ReneH Posted July 6 Share Posted July 6 Hi, I've a question regarding a new Cardone steering gearbox for my CJ7: I've installed a new gearbox from cardone. The first test-drive, after setting the track shows much play. Is it possible, that I have to set the preload after installing the new box? The preload screw isn't marked like at my gearbox from blue top in my bronco. Thanks for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 6 Share Posted July 6 Yes it is very possible to get a bad rebuilt box. And if they are like Ford boxes you'll kill the "feel" of the steering if you adjust it. Buy one from Blue Top: https://bluetopsteeringgears-com.3dcartstores.com/Jeep_c_16.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReneH Posted July 7 Author Share Posted July 7 Yes it is very possible to get a bad rebuilt box. And if they are like Ford boxes you'll kill the "feel" of the steering if you adjust it. Buy one from Blue Top: https://bluetopsteeringgears-com.3dcartstores.com/Jeep_c_16.html Hmm...I don't know...there is a procedure in the manual: Manual The thing is, when the steering wheel is centered, there isn't any play. Turning the wheel moves the pitman shaft simultaneously. Maybe that's the thing to do like in the manual... I also have to check what the workshop has done as they have performed the wheel alignment...there is only one position where the steering damper mounting doesn't hits the differential cover or stucks with the other tie rod... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 7 Share Posted July 7 Hmm...I don't know...there is a procedure in the manual: Manual The thing is, when the steering wheel is centered, there isn't any play. Turning the wheel moves the pitman shaft simultaneously. Maybe that's the thing to do like in the manual... I also have to check what the workshop has done as they have performed the wheel alignment...there is only one position where the steering damper mounting doesn't hits the differential cover or stucks with the other tie rod... That procedure is pretty much the same as Ford's procedure. And it should have been performed by Cardone before sending the unit out, at which point it shouldn't be adjusted again w/o going through the procedure. But you can do that to ensure it is adjusted properly. I'd bet that your box is just like the Ford boxes and uses the cast iron of the box as the bearing surface for the front bearing. And what Cardone, and most others, do is to measure that and discard boxes that aren't within their tolerance. But their tolerance is greater than what the original tolerance was, so the box comes out "loose". As far as I know only BlueTop and Redhead bore the box out and put a real bearing in there. That puts the tolerance back to where it should be. I replaced a recently rebuilt box, that cost the previous owner more than a Redhead or BlueTop, with a BlueTop and it made a huge difference in the steering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBrother-84 Posted July 9 Share Posted July 9 Buy one from Blue Top: https://bluetopsteeringgears-com.3dcartstores.com/Jeep_c_16.html Gary, this is the right move… for US guys. We, poor foreign Bullnose owners, don’t have access to Bluetop. They are only shipping within the United States. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 9 Share Posted July 9 Buy one from Blue Top: https://bluetopsteeringgears-com.3dcartstores.com/Jeep_c_16.html Gary, this is the right move… for US guys. We, poor foreign Bullnose owners, don’t have access to Bluetop. They are only shipping within the United States. Bummer! I didn't think about that. Thanks, Jeff. What about Redhead? Do they ship internationally? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReneH Posted July 14 Author Share Posted July 14 Bummer! I didn't think about that. Thanks, Jeff. What about Redhead? Do they ship internationally? I've checked the steering box and there is no play at all. The problem seems to be the big tires and the workshop that has mounted my steering damper wrong, so that it's stucking with one of the tie rods and at the differential cover. I've moved the damper and checked the play. If I turn the steering wheel slightly, starting from the zero position, the wheel move simultaneously. So the gearbox isn't the problem. I drive 32x11.5 R15 tires with the factory suspension and steering parts. I'm thinking for some time about building a switch to bypass the powersteering pump and get a more stabilized drive at higher speeds. Or maybe something like a adjustable "brake" at the steering shaft... For blue-top and red-hat, it's the best way, if you have someone in the states, that also could send them a defective gearbox in exchange...otherwise it will get really expensive. Shipping via a relay Adresse isn't the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 I've checked the steering box and there is no play at all. The problem seems to be the big tires and the workshop that has mounted my steering damper wrong, so that it's stucking with one of the tie rods and at the differential cover. I've moved the damper and checked the play. If I turn the steering wheel slightly, starting from the zero position, the wheel move simultaneously. So the gearbox isn't the problem. I drive 32x11.5 R15 tires with the factory suspension and steering parts. I'm thinking for some time about building a switch to bypass the powersteering pump and get a more stabilized drive at higher speeds. Or maybe something like a adjustable "brake" at the steering shaft... For blue-top and red-hat, it's the best way, if you have someone in the states, that also could send them a defective gearbox in exchange...otherwise it will get really expensive. Shipping via a relay Adresse isn't the problem. If there's no play in the steering box then I wouldn't change to Redhead or BlueTop. I'd concentrate on getting the rest of the system in good shape and then, if everything else is top notch, do the steering box. So how does it drive now that you've gotten the steering damper attached correctly? The larger tires do cause issues with the steering but some of that can be helped with castor, camber, and tire pressure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReneH Posted July 14 Author Share Posted July 14 If there's no play in the steering box then I wouldn't change to Redhead or BlueTop. I'd concentrate on getting the rest of the system in good shape and then, if everything else is top notch, do the steering box. So how does it drive now that you've gotten the steering damper attached correctly? The larger tires do cause issues with the steering but some of that can be helped with castor, camber, and tire pressure. As my Jeep was parked in the garage for some month and I have driven only my Bronco with the Blue-Top Box and the much wider wheelbase, I'm not sure if the steering on my Jeep was as it is or more worse or better before...so, it's a good question... The only thing that I know is, that it is not good/safe for my wife. She should drive the CJ7, when I work on our LeBaron...so I want to fix this problem before I do the needed things on the LeBaron. Moving the damper on a better position is feelable. Also the cracking sounds, when the damper connection-elements hits the differential cover are gone. But I still need something to regulate the power-steering pressure or completly bypassing it. I also thought about a dual-damper setup. But there is no space for it in my factory suspension setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 As my Jeep was parked in the garage for some month and I have driven only my Bronco with the Blue-Top Box and the much wider wheelbase, I'm not sure if the steering on my Jeep was as it is or more worse or better before...so, it's a good question... The only thing that I know is, that it is not good/safe for my wife. She should drive the CJ7, when I work on our LeBaron...so I want to fix this problem before I do the needed things on the LeBaron. Moving the damper on a better position is feelable. Also the cracking sounds, when the damper connection-elements hits the differential cover are gone. But I still need something to regulate the power-steering pressure or completly bypassing it. I also thought about a dual-damper setup. But there is no space for it in my factory suspension setup. Depending on how wide your wheels are you may have a mismatch between the tires you have and the wheel width. I use Tire Rack and find my tire and then see what wheel widths they recommend for those tires. And also check the tire pressures. You might be surprised how much difference a few pounds of pressure makes. Too little pressure causes the edges of the tires to catch on grooves or ruts in the pavement and the steering tries to follow the ruts. So play with the pressures to see if it changes the handling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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