CJ-7 Projects
 

  

Lightforce Lights - H.I.D. High-intensity discharge Upgrade

HEI Ignition System (GM Style) Installed in the AMC 360 V8
Getting rid of gremlins and improving performance

Installing 23,000 Volt Offroad Lights

Autogage Tachometer Installation
  

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Project CJ-7
  
Offroaders Guide
to Gearing up
for Offroad

From Basic Equipment to Well Equipped.  An extensive list guide to help you prepare your vehicle for the offroad.
  
 

  

Onboard Air
Converting a York
AC Compressor
to Pump Air


Trailering Safety and Trailer Hitch Information

 

Off-Road Truck Driving Techniques and Safety



Off-Road Lights
by LightForce Product Review / Installation.
from Off-Road Lights

 

Jeep Dana 300 TeraLow - 4:1 Gearset for the Dana 300 Transfer Case


AMC V8 Engines
From
GEN-1 Nash/Hudson/Rambler V-8s (1956-1966) through to the GEN-3 AMC Tall-deck (1970-1991)

Chevy Small-Block V8 Engines
Chevy Small-Block V8 Engines Manufactured by General Motors - Production: 1955?2002

Hemi Engine - All about the Hemi Engine

Ford Engines
4 Cylinder, 6 Cylinder, 8 Cylinder, 10 Cylinder, 12 Cylinder Ford Engines

Ford V8 Engines
8 Cylinder Engines manufactured by Ford

Ford 351 Cleveland V8 Engines
351 cubic inch V8 Engines manufactured by Ford

Chrysler Hemi Engine

AMC V8 hp/Torque, Compression & Bore/Stroke by year

Engine Size Conversion Table
Converting engine displacement from CID, Liters, C.C.

Engine Overheating Basics - 16 Common Causes of an Overheated Engine

Fan Clutch Diagnosis
How to tell if the Fan Clutch in your Cooling System is failing or has failed.

Automotive Gauges & Instrument Functions
Information they display & their importance.

 

From the
Department of Cheap   Tricks and Useful Tips

  
Ultra-Cool Hand Throttle for Free!

Jeep V8 Swap Tips

The Exploding Clutch

Radiator Protection using 6 bucks worth of material

Cracked Under Pressure - Fixing a smashed fingernail

A Cheap, effective alternative to undercoating

Home-built Saginaw Gearbox Brace for the cost of lunch!

Ammo Box Storage - Mounting Them for Quick Disconnect

Home-built Serious Skid-Plate protection for the Oil Pan for under 20 bucks!

Ramp Travel Index
RTI / Ramp Travel Index  What it is and how to calculate it, with and without the ramp.
 

 

 

 

 

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.  Here is AGR's installation Guide  (mirror)

Click here for a good tip before ordering your AGR Saginaw gearbox and AGR High Performance Power Steering Pump!


  

Back to Project Index

 


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. Dcp_6749.jpg (16564 bytes)
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.

Dcp_6780-s.jpg (162002 bytes)
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.  

Dcp_6781.jpg (72289 bytes)

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Dcp_6818-s.jpg (63653 bytes)

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.

Project CJ-7 ~ AGR

Back to Project Index
  

 

Offroad Tire Info
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Interco IROK TSL
Super Swamper LTB
Super Swamper TSL
Super Swamper TSL Radial
Super Swamper Narrow
Interco SS-M16 Swamper
Thornbird TSl Radial
Thornbird TSl Bias
Thornbird TSL
Parnelli Jone Dirt Grip
BFGoodrich Krawler
BFGoodrich MT T/A KM
BFGoodrich MT T/A KM2
BFGoodrich AT TA KO
BFGoodrich Mud King XT
Bridgestone Dueler MT
Cooper Discoverer ST
Cooper Discoverer STT
Cooper Discoverer ST/C
Firestone Destination MT
General Grabber MT
General Grabber AT2
Green Diamond Icelander
Ground Hawg Mud Tire
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Hankook Dynamic MT RT01
Hercules Terra Trac MT
Hercules Trail Digger MT
Kelly-Springfield Safari DTR
Kelly-Springfield Safari MSR
Kumho Road Venture MT
Kumho Road Venture KL71
Kumho Road Venture AT
Dick Cepek Mud Country
Dick Cepek F-C II
Dick Cepek Fun Country II
Dick Cepek Fun Country Nylon
Dick Cepek Fun Country Kevlar
Mastercraft Courser MT
Mastercraft Courser HTR
Mastercraft Courser HTR Plus
Maxxis BigHorn Radial
Maxxis Creepy Crawler
Maxxis Trepador
Maxxis Buckshot Mudder
Maxxis MA-SW
Maxxis M-8080 Mudzilla
Maxxis MT-754 Buckshot
Maxxis MT-753 Bravo
Maxxis MA-751 Bravo
Maxxis MA-S2 Marauder II
Maxxis MA-S1 Marauder
Maxxis MT-762 BigHorn
Nitto Mud Grappler
Nitto Dune Grappler
Nokian Vatiiva MT
Pit Bull Rocker Extreme
Pit Bull Maddog
Pit Bull Growler
Goodyear Wrangler MT/R
Pro Comp Xterrain
Pro Comp All Terrain
Pro Comp Mud Terrain
Pro Comp Xtreme AT
Pro Comp Xtreme MT
Toyo Open Country MT
TrXus Mud Terrain
TrXus STS All Terrain
Mickey Thompson MTZ
Mickey Thompson MTX
Mickey Thompson Baja Claw
Mickey Thompson Baja Crusher
Competition Claw
Dunlop Mud Rover
Yokohama Geolandar
  

Latest trips Offroad
... trail reports with the Project CJ-7
click here.

Sounds System, Raised the Rear Seat
Storage below and a great place to mount 6x9 Speakers for Great Bass ... In a Jeep!

York AC Compressor Conversion.  What used to pump Freon, now pumps compressed air to the front and rear bumpers.  125 psi,  2 gallons of storage, air fittings at the bumpers, enough CFM to power air tools!.  Click Here for more  Details

 

Dick Cepek's 2008 F-250 Super Duty Project Vehicle ? Project CRUSHER


Warn X8000i
Winch Installation


ARB Air Locker Install
Jeep Wide Track Axles Swap

 
Mud Tire Reviews

Building a Garage?
Need a Garage Plan?
 


Reader's Rigs and Seriously Stucks!

 

Jeep Trans Swap Info
T-18A Transmission Rebuild & Short Shaft Conversion