88 YJ-CJ Steering Gearbox and Transfer Case

Power Steering Gearbox:

The power steering gearbox is back together, fully adjusted and painted:

Assembly finished!

Primed - it was later top coated in gloss black

I haven't installed it yet because I took the time to remove, clean and paint the gearbox mounting  bracket.  Installation in the Jeep and power steering hoses should happen sometime this week.

Transfer Case:

With the steering gearbox done, I moved to the other end of the drivetrain - the transfer case!  I still need to seal the rear of the transmission, and that means working on the NP231j. The previous owner installed a Novak conversion kit into the TH350 transmission to convert it to 23 spline for an NP231j. The NP231j isn't my first choice for V8 power, but I plan to make it work.

The NP231j that came with the Jeep had a Hack-n-tap SYE, which isn't what I wanted. I sold it a couple of weeks ago.

In its place will be an NP231j out of a TJ. I bought it a couple of years ago, as it already had a proper SYE on it, and was available at a good price.

To better handle the V8 power, I am upgrading to 6 pinion planetary and a 1-1/4" wide chain. Sourced from eBay, so I didn't have to go hunting parts.

To do the wide chain, you need two new gears and a wider chain:

All the new parts, including the rebuild kit. My goal is to change the external seals and upgrade the internals. I'll inspect the bearings too, but may not change them out:

In process:

The NP231j is finished except for the rear seal - it's a special seal because of the SYE.  

(I will probably clean up the case after I get it fully re-assembled)

The seal was ordered:

Getting the NP231j installed will be a pretty big milestone and enables a bunch more work:

1a) Driveshafts

I've got an XJ front driveshaft that I will be using in the front - maybe after a shorten or lengthen. In the rear, I've got the original 1310 Hack-n-Tap driveshaft that came with the Jeep that I may try to use (it's a flange mount). I may install a 1310/1350 flange on the transfer case rear output to make things easier now and to give myself some future flexibility to go to a 1350 driveshaft. The one below is from JB Conversions. 

I have another rear double cardan driveshaft out of a TJ that is a yoke mount - I am hoping to get lucky on the driveshafts - and have one or both of them fit! I'm tired of spending money!

1b) Exhaust

Once the front driveshaft is in place, I can start thinking about the exhaust

2) 8.8 Perches

I can get the rear 8.8 perches welded into place. Way back in Aug or Sept 2021, I went from SOA to SUA. The perches are just being clamped down by the u-bolts until I get the pinion angle finalized.

3) NP231j shifter

I can do some work on the transfer case shifter - hopefully using what I've got. I don't want to spend $300 on a cable shifter.

TH350 Inspection Cover:

I also painted up an original steel inspection cover for the TH350. I've got one installed already, but it's pretty bad (plastic!). This one will be much better:

Every single item that I mentioned in this post is under the Jeep - I guess I'll be down on the hard concrete frequently over the next month. 😟