[Jay Anger]

I have what appears to be two identical steering gear boxes, except the numbers on the front portion of the boxes are different. One has 689010, and is from another CJ. The other is 5689010 and is from an FS Cherokee.

I now know through researching for over a week trying to find if these stupid things are geared the same, that the box in the stock CJ's (689010) were 20:1 ratios. Is the one from the Cherokee (5689010) geared the same (=20:1,) higher (<20:1,) or lower (>20:1?)

If they are the same ratio, is the change in numbers due to a larger piston in the box off the Cherokee?

Or am I going nuts because I'm looking at the wrong numbers and the info I'm looking for is encoded elsewhere on the box?

If you know the answer, where did you find the info?

 

[LooseNut]

I doubt they are geared the same. I was advised by PartsMike a while back not to vary from a CJ gearbox for mine as it would be unsafe.
I would think you could tell by turning the input shaft and counting how many turns it makes vs how many times the output shaft turns.

Loose nut behind the wheel
Another right-wing conservative.....
Born and raised in Jeep-Town

 

[Guest]

I'e been told to either get a cheorokee or YJ steering box to mock up to my Cj. The Cherokee will bolt right up, and you won't see any difference over stock (what I've been told). The Yj has a different gear ratio, I'm not sure what it is, but its 4 turns to go lock to lock, where as the cj is 5. There is alittle work that has to be done to put in the Yj box, mainly to the pitman arm, but its all fairly easy, I just haven't gotten around to it. Running ATF cured my leaking problem for now, when it starts again, I'll put some more braincells into it.

Florida Mud CJ-5
'77 RB304, t-150 D20 4" 35" swampers

 

[Guest]

The ratios of YJ boxes are 14-1, Late CJ boxes are 17.5-1, most fullsize Cherokee/Grand Wagoneers use a variable ratio 13/17-1 box, and ZJs use 12.7-1 boxes. Be aware that CJ boxes have a larger input spline than the other boxes and they can't be interchanged without changing or modifing the intermediate shaft also. The pitman arm fits fine. There are differences in the hose fittings also, metric with o-rings ('81 and up) or US standard double flare ('80 and earlier). Some boxes use 4 mounting bolts, others use only 3. Hope this helps, good luck!

 

[Jay Anger]

/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif /wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif THANK-YOU-SIR!!! /wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif /wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif

You just saved me several hundred dollars! I was going to upgrade to this same ratio variable box and the pump to match it; I even had the order form filled out ready to go! My CJ box is next to shot - squirts fluid in severe situations from every seal it has. After buying all the replacement seals for it and a blow up blueprint - the pump has started to whine and leak around the huge o-ring between the pump and reservoir. I just decided to throw in the towel and buy replacements.

Where did you get this info? The tech at the local 5-star here said he didn't have that kind of info anywhere in his material. He finally looked at me like I was some sort of space alien and said "a steering box is a steering box - they are all the same on that old stuff, if it bolts on - use it!"

Thanks for the info on the intermediate also. Believe it or not, I kept it "just in case." /wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif He-he-he-he! It WAS worth the butt chewing I got from my wife keeping all that "junk" the shed! Now I just have to sell the TH400/QT, or make it into some type of planter, and the neighbors will be happy!

One last question concerning the pump mated to it: Does it have a larger gpm flow rate, or is it the same as the CJ pump?

TIA!