Bad Steering Box (manual)

[Ole-Boy]

Having just got back from the shop and having the front end checked on my 98 Sidekick 2dr 2wd Sport, everything checked out good. But, I found out that it needs a new steering box. The shop checked the cost of a new one, and they can't even get one for it.

I will only buy new only if I absolutely have too. If the dealers can even get their hands on them still.

What are my options?--- salvage yards

My question is this. What years interchange with mine? 2dr/4dr etc...

Also, how can I tell if the box is any good if I can't test drive it first. Is there any way to tell?

Can I convert to an earlier year Rack & Pinion unit and eliminate the steering box all together?

Other thoughts: Convert to PS? How hard is that? I see quite a few PS units on eBay.

Just for the heck of it I went out and raised the sidekick back in the air. I checked the steering for full movement from side-to-side. The movement feels good. Not smooth though. Almost like some of the ball joints are a tad dry. There are double ring-type keepers around the rubber boots for the ball joints, which I carefully rotated like taking a key off a keyring. I took them off and pumped some grease into them with a small gun. I then put them all back together and moved the steering through it's full movement several times. I notice (at center) what feels like resistance for a small portion of movement, then smooth, then resistance again at about 3/4 from full turning.

I then decided to disconnect the steering shaft from the steering box and try it that way. As for the steering box, there was no binding, looseness or anything that seemed abnormal. Since I was that far, I decided to disconnect the lower arm from the steering-box and move the move the steering arms manually. That's when I noticed the slight stiffness in movement at center and 3/4 of full turn radius. There was one of the boots squeaking on metal, which I greased for the heck of it.

MY diagnosis is that I need to replace the arms that have ball-joints, as there is probably some scoring going on inside due to them being dry, and causing the bind.

Appreciate the help.