Steering box woes
#1
03-29-2024 | 06:21 PM
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 90
From: Aldergrove British Columbia Canada
Steering box woes
I replaced the steering box and shaft on my 2005 Jimmy ZR2 and now the wheel is 90 degrees out. A wheel alignment would take the tie rods out of center. Can I pull the input shaft where the steering shaft goes into the box to properly align it or is fixed in one position like the steering shaft and pitman arm?
#2
03-29-2024 | 10:59 PM
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Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 4,978
From: Moscow, ID
I replaced the steering box and shaft on my 2005 Jimmy ZR2 and now the wheel is 90 degrees out. A wheel alignment would take the tie rods out of center. Can I pull the input shaft where the steering shaft goes into the box to properly align it or is fixed in one position like the steering shaft and pitman arm?
I have not needed to deal with this, but I would think you will have to be careful not to damage the clockspring connection wire mechanism in the steering column. You'll have to carefully center the steering wheel without damaging it.
#3
03-30-2024 | 09:11 AM
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New Member
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Aldergrove British Columbia Canada
The spline is keyed so my effort to try that failed. The clock spring is fine. The signals just don't cancel properly with the steering wheel out of alignment but still function. After discovering a 2010 Blazer Forum thread (https://blazerforum.com/forum/steeri...aligned-49074/) and a YouTube video it appears the so called "mechanical technician" at the repair shop failed to center the new steering box before reinstalling the pitman arm. There are 4 positions the arm can go on the keyed pinion shaft. Apparently you need to rotate the steering input shaft all the way back and forth to find the center point and then place the pitman arm on the pinion spine in the proper position. I'm in Canada and took it to a national chain shop called Midas Muffler. They blamed the misalignment on the new steering box I purchased from USA Rock Auto which was $1000 cheaper than the one they quoted. Corporate greed has infected Canada to a cr5ippling point. Today I am taking it back to the so called professionals with the video and the Blazer Forum posting where the guy who found himself in the same situation discovered and corrected the same mistake. Thank you for your input.
#4
03-30-2024 | 12:29 PM
BF Veteran
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 4,978
From: Moscow, ID
The spline is keyed so my effort to try that failed. The clock spring is fine. The signals just don't cancel properly with the steering wheel out of alignment but still function. After discovering a 2010 Blazer Forum thread (https://blazerforum.com/forum/steeri...aligned-49074/) and a YouTube video it appears the so called "mechanical technician" at the repair shop failed to center the new steering box before reinstalling the pitman arm. There are 4 positions the arm can go on the keyed pinion shaft. Apparently you need to rotate the steering input shaft all the way back and forth to find the center point and then place the pitman arm on the pinion spine in the proper position. I'm in Canada and took it to a national chain shop called Midas Muffler. They blamed the misalignment on the new steering box I purchased from USA Rock Auto which was $1000 cheaper than the one they quoted. Corporate greed has infected Canada to a cr5ippling point. Today I am taking it back to the so called professionals with the video and the Blazer Forum posting where the guy who found himself in the same situation discovered and corrected the same mistake. Thank you for your input.
I should have thought of that as I recently replaced my steering gear! LOL
Glad you found a solution.
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