1978 CJ-5 Manual Steering Box Adjustment

Yes, that screw should turn easy as it is just an adjusting screw and should not be torqued down.

It basically pushes the gear further into the worm drive which can take some of the play out. It you tighten it too tight, it will bind up the gears.

Should loosen the lock nut, tighten the screw until you start to feel resistance, then tighten the lock nut. If that doesn't take enough of the play out, it's time for a new box.

Ok, so my friend took the Jeep for a ride and he didn't notice much difference. As you recall, I screwed down the adjuster screw until it finally met the slightest resistance. So am I safe screwing it down further? The allen screw is getting close to being flush with the lock nut. I'm not sure how far I can screw this thing down. Thoughts.

Yes, you can screw it down until the box is bound up. If that happens, just back it off a bit. The only way to know how tight to get it is to tighten it until the box starts to bind, then you will know.

If the allen screw goes all the way in, which I doubt, you need new stuff in the box and that is the only thing that will fix it. If you adjust the screw all the way and it binds and the box is still sloppy, you will need new stuff in the box or a new box.

Well.. The Ssaginaw power box on the later CJ's adjusts at the end the column goes in for side to side slop. Don't know if that is applicable. The screw and nut up top are the bearing preload setting... they just control the stiffness of the turning basically.

You loosen that big 3" or so locking ring and tighten the adjuster plug under it until it snugs up, then back it off about 1/4" of travel. There is a tool like a grinder wheel tool with two pins to adjust it, but a punch and hammer work.

Mike

2000 Cherokee Sport 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG AT's, 'glass nose to tail in '00 'New' frame and everything else in '09. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build Photos:

Mike, any pictures or diagrams?

Yes, I have the pdf for the power box rebuild if you would like it. As I mention, I don't know if th eold one was a saginaw box. It is for a TJ box, but the CJ used the same one. The only difference is the adjuster plug, in the CJ box it is a better one piece one, the TJ one is two piece and fails easier.

Mike

Mike, the PDF would be great if you can post. If not, I still have the snipped-for-privacy@northbridgesucks.com email up. (until trolls flood it)

Bill, the PDF is missing the last page that outlines the adjustment I think. Your PDF is better than mine for this application, think you can get the adjustment page in there?

Thanks,

Mike

2000 Cherokee Sport 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG AT's, 'glass nose to tail > Hi Jo,

Sorry:

That gets most of it, thanks.

Mike

L.W.(Bill) Hughes III wrote:

Thanks Bill and Mike. Ok, so I'm clear. The adjustment screw is only used to adjust the stiffness of the steering. It is not used to take out the slop in steering. correct?

Yup.

The adjuster plug on the column end sets the slop.

Mike

Hi, Mike - good to see your name in the group again. Since you are talking about power? steering boxes, maybe you could give ma a couple of ideas. Ever since I got this 88 MJ (yeah, it's still going ) I've had an intermittent problem with a couple of rough spots. The symptoms are a noticeable catch about a quarter turn on either side of neutral. It only takes a little extra pressure to get past the spot and then all is normal. This comes and goes - this time it's back after being gone a year or so. I would guess a worn spot in ball channels but when it's gone, it's gone - smooth as can be. The catch feels about like the old problem GM had with worn shuttle valves in their rack-and-pinion power steering but further off neutral and it doesn't change as it warms up.

Any ideas? I'm about to pull the steering box to do the seals anyway, so I'd like to fix this while I'm in there. I know, those seals can be changed without pulling the steering box but it's so much easier on the bench!

Would you like the PDF for rebuilding the saginaw power box? Your catching almost sounds like the preload is off.

I have heard of and seen catches like that from a bad axle end u-joint also.

Mike

The PDF would be good - is that one of the links in the earlier messages in this thread? If not, my email will handle the file.

Good thought on the U-joint. After 22 years and 200k miles nothing would surprise me. I'll have to check on those before it gets too cold out.