Before I go and buy a box from a 96 I wanted to make sure I had this right. It will be going on 70 chevelle with power steering.

Jeep grand cherokee box from 1996, and Lees Mfg. kit for 80 bucks. Anything else I need to do this swap? I have done the research, just wanted to make sure I didn't need anything else.

Gary

You got it, just some extra steering fluid. Dont forget to trade pitman arms. :thumbsup:

Thanks brett. When you say trade pitman arms you mean use the chevelle arm, correct?

Also, I have been looking all over Jim's sheets and can't find the papers where it shows how to correctly install the new box and bleed air out of the lines. You know where that's at?

I'll make sure I take some pics.

Gary

I 'm doing the grand box also. I've got the box. What else am I going to need? Lines and a rag joint from what to make this budget quick ratio box work?

I have my GC box and rag joint/coupler kit from Lee's. Just needed a pitman arm puller, so I went to autozone to "borrow" theirs and it's too wide -- doesn't fit around the pitman arm to pull it out. Grrr.

And I also couldn't get the old pitman arm of the GC box. I don't have a big vice or anything to hold it, and couldn't get any good leverage. Should I try and bolt the box on first?

I heard some where a rag joint from certain year chevy trucks will work. I dont know what ones though. I'm using an S-10 pump with serpentine brackets, what are you guys using for lines?

The following vehicles (with power steering) were produced with flexible couplings that will attach to the 1992 through 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee power gear:

1977 thru 1982 Chevrolet and GMC C/K (2 wheel and 4 wheel drive) Pickup Trucks
1977 and 1978 Camaro, Firebird, and Nova
1979 Nova
1983 thru 1986 Chevrolet and GMC C (2 wheel drive only) Pickup Trucks

I have found a flexible coupling in the GM parts system that will connect to the Jeep gear. It is available through GM dealers. It is part number 7826542. It is fairly expensive (around $80 list) but it is brand new.

JIML82

You are awesome! I knew it would be something as simple as that for the rag joint. As far as the lines they are metric just like anything newer arent they? So say chevy pick up lines or impala/ caprice lines till 96 should work , right?

i am new to the idea of the gc box..is it a tighter ratio and direct fit? what is the reason for the upgrade?

Here is a link to my paper on steering system deaireation. Page 2 has the actual "backyard" procedure. The first page gives you the why's and wherefore's.

http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/deaireationjimsheaprocedure.doc

Genuine GM power steering fluid is pretty good at ridding itself of air bubbles. Another reason to use the fluid available at GM dealerships and not ATF or the generic stuff that is available at your local automotive store.

JIML82

You are awesome! I knew it would be something as simple as that for the rag joint. As far as the lines they are metric just like anything newer arent they? So say chevy pick up lines or impala/ caprice lines till 96 should work , right?


Yes the lines are different. Depending on the pump you use, there are a couple ways to go. If you have your original pump, there are adapters available from Lee Mfg to adapt the stock lines to fit. The adapters alloy you to use the stock flared lines in the Jeep box's o-ring ports.

Personally, I used the pump and brackets from an 80 camaro. It's metric too, so the camaro's o-ring hoses fit, pretty nicely too.

i am new to the idea of the gc box..is it a tighter ratio and direct fit? what is the reason for the upgrade?

It's a direct fit, and has amost exactly the same travel and turning radius as the Chevelle boxes. (as opposed to carmaro units wich have increased turning radius unless you modify them) The Grand Cherokee box is a faster ratio, ,and is supposed to have a slightly bigger T-bar inside, meaning slightly higher steering wheel effort. This helps lessen the "overboosted" feel a bit.

Great info guys! :thumbsup:

Hdere's a link to when I did Mine. It's got a list of the parts I scrounged at the Junkyard.

cant find any link or info there

Here Ya go.
http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167968

I have a '99 Cherokee box that I haven't bolted in yet. Is this one the fast ratio box too? Everyone posts that the 92-98 box is the one to get, but what about the 99-04? It turns about 3.2 turns lock to lock. Also, I checked a site that sells steering boxes, and the 99, 98 have the same part #. ??

There are part numbers stamped all over it, there must be some way to tell.

Thanks,

The 1999 Grand Cherokee power gear will not even bolt into your Chevelle. It is a good gear but it is not a direct replacement like the fast ratio 1992-98 gear.
Sorry,
JIML82

This is a Cherokee box, not Grand Cherokee. It is visually identical to my original box. It will bolt up, I'm just not sure about the fast ratio.

Thanks

another question maybe JimL82 might answer.
I understand the faster ratio for the GC box compared to stock but on Jim's sheets the torsion bar is the same diameter for 70 chevelle as the GC box. Will it still make a difference in the feel of the steering response or will it be the same as stock?

Good question! Yes, the torsion bar specs are the same (0.195 diameter bar). So the overall steering effort will be roughly the same. You might note that for just that one 1970 model year, the Chevelle power gears all used the 0.195 torsion bar.

All the other years 1965 through 1969 and 1971 through 1974 all of the Chevelles used 0.165 and 0.175 bars. So their efforts would be quite a bit lighter than the 1970 Chevelle. Even though the Jeep Grand Cherokee gear has a much faster ratio (12.7:1 versus 17.5 and 15:1) the actual effort won't be that much different than your 1970 gear.
Jim

Thanks Jim,

I had a feeling that would be the answer. It is still a great deal for anyone with a 70 that wants a faster ratio.


Gary

I have a request into the steering gear project engineer at Saginaw. I have asked him to compare the 1999-2004 Cherokee gear to the 1992-1998 Grand Cherokee power gear. He will try to dig the information out by the end of this week.

JIML82