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Putting in a new steering gear box soon...

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firetruck41

Guest
Any tips? Just ordered a rebuilt power steering box from Schucks, should be in tomorrow afternoon. Autozone had it for $170, but none in stock or warehouse, Schucks price matched -5%, so $164 for it, with lifetime warranty. I have not done anything with the steering yet, any tips? I will try to get a loaner pitman arm puller, any other "special" tools needed? Any other parts that require replacement at the same time? Thanks for your help guys!

Ben
 
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NaturlaHighScrambler

Guest
there probably are 2 torx bolts to be removed to separate the mounting bracket from the box and if the pitman has never ben off it is not going to come off willingly, I broke 2 pullers getting mine off. It requires having a little heat added to the pitman and it should come right off. I did not have a torch so I dropped mine by the local machine shop.

Somebody here suggested one of those small portable propane torches would work.

RJ
 
C

CJATE

Guest
The whole project isn't too wierd. I disconnect everything except two mount (bracket) bolts. I do this to allow a solid gear box to gently pry the steering shaft coupler off the box. I have a 1" body lift which really helps getting the hoses off. I too have had some problems with the pitman arm. I have used a propane torch, a BFH and once or twice they have come off without an argument. You might want to change the small rubber boot on the coupler and replace the grease if you are so inclined. The boot comes off by prying a small wire spring from inside a groove on the inside of the cup lip. Theres a bunch a smaller parts inside the cup which aren't too complex. Hope this helps, good luck.
 

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JL in CA

Guest
Box

Just one watch-out. Not sure if anyone else has ever run into this. I ordered a box from a local discount store and the box had an input shaft that was smaller than my steering shaft female end. Same exact box but not correct shaft. They said they didn't have any distinction for a shaft size in their computer so no guarantee if they ordered another one, it wouldn't have the same problem. Maybe I should have known something to tell them but... The ARG I ended up getting had the correct shaft size??? Maybe someone can offer the right question to ask.

I ended up using heat and a BFH to get the pitman arm off once I pulled the old box. Later, when I lifted the vehicle, I had to cut that pitman arm off with a cut-off wheel :) to put the dropped arm on.
 

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crazy8

Guest
Re: Box

After I broke my first pitman arm puller, I spent a little more money for one with a lifetime guarantee... hasn't broken yet.
It also works on tie rod ends
 

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mulescj8

Guest
Re: Box

the secrert to removing the pittman arm is to use the puller and SMACK THE DOG@#%$ out of it with tension on it then tighten more smack again and it should fall of-JC:p
 

scrambler24

king of useless knowledge
what about putting a pitman arm back on? After my lift I went to reinstall the dropped pitman arm, it would slide easily on to about half the width of the splines on the arm. tightening it only movedit a little more. So my pitman arm is now only about 3/4 of the way on (using the width of the splines on the arm itself for reference) and still about 3/8 of an inch below the mark from the stock one. Did I buy junk...? Is there some secret...? :confused:
 

RJCJ-8

SOA Member
Lifetime Member
City
Rome
State
GA
Flip the Pitman over. unless it is a drop. I think the shaft has a little bit of taper to it and the inside of the pitman has a coorasponding taper.
 

Firetruck41

Scramblerless
City
Camas
State
WA
Started this today

Armed with all your advice, I tackled this today. Of course I had to do a tool runfor the EXTERNAL torx socket and METRIC open end wrenches for the fittings at the steering box. What is the deal with metric fittings? I was ready to pull the pitman arm off but a 1 1/4" socket would not fit the nut that holds the pitman arm on. I measured it with some cheap calipers and the nut is 1 9/32". 1 1/4" socket was the biggest I had, but 1 9/32" doesn't sound like a real socket size, so I'm thinking it is 32MM metric instead(must go buy one now). Sound right to anyone? AAAARGH! Hopefully that will be the last tool run...

Ben
 

RJCJ-8

SOA Member
Lifetime Member
City
Rome
State
GA
I just got a cresent (adjustable) wrinch that was big eniugh plus i could use it on other size nuts.
RJ
 

Crazy8

SOA charter member
City
Union
State
Me
steering gear

I had to buy a 3/4 drive socket in order to get big enough to get on the nut. Not sure what size it was, but was just over the
1 1/4 size 1/2 inch set i already had. 1 5/16? I will check and post tommorrow.
 

mulescj8

INSANE SCRAMBLER HACK
Lifetime Member
City
Middle of No Where and Too Far From Any Where
State
Tn
When you pull it up it may not pull all the way up-drive it for a week or so and retighten and it should be ok-the new one maybe a little tighter on clearance's than the orignal factory one-JC:p
 

Firetruck41

Scramblerless
City
Camas
State
WA
yup, it was 1 5/16", now one more ?

Just got the pitman arm off, so now here's a new question. How do you remove the steering shaft from the steering box? I loosened up the nut on the collar, and then I tried prying a little, but it won't budge. Am I missing something or do I just need to pry more?

Ben
 

John N

Addicted....Ex-SOA VP
BENEFACTOR
Gold Member
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Rockville
State
VA
You don't just loosen that nut. You have to remove the nut and bolt. It's held in place with a groove in the splined shaft on the box. It's the simple looking stuff that gets too complicated.
 

Firetruck41

Scramblerless
City
Camas
State
WA
DONE!!!

I'm DONE! I did just as John said and removed the pinch bolt, and pryed the shaft off the steering box. Put everything back together, after a test drive I think I fixed half of the steering play. Looks like the tie rod ends are a little worn as well, by the time I'm done it will have like new steering! One unexpexted surprise was the clunking sound that I've had for the last 3 months is gone. I think it was the radiator, I loosened a couple of the bolts holding the radiator to make it easier to get the power steering hoses lined up, then tightened it back when I was done. The radiator is falling apart but no clunking! Can a radiator be rebuilt for a reasonable cost?

Thanks for all the advice! The tie rods look easy, so I'm sure I'll be back asking more dumb questions whe I get $$ to do them.

Ben
 
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