Dangerously stiff steering... HELP!

[CrossHair]

74' CJ5 manual steering. Just bought this brandnew gearbox , had new tires put on and a front end alignment done. Now I know of the top adjustment screw that adjusts the center drag but it discusses in the manual that there's this steering gear clearance adjustment... could this be why its too stiff. When I first picked up this new gearbox I felt the shaft as I turned it and commented how stiff it felt. Yesterday I had the jeep up at this spring shop for them to improve my suspension, put new tires on , front end alignment and check my steering. The told me my steering gearbox is defective HA!! I mean they don't even know about some adjustment that can be done to it. So anyway I hope there's something I can do cuz I doubt that I have a "defective" gearbox. It also steers a lil' too the right and thats connecting rod with that adjuster tube right? Ok here are some pictures to hopefully assist you in helping me. I'm trying to get this corrected by tomorrow for I want to take this up north for the 4th of July.

http://www.wideopenwest.com/~kpasque...adjustment.JPG
(if I loosen this will it allow my steering to turn easier?)
http://www.wideopenwest.com/~kpasque/steeringtube.JPG
(is this where I turn to make my steering not pull to the right?)
http://www.wideopenwest.com/~kpasque/rearjeep.JPG

[blkTJ]

that collar basically centers your steering wheel. if your wheel is offcenter to the passenger side make it longer, if it's the other way do the reverse.

[blkTJ]

I don't know anything about manual steering gear boxes, sorry can't help with the adjuster screw you describe.

[Kaffa]

Love your bling in that picture Brian. Please tell me that's not your arm... if it is, give me a call!! I wanna be part of this thug double life.

[jmbrowning]

That's not his arm, silly! That's his leg! Cute anklet and opposable toes, B! :yay:

[blkTJ]

Love your bling in that picture Brian. Please tell me that's not your arm... if it is, give me a call!! I wanna be part of this thug double life.

that's not my arm. it's not even my pic.

[CrossHair]

Update:
Turns out its my axle balljoints that need replacing :*(
CH

[CrossHair]

Hey okay,
Thanks for showing interest in my problem fellas, your suggestions and intrigue was great. Replacing the steering knuckle ball joints and those inner U-joints fixed the stiff steering problem I had. Cost me $605.00 bux and it has great response now...despite it being manual steering. I'm pretty certain that most anything I did replace to try and fix this had to get replaced anyway. And it probably all started when I took off the stablizing shock when I reconditioned this thing. Then letting it sit in a garage probably siezed everything up. But I feel comfortable with the steering for this long trip I got coming up. So thanks for being around guys and showing interest
CH