Installed the new fittings from Lee's, and new rag joint in new box.

Cleaned up the pitman arm...original serial numbers!

Installation is pretty easy, just reattaching things...

I installed the pitman arm using the nut to feed it up onto the splines as far as possible,and torqued it down to 130 ft lbs (maxed out my impact gun as well). I also rotated the arm from stop to stop on the box, counting then centering it back halfway to find the center, fortunately it lined up perfectly with where the steering column was sitting

Then all I had to do was re-attach the hoses, fill her up with fluid (making sure no leaks) and bled the air out of the system.

**As recommended I gave it an alignment afterwards, as the steering wheel was just off center **

Test drove-good to go.

So there you have it, yet another steering box upgrade completed sucessully! I must admit it was a lot more stiffer than I thought it would be, but it feels really nice, just like a new car! It just feels better to drive now, like many others here I highly recommend this upgrade. I hope this post/pics helps anyone else who wants to do this in the future.

 

Tremendous thread, terrific pics, super attention to detail!

Excellent job, thoughtfully done! :thumbsup:


This thread will help lots of folks! :yes:

Thank you!

 

Which port is the high pressure and which is the low/ return?

I just got mine swapped yesterday, but no jack or lift for me (sadly). Counting the new, smaller pulley I got from the yard and the box from ebay as well as paint and the rag joint from advance I have $68 bucks in the swap. All I need to do now is figure out which line is which.

Anybody need a power steering pump/ box / pulley with intact lines from a 71 chevelle?

 

bigger port is high pressure.

what lines did you use?

i used the metal return and put a rubber hose on it, and the high pressure i bought an ZJ jeep high pressure line, cut the pump side fitting and about 2" off, and flared with a 3/8 thread to mate to the stock p/s pump.

works good, but my box is used from the junkyard 17.50$, 73-87 chevy truck rag join- free, and 25 for the line. my box could use a rebuild or something, but i am just going to get a lee box

aaron

 

We've gotten a couple of junkyard JGC boxes that weren't any good. Probably from a front end wreck.
And no real need to mark the rag joint position...it will only go together one way.

 

My issue was getting the pitman arm back in the right place. I'm using the lines from the p/s pump off my ls motor. On the high pressure the fittings match up, and for the low I found a piece while cruising the junkyard that screws into the port on one side and accepts clamped hose on the other, which sounds similar to what you did. The only issue is that my pump pulley mount was stripped on the inside so I couldn't use the press to get it on as far as it needs to go to line up with the rest of the serpentine system. Guess I need a big mallet or something.

 

I did notice those out of place Lexus in the picture. The Chevelle was the only car in the photo that belonged in such a nice garage..

Very good post.

I would have cleaned up the area around the steering box with a pressure washer before working on it and I noticed you cleaned up the mounting bolts really well then inspected them. I think the inspection part is missed a lot. Glad you made the point.

Ron

 

Stu, pretty much what the other guys said, the bigger port is for high pressure, I.E. the hose thats been pressed into the metal fititngs.


Ron, yeah I wanted to, I was able to get around to pressure washing around the frame, but after I took the box off is where most of the gunk was, and I'm sure my co-workers didnt feel like helping me push it all the way to the pressure washer and back

 

So the original pitman arm works on the JGC box? Also what rag joint are you using ? The Dorman 31011 ?

Thanks thats an awesome post by the way!

 

Yes it is, and stuck to the top now. Thanks for taking time to write it up.

 

read throught this thread.... great job with the pics and all. wanted to ask the reason for this upgrade tho? is it better ratio for little money?

 

fast ratio box for far cheaper than a lee or other box and doesnt fubar the turning radius like other common transplant boxes.

 

What year JGC did you use?

 

How many turns lock to lock? Box ratio is...?

 

93 to 98 Grand Cherokee - is the bolt-in.

 

Could someone please post a part number for this box. The boxes are different with different engine sizes. Or do you know which engine size you used when ordering steering box. Thx.

 

This information was posted here by someone (don't remember who) thank you who ever it was. :yes::hurray:

PARTS LIST
DESCRIPTION PN SOURCE PRICE
GM steering coupler 62420 Lee Manufacturing $79.00
GM steering coupler bolt 7807271 SDPC 14.16
GM power steering fluid 89020661 SDPC 7.94
Dorman steering coupler 31011 Rock Auto 41.79
Lee high-pressure seat insert 40620 Lee Manufacturing 4.00
Lee low-pressure seat insert 40630 Lee Manufacturing 4.00
Earl's 18mmx1.5 O-ring 961956 Summit Racing 10.69
Earl's 16mmx1.5 O-ring 961955 Summit Racing 10.39
Earl's steel 90-degree -6 139106ERL Summit Racing 18.39
Earl's P.S. -6 hose, 6-foot 130606ERL Summit Racing 44.99
GM power steering fluid 89021184 SDPC 4.13

1992-98 Grand Cherokee Fast Ratio Power Steering Gears
YEAR ALPHA CODE ORIGINAL APPLICATION GEARRATIO EFFORT T-BAR SIZE TRAVEL
1992.5-93-94 AL Jeep Grand Cherokee 12.7:1 20-26 0.195 Dia 43deg 45min
1995 JH Jeep Grand Cherokee 12.7:1 20-26 0.195 Dia 43deg 45min
1996 KD Jeep Grand Cherokee 12.7:1 20-26 0.195 Dia 43deg 45min
1997-98 WK Jeep Grand Cherokee 12.7:1 20-26 0.195 Dia 43deg 45min

Lee Manufacturing 888-698-6679 http://lee-powersteering.com/steering-gears.htm

Rag joint from:
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

 

Im a little confused by this list of parts. Do I need all these high dollar steering couplers or do i need the cheapo autozone #200 coupler?

Also If i do AN fittings i shouldnt need the Lee press in seat inserts, correct?

 

Thx for the response but the guy at the O'reillys counter only knows how to find parts by make,model,year, and motor. Is this steering box any smaller than my original 72 box? Thanks again for your help.:hurray:

 

for the Earls o-rings for easier reference

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EAR-961955ERL/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EAR-961956ERL/

I think I may do this, as my hoses are nasty and dont route where I would like them to.

 

While I was pulling the steering box of the jeep today, I noticed the power steering pump looked like a lsx pump. All I needed to do was pull the pulley off and reinstall it backwards,and it fit into the ATI Procharger power steering relocator kit. $80 bucks at the local LKQ was all it took to get back on track with my Procharged LQ4 72 chevelle project. Thanks Guys!:hurray:

 

I did the swap today using a 1998 JGC box rebuilt from autozoneEverything hooked up fine except I am having a n issue with the pitman arm.It appears that the shaft on the JGC box is smaller than the inside diameter of the original 1967 Chevelle pitman arm and it is a very sloppy fit.I do not beleive that my arm is gonna work with this box,because it will not spline up properly.Has anybody seen this before and if so what was the remedy.Im stuck until I get an answer.I was using a 1998 JGC Box,Lees line adapters and original PS hoses from remote resovoir.Help me out guys

 

Did this swap over the weekend using a junkyard jeep box and the $10 advance rag joint.

The difference is AWESOME. Excellent road feel, no slop, and the quick ratio is an excellent bonus. Mine is barely over 2 turns lock to lock (might be limited a hair due to oil pan/tie rod clearances).

I now just need to find a pressure line that has a straight 2" o-ring joint on the pump side (99 corvette PS pump, curved lines won't work) and jeep fitting on the box side. Right now I'm using a compression fitting like I was on my stock box to join 2 different lines on the hardline section right before the box.

 

Great read. ordering tonight

 

I've been wanting to do this swap for awhile but I don't have any power steering equipment whatsoever. Mine's a 66 with a big block but doesn't have a power steering pump or anything. I've read that the reservoir needs to be mounted externally, on the radiator support I think, for this to work due to space limitations. Does anyone know what else I would need, or more accurately, what part numbers or where to get them for this setup? Thanks for any info anyone can provide.

 

This is one way to do it:

http://www.chevelle.com/1965-1968-BB-Power-Steering-Kit-P5139C643.aspx

or find a used setup on eBay/Craigslist/etc. You'd need a power steering box, of course ...

 

Recently, I read an article on the Jeep swap-over and it mentioned that you have to change the pressure valve in the stock GM PS pump to the higher pressure valve. However, I don't remember ever reading that in any of the forums. Can someone shine a light on this for me? When you swap over to the Jeep box and you use the original PS pump, did anyone change the pressure valve in the pump to the higher pressure valve? Or, did the stock pump work OK with just the hose change-over? Thanks!

 

The pressure valve is set to 950psi in pre-1970 cars, 1450psi in '70 and up, according to Jim Shea. If you've got a '70 or later car, you're fine, if not, you've got to take the pressure valve from the donor car, which is the fitting the pressure hose threads into on the back of the pump - it just unscrews. As an added bonus, a later pressure valve will have the later O-ring seal, but the pump end will be the same and will thread into your existing pump.

- Eric