Replaced Steering Box 2001 Cherokee

[Lyman]

The steering box on my 2001 Jeep Cherokee was getting bad. I had been fighting it without realizing how bad it was.
I had a small shop by my work do the job today and install a new Lares box. The shop called me and said they were done, and I was
going to be happy. After work, I picked it up and could not believe how nice it drives now. Night and day difference. I should have done this a long time ago. 206,000 miles, and it was still the original box. It was completely worn out. I am very happy with the results.

 

[CleanSump]

Replaced the box in the old 97 Cherokee I had and after adjusting it wow.

 

[zfasts03]

I have a 1997 Dodge Ram 4x4 1500, 108,000 miles, and I have lots of play in the steering box, plus leaking at both ends. I am going to try the threaded adjustment 1st, if that doesn’t work, I guess I am putting a steering box in mine also. Probably the Lares also from RockAuto. Another fun job lined up!

 

[joekingcorvette]

Nice to hear a positive story instead of a horror story. Glad you were happy with the repair.

 

[Donald]

The steering box on my 2001 Jeep Cherokee was getting bad. I had been fighting it without realizing how bad it was.
I had a small shop by my work do the job today and install a new Lares box. The shop called me and said they were done, and I was
going to be happy. After work, I picked it up and could not believe how nice it drives now. Night and day difference. I should have done this a long time ago. 206,000 miles, and it was still the original box. It was completely worn out. I am very happy with the results.

I am told vehicles with solid front axle and track bar tend to wear out the steering box faster than vehicles without.

 

[Donald]

OP - do you have the 4.0 engine?

 

[Lyman]

OP - do you have the 4.0 engine?

Yes it sure does.

 

[Lyman]

Day two and this thing is a joy to drive again.

 

[Donald]

Yes it sure does.

I had a 2001 Jeep GC with the 4.0 engine and my engine was grenaded because of chunks of cracked piston skirts falling into the crankshaft.

Hopefully you have better luck. Some with 4.0 engines pull the oil pan and find small chunks of piston skirt.

 

[Lyman]

I had a 2001 Jeep GC with the 4.0 engine and my engine was grenaded because of chunks of cracked piston skirts falling into the crankshaft.

Hopefully you have better luck. Some with 4.0 engines pull the oil pan and find small chunks of piston skirt.

Yeah, I have heard of that happening on high mile engines. From what I have heard some pistons that were used in these were different than others. Same with the heads. Overall though I love these old pushrod engines. They are cheap to rebuild too compared to a modern engine.

 

[Donald]

Yeah, I have heard of that happening on high mile engines. From what I have heard some pistons that were used in these were different than others. Same with the heads. Overall though I love these old pushrod engines. They are cheap to rebuild too compared to a modern engine.

Mine happened at just under 100K miles.

 

[Lyman]

Mine happened at just under 100K miles.

That's very low mileage for that to happen. What did you do? Rebuild?

 

[Chris142]

I have put 3 Atsco boxes in my 02 TJ. The last one seems ok

 

[Donald]

That's very low mileage for that to happen. What did you do? Rebuild?

I bought a reman engine through RockAuto. The shop could not turn the engine over with a wrench.. it was jammed. Felt the best direction was a used or reman.

Before the engine just stopped while driving home there was a tapping sound for several months. Mechanics could not agree on the reason for tapping sound.

 

[dfarr67]

Boxes are just one of those things.....I just pulled a Lee box pos. I would really try to find a good used oem.

 

[LouC]

I think those steering boxes are actually GM Saginaw units, at least originally they were. My '98 Grand 4.0 still has the original and it steers fine at 185,000 miles.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Nice. I haven’t had to do this on ours but also it’s been off the road since 2014 because the engine overheats and when you turn it off the coolant gushes out of the radiator cap and reservoir like a volcano. It has 108,000 on it. Hoping to eventually get the money for a new engine. We had some guy show up and offer us $200 for it we laughed and told him to leave our property. We replaced the head and head gasket with a quality one but did the same thing. Every shop and mechanic we talked to said it’s new engine time and the Cherokee specialist told us about how 2001 was not the year to have but I haven’t heard that from anyone else. Ours is the rare Solar Yellow color.

 

[stanlee]

I had a 2001 Jeep GC with the 4.0 engine and my engine was grenaded because of chunks of cracked piston skirts falling into the crankshaft.

Hopefully you have better luck. Some with 4.0 engines pull the oil pan and find small chunks of piston skirt.

Somewhere around 95’ (96’ models) Jeep had the bright idea to use lighter (and obviously weaker) pistons in all 4.0L so ANY 96’ up 4.0L is prone to cracking and it is pretty darn common above the 175k mile range. I have a remanufactured 4.0L in my 01’ with about 40k miles and HOPE aftermarket replacement pistons have improved this design flaw but who knows.