifting left and right was making me crazy.
I bought my new to me El Nacho Libre with 15,000 miles on it
in January and was ready to sell it in February.
YouTube videos gave me the courage to try tightening the box.

I think I will keep it now, but am tempted to tighten it a skosh more.
But I wonder, do my Nitto Ridge Grappler 35s exacerbate wander?
Would OEM size four season tires help straighten it out further.
(I have no interest in Rock Crawling. I just bought it for the color.)

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Had 3 to 4 inches of play in the steering wheel on my 2021 Rubicon.
Tightened adjusting screw clockwise slightly more than 1/4 turn.
Now have about an inch of play. A great improvement.

Maybe I missed it, but no one has mentioned the "W" word, wander.
The drifting left and right was making me crazy.
I bought my new to me El Nacho Libre with 15,000 miles on it
in January and was ready to sell it in February.
YouTube videos gave me the courage to try tightening the box.

I think I will keep it now, but am tempted to tighten it a skosh more.
But I wonder, do my Nitto Ridge Grappler 35s exacerbate wander?
Would OEM size four season tires help straighten it out further.
(I have no interest in Rock Crawling. I just bought it for the color.)

Tires, tire size changes, wheel changes, can all have an impact on wander - and you've said nothing about caster.

 

[Mad Mac]

I don't know caster from Shinola
but before adjusting the steering box
I had the ride leveling lift removed at one shop
and a front end alignment at another.

Curiously, it felt arrow straight on the 25 mile ride
between shops. But after the alignment
the wander returned.

 

[CrazyCooter]

Mine is smoked after a couple of adjustments, but to be fair I have oversized tires and do a lot of off road.

Now have to decide between a full PSC ram assist or maybe just a blueprinted Redhead ported gear and a little 1.5" ram. It's not like its a trail rig on 40"+ tires........

Whatever I do, I DO NOT want to loose the stock steering feel.

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