Birty Dastards Jeep Club

Tech Forum => Workshop => Topic started by: Dave69 on November 12, 2014, 08:59:46 PM

Title: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: Dave69 on November 12, 2014, 08:59:46 PM
given the current issues i have with the cj steering, the box will be in need of replacement or overhaul, power steering seems to be the potentially way forward.

I could buy a service kit with the hope of that fixing the problem but that will only fix one side of worm gear assembly assuming the wear is on the one part.

Upgrade to a current CJ power steering system and box or swap to a YJ set-up.

on question is, would an XJ steering box fit or would it be too large,

any views
Title: Re: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: Dave The Sparky on November 12, 2014, 09:09:28 PM
A XJ or YJ box will mount straight up and with a pitman arm from Lightys thats the easy part! you will find that the steering shaft will be the main source of your problems.
Title: Re: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: djrr6 on November 12, 2014, 09:31:44 PM
Xj shaft on e bay for 10

Chop end off and weld to your cj shaft ( or get someone sensible to do it in my case) and all good
Title: Re: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: Dave69 on November 12, 2014, 09:42:18 PM
A XJ or YJ box will mount straight up and with a pitman arm from Lightys thats the easy part! you will find that the steering shaft will be the main source of your problems.

will this be a cj pitman or will the XJ be too big?
Title: Re: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: Nosebolt on November 12, 2014, 09:51:09 PM
Xj shaft on e bay for 10

Chop end off and weld to your cj shaft ( or get someone sensible to do it in my case) and all good

I did it the other way CJ box and XJ column but should be as easy

BTW there is a version of Renault Clio power steering pump thats the same pump as a CJ, just clocked a bit different on a CJ but if your making your own mounts that should be easy
Title: Re: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: wildwood on November 12, 2014, 10:08:13 PM
If you are LHD Dave then I have the steering box from the YJ  and the pump....... Got a feeling your RHD though???
Title: Re: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: Dave The Sparky on November 12, 2014, 10:26:55 PM
CJ pitman is flat the XJ one has a drop on it.
The last one i bought was £21 from Lightys + VAT,carriage and some sarcasm :icon_winkle:
Title: Re: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: eastryjeep on November 13, 2014, 12:56:24 PM
A reputable bloke I once knew told me that a steering box from a Merc W124 (those reliable old boxy taxi ones) was as close a fit as made no difference.
I never did try it and have no idea what you would use for a pump and reservoir.

Julian at Lightys also told me they made up power steering kits for RHD CJs - probably very not cheap though!
Title: Re: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: Nosebolt on November 13, 2014, 02:26:07 PM
this should explain pump options, or look for an "Eaton" type pump

http://www.birtydastards.com/frm/index.php?topic=19956.msg232789#msg232789 (http://www.birtydastards.com/frm/index.php?topic=19956.msg232789#msg232789)
Title: Re: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: Dave69 on November 13, 2014, 06:18:56 PM
to save me repeating what's been done, does the spline input to the xj box match the cj column and or is the cj column too long or short if used with the same box?

thanks Bruce cleared some thing there, confirmation of fit for the column needs clarifying as i only have a one hit at the installation due to available space
Title: Re: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: j33pky on November 13, 2014, 08:50:53 PM
Spline wrong...... Borgson shaft the best way but if cash is Tight and you know a handy fellow with a welder! ( that fellow loner UK Jeeper) you could get the knuckle from a xj and fab it to your Cj steering shaft!  Maybe!!
Title: Re: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: Dave69 on November 13, 2014, 09:14:15 PM
thought that might be the case just needed confirmation.

xj lower shaft and stick some bits together
Title: Re: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: IrishCJ6 on November 13, 2014, 10:37:07 PM
I used a xj box on mine, with a 4" lift the pitman arm was fine. I made up my own steering link by chopping the original one in half and welding the xj bottom to it. Simple job, my write up on the build has all the details
Title: Re: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: Dave69 on November 14, 2014, 12:27:18 PM
looking at doing something similar
Title: Re: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: Nosebolt on November 14, 2014, 01:29:05 PM
while you are doing it why not concider the XJ column too, swap over is easy, get an early MK1 column puts the wipers on the column and has a stronger tilt mech.

only mods I had to do was the wiper switch plug, a bit of clearence for the brake light switch and tie off the auto box / ing link (I used a coulmn from an auto on a manual)
Title: Re: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: Dave69 on November 14, 2014, 06:06:18 PM
thought about that but i still want to keep the old look to the steering wheel and column in the jeep drivers side.

i'll see what parts i can get together and dummy fit.

Title: Re: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: Dutch on November 14, 2014, 08:45:17 PM
Dave,

Guy in Belgium breaking CJ7

http://www.jeepforum.nl/topic/28631-afbraak-cj7/

By the looks of it he's got a power steering box and possibly all the bits to make it work.
Title: Re: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: Dave69 on November 14, 2014, 09:37:53 PM
at times your a star with the cloggy website tips
Title: Re: CJ7 power steering upgrade
Post by: Dutch on November 14, 2014, 10:26:31 PM
at times your a star with the cloggy website tips

Don't quite know how to take that   :icon_winkle: