[flattie yj]

I have a yj w/manual steering and am looking to cheaply convert it to power steering. In my area (alabama) there are no Yj's in the junk yard; so here is my questions: Will the power steering box from an xj bolt up, Will the steering column attach to the gear box, and will the xj power steering pump bracket work for my pump. I have also heard that the pulleys for the belt is a low clearance thype and that I have to have the wrangler pully, any truth to this.

I appreciate any help on this

 

[66CJdean]

Here is what I know. If you take the box and pump then you can use most any year of Chevy car stuff just buy just get the pump and box together so that the lines have the same fittings. The bolt pattern on boxes don't change and even if you get a 3 bolt box or a 4 bolt box you can leave the bolt out or run all 4 it is the pattern just one has the extra bolt to hold the box to the frame. What you will need to match is the input splines and the one you should have is one of the most common. A Jeep pump and box will also work just fine but I don't know about the pump brackets. One other thing is you will need a pitman arm because the one for the manual box is not the same.

 

[flattie yj]

Thanx 66cjdean,

actually this all started because of the pitman arm. I recently bought a lift kit, and the pitman arm that comes with it is for power steering, but the manual type, costs extra, and since power steering is a plus, and the jeep is gonna be down long enough to put this kit on I might as well make this swap to.

Kinda screwed up thinking isn't it. Save $60 on a pitman arm but spend a couple of hundred on this upgrade,lol.

 

[Jester_YJ]

Kinda screwed up thinking isn't it. Save $60 on a pitman arm but spend a couple of hundred on this upgrade,lol.

Thats how it all begins...

 

[Robert]

Look for a steering gear box from a FSJ J20 truck. They run a bigger bore piston inside, giving a lot more power. It is also a bolt on to a YJ. This is the box that AGR models theirs after. Matt from WestTexas Offroad gave me this tip. His web site has all kinds of tips on steering pump up grades. Check it out.

 

[gripguru]

I just completed the exact swap that you are asking about. I put a 94xj box on the frame with the three bolts. If you have a manual box stock on your YJ, then it probably only has three bolts too. Got the box at picknpull for $35. The splines matched perfectly on the steering shaft.
Got the steering pump from an XJ that had a four cylinder, and serpentine pulley already pressed on. I also got the brackets from that same 4cyl and the serpentine belt. PNP $46 more.
It was all bolt on, no fab whatsoever. All of the pulleys line up perfectly.
One last thing to mention, I added a compressor in the location of the other idler pulley. This compressor is just a stock XJ ac compressor, but it had the clutch pulley installed which is 4" diameter, where the idler pulley was only 3". This made the 4cyl serp belt the exact tension that I needed.
For other reference, Matt the lakerat said that the xj box can be tapped just like the YJ box to add a 1.5" ram.

 

[Chark]

Flattie...I'm running a J10 box that I tapped for hydro assist on my XJ....I also have a J20 and that box also appears to be the same. I did measure all the end caps and they seem to be the same dia.. Good luck.

 

[flattie yj]

swwwweeeeeeeeet

Thanks for the info guys. Do you think that $100 bucks is to much to pay for the xj box?

 

[Chark]

I think it's a little high in my part of the woods...but check out the price of a new one....I myself would hit a yard and find one off of a
Waggy....stock tires and driven on road.

 

[Alaska ZJ]

yj, tj, xj, mj, zj's all have the same box. Done the swap.

Yes 100 bucks is WAY to much.

 

[TheLakeRat]

Any Jeep box from 87 and up or Chevy S-10 box will be a direct bolt in . If you want more power then a Jeep J20 box will give you more power because they have a larger Piston.
Chark if yours doesn't then somebody swapped it out at some point.
Also it would be best to get a box from a vehicle prior to 97. from that point on they started using the 700 series gear which looks the same on the outside but has a weaker seal for what we use them for.

 

[Robert]

Flattie...I'm running a J10 box that I tapped for hydro assist on my XJ....I also have a J20 and that box also appears to be the same. I did measure all the end caps and they seem to be the same dia.. Good luck.

Can't be the original J20 box then. There is a noticable difference in the diameter of the front end cap.
I found mine at a PnP yard for $30, actually the first yard I looked at for it. I flushed some fresh oil through it and bolted it on. No problems since then. But if I ever do, MattTheLakeRat is still on speed dial

 

[flattie yj]

Thanks alot for all the help fella's.

 

[Charly]

Matt... I saw that you said any box 87 and up will be a direct bolt in....my question is I have a 95 YJ, and I have an 85 GW box....will the input splines on the box match my steering shaft?

And do the GW boxes offer any advantage over a stock YJ box, in relation ot bore size, ratio etc? and what is the ratio of the GW box vs. the YJ box?

This stuff would make a great tech article.

Thanks,

Charly

 

[flattie yj]

hey charly let me know how this works for you

 

[TheLakeRat]

Charly, it should be a direct swap. the only thing you need to look at is the input splines. Jeep did sooooo many diferent things it could be one of two different splines.

 

[speed_buggy]

gripguru,
do you think the power steering bracket from the 2.5L four will fit on my 4.2L 6?

greg

 

[Charly]

Charly, it should be a direct swap. the only thing you need to look at is the input splines. Jeep did sooooo many diferent things it could be one of two different splines.

Thanks Matt.

Any thoughts on the other questions in my post?

 

[gripguru]

gripguru,
do you think the power steering bracket from the 2.5L four will fit on my 4.2L 6?

greg

Should, but use your judgement. I got the front PS bracket that bolts to and spaces the pump from the h20 pump and the back PS bracket that bolts to the block off of the same 2.5L xj motor. Sorry about not knowing the year, but it should not matter. One word of caution, on the 2.5, the rear PS bracket is bolted between the motor mount and the block on a stud into the block. It was intimidating at first. But it bolted onto to two unused holes on my 4.2 block (90YJ). That sure was interesting to get off at the picknpull with just my socket set. ( i went and grabbed a longbed chevy driveline to lift one side of the motor as i pulled off the bracket )

 

[PIA]

what type of bolt (thread pattern, size, etc) did you end up using for the 2.5l bracket onto the block? im adding the bracket that goes between the mm and the motor. the mm bolt is a stud, but i see the hole requires a bolt. just curious if you knew what the needed bolt is, before i just start hunting and guessing.