Jeep Cherokee (XJ): Disassembly and assembly

Housing end plug

DISASSEMBLY

(1) Unseat and remove retaining ring from groove with a punch through the hole in the end of the housing (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2 End Plug Retaining Ring

1 - RETAINING RING

(2) Slowly rotate stub shaft with 12 point socket COUNTER-CLOCKWISE to force the end plug out from housing.

CAUTION: Do not turn stub shaft any further than necessary. The rack piston balls will drop out of the rack piston circuit if the stub shaft is turned too far.

(3) Remove O-ring from the housing (Fig. 3).

ASSEMBLY

(1) Lubricate O-ring with power steering fluid and install into the housing.

(2) Install end plug by tapping the plug lightly with a plastic mallet into the housing.

(3) Install retaining ring so one end of the ring covers the housing access hole (Fig. 4).

Pitman shaft/seals/bearing

DISASSEMBLY

(1) Clean exposed end of pitman shaft and housing with a wire brush.

(2) Remove preload adjuster nut (Fig. 5).

Fig. 3 End Plug Components

1 - HOUSING ASSEMBLY
2 - HOUSING END PLUG O-RING SEAL
3 - HOUSING END PLUG
4 - RETAINING RING

Fig. 4 Installing The Retaining Ring

1 - RING CAP
2 - PUNCH ACCESS HOLE
3 - RETAINER RING

(3) Rotate the stub shaft with a 12 point socket from stop to stop and count the number of turns.

(4) Center the stub shaft by rotating it from the stop 1/2 of the total amount of turns.

(5) Remove side cover bolts and remove side cover, gasket and pitman shaft as an assembly (Fig. 5).

NOTE: The pitman shaft will not clear the housing if it is not centered

Fig. 5 Side Cover and Pitman Shaft

1 - SIDE COVER BOLTS
2 - PRELOAD ADJUSTER NUT
3 - SIDE COVER
4 - GASKET SEAL
5 - PITMAN SHAFT GEAR
6 - HOUSING ASSEMBLY

(6) Remove pitman shaft from the side cover.

(7) Remove dust seal from the housing with a seal pick (Fig. 6).

CAUTION: Use care not to score the housing bore when prying out seals and washer.

(8) Remove retaining ring with snap ring pliers.

(9) Remove washer from the housing.

(10) Remove oil seal from the housing with a seal pick.

(11) Remove pitman shaft bearing from housing with a bearing driver and handle (Fig. 7).

ASSEMBLY

(1) Install pitman shaft bearing into housing with a bearing driver and handle.

(2) Coat the oil seal and washer with special grease supplied with the new seal.

(3) Install the oil seal with a driver and handle.

(4) Install backup washer.

Fig. 6 Pitman Shaft Seals & Bearing

1 - BEARING
2 - WASHER
3 - DUST SEAL
4 - RETAINER
5 - OIL SEAL

Fig. 7 Needle Bearing Removal

1 - REMOVER
2 - SIDE COVER AREA

(6) Coat the dust seal with special grease supplied with the new seal.

(7) Install dust seal with a driver and handle.

(8) Install pitman shaft to side cover by screwing shaft in until it fully seats to side cover.

(9) Install preload adjuster nut. Do not tighten nut until after Over-Center Rotation Torque adjustment has been made.

(10) Install gasket to side cover and bend tabs around edges of side cover (Fig. 5).

(11) Install pitman shaft assembly and side cover to housing.

(12) Install side cover bolts and tighten to 60 N·m (44 ft. lbs.).

(13) Perform over-center rotation torque adjustment.

Spool valve

DISASSEMBLY

(1) Remove lock nut (Fig. 8).

(2) Remove adjuster nut with Spanner Wrench C-4381.

(3) Remove thrust support assembly out of the housing (Fig. 9).

(4) Pull stub shaft and valve assembly from the housing (Fig. 10).

Fig. 8 Lock Nut and Adjuster Nut

1 - ADJUSTER NUT
2 - STEERING GEAR
3 - LOCK NUT
4 - PUNCH

(5) Remove stub shaft from valve assembly by lightly tapping shaft on a block of wood to loosen shaft. Then disengage stub shaft pin from hole in spool valve and separate the valve assembly from stub shaft (Fig. 11).

(6) Remove spool valve from valve body by pulling and rotating the spool valve from the valve body (Fig.

12).

(7) Remove spool valve O-ring and valve body teflon rings and O-rings underneath the teflon rings (Fig. 13).

Fig. 9 Thrust Support Assembly

1 - STUB SHAFT
2 - HOUSING
3 - THRUST SUPPORT ASSEMBLY

Fig. 10 Valve Assembly With Stub Shaft

1 - GEAR
2 - THRUST SUPPORT
3 - LOCK NUT
4 - ADJUSTER NUT
5 - STUB SHAFT
6 - VALVE ASSEMBLY

(8) Remove the O-ring between the worm shaft and the stub shaft.

ASSEMBLY

NOTE: Clean and dry all components, then lubricate with power steering fluid.

(1) Install spool valve spool O-ring.

(2) Install spool valve in valve body by pushing and rotating. Hole in spool valve for stub shaft pin must be accessible from opposite end of valve body.

БЮ Fig. 11 Stub Shaft

1 - STUB SHAFT
2 - VALVE BODY
3 - HOLE IN SPOOL
4 - SHAFT PIN
5 - 6mm (1/4")

Fig. 12 Spool Valve

1 - SPOOL VALVE
2 - ROTATE VALVE TO REMOVE
3 - VALVE BODY

(3) Install stub shaft in valve spool and engage locating pin on stub shaft into spool valve hole (Fig.

14).

NOTE: Notch in stub shaft cap must fully engage valve body pin and seat against valve body shoulder.

Fig. 13 Valve Seals

1 - O-RING SEALS

Fig. 14 Stub Shaft Installation

1 - NOTCH IN CAP
2 - VALVE BODY PIN

(4) Install O-rings and teflon rings over the O-rings on valve body.

(5) Install O-ring into the back of the stub shaft cap (Fig. 15).

Fig. 15 Stub Shaft Cap O-Ring

1 - VALVE BODY
2 - STUB SHAFT CAP
3 - O-RING

(6) Install stub shaft and valve assembly in the housing. Line up worm shaft to slots in the valve assembly.

(7) Install thrust support assembly.

NOTE: The thrust support is serviced as an assembly.

If any component of the thrust support is damaged the assembly must be replaced.

(8) Install adjuster nut and lock nut.

(9) Adjust Thrust Bearing Preload and Over-Center Rotating Torque.

Rack piston and worm shaft

DISASSEMBLY

(1) Remove housing end plug.

(2) Remove rack piston plug (Fig. 16).

(3) Remove side cover and pitman shaft.

(4) Turn stub shaft COUNTERCLOCKWISE until the rack piston begins to come out of the housing.

(5) Insert Arbor C-4175 into bore of rack piston (Fig. 17) and hold tool tightly against worm shaft.

(6) Turn the stub shaft with a 12 point socket COUNTERCLOCKWISE, this will force the rack piston onto the tool and hold the rack piston balls in place.

(7) Remove the rack piston and tool together from housing.

(8) Remove tool from rack piston.

(9) Remove rack piston balls.

(10) Remove clamp bolts, clamp and ball guide (Fig. 18).

(11) Remove teflon ring and O-ring from the rack piston (Fig. 19).

Fig. 16 Rack Piston End Plug

1 - EXTENSION
2 - END PLUG
3 - RACK PISTON
4 - RATCHET

Fig. 17 Rack Piston with Arbor

1 - RACK PISTON
2 - SPECIAL TOOL C-4175

(12) Remove the adjuster lock nut and adjuster nut from the stub shaft.

(13) Pull the stub shaft with the spool valve and thrust support assembly out of the housing.

(14) Remove the worm shaft from the housing (Fig. 20).

Fig. 18 Rack Piston

1 - CLAMP
2 - BALLS
3 - RACK PISTON
4 - BALL GUIDE

Fig. 19 Rack Piston Teflon Ring and O-Ring

1 - TEFLON SEAL
2 - BACK-UP O-RING MUST BE INSTALLED UNDER PISTON RING
3 - RACK PISTON NUT

ASSEMBLY

NOTE: Clean and dry all components and lubricate with power steering fluid.

(1) Check for scores, nicks or burrs on the rack piston finished surface. Slight wear is normal on the worm gear surfaces.

Fig. 20 Worm Shaft

1 - GEAR HOUSING
2 - BEARING RACE
3 - WORM SHAFT
4 - BEARING

(2) Install O-ring and teflon ring on the rack piston.

(3) Install worm shaft in the rack piston and align worm shaft spiral groove with rack piston ball guide hole (Fig. 21).

Fig. 21 Installing Balls in Rack Piston

1 - INSTALL BALLS IN THIS HOLE WHILE SLOWLY ROTATING WORM COUNTER CLOCKWISE
2 - WORM FLANGE

CAUTION: The rack piston balls must be installed alternately into the rack piston and ball guide. This maintains worm shaft preload. There are 12 black balls and 12 silver (Chrome) balls. The black balls are smaller than the silver balls.

(4) Lubricate and install rack piston balls through return guide hole while turning worm shaft COUNTERCLOCKWISE (Fig. 21).

(5) Install remaining balls in guide using grease to hold the balls in place (Fig. 22).

Fig. 22 Balls in the Return Guide

1 - GUIDE
2 - PETROLEUM JELLY
3 - BALLS

(6) Install the guide onto rack piston and install clamp and clamp bolts. Tighten bolts to 4.8 N·m (43 in. lbs.).

(7) Insert Arbor C-4175 into bore of rack piston and hold tool tightly against worm shaft.

(8) Turn the worm shaft COUNTERCLOCKWISE while pushing on the arbor. This will force the rack piston onto the arbor and hold the rack piston balls in place.

(9) Install the races and thrust bearing on the worm shaft and install shaft in the housing (Fig. 20).

(10) Install the stub shaft with spool valve, thrust support assembly and adjuster nut in the housing.

(11) Install the rack piston and arbor tool into the housing.

(12) Hold arbor tightly against worm shaft and turn stub shaft CLOCKWISE until rack piston is seated on worm shaft.

(13) Install pitman shaft and side cover in the housing.

(14) Install rack piston plug and tighten to 150 N·m (111 ft. lbs.).

(15) Install housing end plug.

(16) Adjust worm shaft thrust bearing preload and over-center rotating torque.