AGR Power Steering Gearbox Install

Jeep CJ-7 AGR Steering Pump and Gear Install

Project Jeep CJ-7 Installation:
AGR Saginaw Power Steering Gear
AGR High Performance Pump
 

This documentation is meant to assist you in your installation and provide a few recommendations.  Be sure to READ and FOLLOW the manufacturer’s installation guide as it will detail in more depth the procedure of installing the AGR Saginaw Power Steering Gear and AGR High Performance Power Steering Pump.  

Removal and installation of the Saginaw Gearbox

Remove the intermediate steering shaft.

Remove the power steering hoses from the steering gearbox.  If you can’t get to the hoses it might be easier to leave them on and remove the gearbox first, then remove the hoses after the gearbox is out.

Remove the tie rod from the pitman arm using a tie rod puller or a ball joint puller.  I used what looks like a small version of a pitman arm puller.

Remove the cotter pin and nut that hold the pitman arm on.  If you intent to reuse your old pitman arm, try to remove it while the pump is on the vehicle.  IT may be very tough to remove the pitman arm.   I broke two pitman arm pullers trying to get my old one off.  I could not.  I ended up acquiring a replacement CJ pitman arm from a friend.

Remove the gearbox from the vehicle.  To do so for the Jeep you must remove the bolts that hold the mount brackets and remove the gearbox and mounting brackets together.  Once it’s out, you can remove the mount bracket from the gearbox.


At this point, now is a good time to inspect your steering components wear and damage including the frame and the mount brackets for cracks or damage.

I decided to replace my intermediate steering shaft with a Flaming River Steering Shaft.  What I liked about the Flaming River Steering shaft is that it is 303 Stainless Steel for its strength and that the joints are bearing u-joints and very precise, no play in the shaft.  My old shaft was wore.  A new stock shaft would have play in the shaft from factory.  I don’t like play in the steering.

Another thing to upgrade at this point is the hoses.  If you don’t use new hoses and you have o-ring type hoses, change the o-ring seals on the hose fittings.

Another upgrade was this SERIOUS aftermarket Saginaw Gearbox mount bracket.  When you compare this to the stock bracket, it’s like night and day.  For more on this mount bracket, Click Here.

For the most part, re-installing the gearbox is the same process as taking the old one out.  I mounted the mount bracket to the gearbox using grade 8 hardware then installed it into the frame (after a few extra steps due to my new mount bracket).

Once the gearbox is installed center the sector shaft of the gearbox by doing the following:

1.    Align the front tires pointing straight forward.

2.    Turn the steering wheel fully to the left or right, then turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction and count the number of full rotations until the steering wheel is in the full lock position.

 3.   Turn the steering wheel ½ the number of rotations determined in the previous step. This locates and centers the sector shaft of the of the gearbox.

Attach the pitman arm to the sector shaft of the gearbox. The pitman arm can only be installed in four different positions, if you installed it in the wrong position it will be fairly obvious. Torque the pitman arm retaining nut to 180 foot pounds (this is easier to do once the gearbox is mounted) and be sure to use the lock washer provided.

Attach the tie rod end to the pitman arm, then install the retaining nut and cotter key.

Attach the power steering hoses to the pump and steering gearbox. It’s recommended to install new power steering hoses. Hoses can deteriorate from the inside out, thus making it difficult to determine if they are worn by visually inspecting them. Be sure to use power steering return hose or 250 lb. hydraulic equivalent hose.


The last step is to bleed the system.  Follow AGR’s install manual for bleeding the system.  This step is very IMPORTANT.  You must bleed the system properly or damage may result.  
 
Final thoughts    

I’m Very pleased with the new AGR steering system.  The pump is very strong, the gearbox is very precise.  It’s a little on the expensive side but if you compare the gearbox to a new stock pump, for a 150 bucks more, you can gat variable ratio and it’s built with larger pistons to provide more brute turning power than originals Saginaw gearboxes.  So far I haven’t had any issues with it.  A decent upgrade for the Jeep. Eventually if I decide to install a Hydroboost Brake system, this pump will provide plenty of power to supply both the Hydroboost as well as the steering system.

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