I’m getting ready to install my new steering gear box on my 89 xj. I had a surprisingly easy removal of the pitman arm and moved on to removing the steering shaft. After using some WD40 into the section that telescopes I was just barely able to move it enough with a pry bar to get the u-joint off of the spline of the gear box. Now I am unable to get the shaft to extend back. Any ideas? I’ve read a thread that’s stated if the steering shaft seizes within itself it’s time to replace it. I would really like to save some money and save it if possible. I’m also a bit worried about pushing and tugging on it to much and damage something in the steering column. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated!

 

WD-40 is a very poor penetrating oil. It was not developed for that purpose; that's something that marketing added on to the label much later. Floating around the Internet are copies of a controlled test done by a machinist's magazine (Practical Machinist?) on various penetrating oils. They found that WD-40 was only barely better than nothing. PB Blaster came out well, but much better than that, something called Kroil. Hard to find and very expensive.

Best of all was a 50/50 home brew of acetone and transmission fluid.

I have been using SeaFoam's Deep Creep, and I am impressed, but I don't have a controlled study to back that up.

Depending on where your problem joint is, some heat from a propane torch might be good.

 

Will try some blaster. I have been debating on using heat because I’m not sure if the steering shaft has anything in it such as rubber for vibration dampening. I may as well try at this point. Thanks BlueRidgeMark!

 

I ended up using heat to melt some glue or plastic from inside the steering shaft. Cleaned it up and greased it. Install went smooth after that!