Steering Box leaking :-(

[DJF]

Hi guys,

I've always had a seep from my power steering box on my 70 B body, but its got to a point now where i really got do somthing. Its leaking from the top where the steering column goes in from the firewall.

Is there a rebuild kit I can buy?
Can I do it with the steering box in the car?
Does the engine have to come out?

All input and opinions welcome.
Many Thanks

[resq302]

I tried to do this on a Jeep once before and rebuilding the steering boxes are NOT easy and require a bunch of special tools.  You do not need to remove the engine but you will need to remove the starter and probably the steering center link.  The steering box is held in by 3 twelve point bolts.  You will also need to remove the pitman arm, and disconnected it from the steering shaft coupler.  Best thing to do is to send it out and have it rebuilt as most of the ones that I have gotten from A1 Cardone have been nothing but a crap rebuild job that is sloppy as hell in the play department.

[oldschool]

Hi guys,

I've always had a seep from my power steering box on my 70 B body, but its got to a point now where i really got do somthing. Its leaking from the top where the steering column goes in from the firewall.

Is there a rebuild kit I can buy?
Can I do it with the steering box in the car?
Does the engine have to come out?

All input and opinions welcome.
Many Thanks

i have replaced this seal many times.you can buy the seal at advance auto.you do not have to remove the steering box to do it.
take out the steering column with the coupler.then use a sharp punch and drive it into the seal face.then just pry the old seal out.it comes out easy.tap the new one in.piece of cake.

[Belgium R/T -68]

Problem could be that if you only fix the leaking seal it soon will start somewhere else, at least that's my experience. Best to do the rebuild which is not
that complicated if you follow the instructions in the kit or the FSM. The s**t is that you sometimes have to set the zeroposition again.

Per

[maxwellwedge]

If it is the piece on the very top it is just rubber O-rings. To set the centering back to normal after replacing the O-rings you have to tap that casting back or forward to get the pressure equal again then tighten it down fully.

Interestingly enough - T/A's and AAR's (not sure what else) all use hex head bolts for the box to K-Frame instead of 12 point heads - Just a fun fact.

[71ChallengeHer]

I pulled mine out and sent it to a place in Philadelphia. They rebuilt it and sent it back. Mine was leaking out the top and bottom of the shaft, when the car was running.  It had an internal pressure leak.

[DJF]

Great stuff thanks for the info :-)

Do you know where i can get a rebuild kit from?

When removing this unit I have to remove the steering colum? Is that as simple as loosening the bolts on the inside of the car going through the firewall at the bottom of the colum? Do need to knock a pin out on the rod thats hooked onthe the input of the steering box? Do I have to pry this rod off with some force?

Many Thanks
 

[maxwellwedge]

If you have to remove the steering box you have to pull the pitman arm, knock out the roll pin on the coupler, hoses, and possibly pull back the steering column if the coupler doesn't slide back enough before you take out the 3 bolts that hold it to the K-frame. To pull back the steering column you have to do a bunch more. The 3 bolts at the firewall, the trim under the dash, the 2 nuts and 1 bolt under the column, the wiring harness...and probably a few more things depending on year.

Where exactly is this thing leaking from?

[troutstreamnm]

You can get rebuilt boxes from NAPA if you don't want to mess with doing it yourself.  It is a PITA at get the box out, especially if you have headers.  Steering colunm, headers, pitman arm, etc all have to come out.  It weights about 35 or 40 pounds so be careful if you are working under it during removal.  This is not a fun job IMHO> 

[DJF]

Thanks for the Help guys,

I got it out today, ur right not a nice job. Couldnt get the pitman arm off coz I didnt have the right tool. Tried a three pronged puller, that slipped of a few times and walloped my little finger. so i took it out with that attached.

Got the roll pin out and moved the steering column back no worries wasnt hard at all. I got Indy Sr1 heads and headers on my car so the next bit seemed like it was gonna be hell. I hate taking them headers off the 2" taller makes them even more of a nightmare, then its the starter and getting that connected again. So i Jacked the motor up off the mounts to see if it would come out. Nah lol

But what i did see was I coule pull it out the front, battery tray was out, and my rad was empty so I took out the bottom tube to the rad and out that way it came :-) Dunno if that of anyuse to anyone but definatly easier for me and my car.

Just got to figure out what to do with this piece of junk now. Who are NAPA?

[maxwellwedge]

They sponsor some Nascar wannabe big mouth schill. 

They are also an auto parts store. Where do you live - I would find a good rebuilder near you and keep the original.

[adauto]

Mine dripped all last year, so when spring comes it's coming out. I would guess my clearance in even less! 

[DJF]

I live in England, dunno if there is anyone over here who could rebuild this one for me?

[oldschool]

I live in England, dunno if there is anyone over here who could rebuild this one for me?

get the seal from advance auto and do it yourself.it is soooo easy.you could have done it with the box in the car!

[Ghoste]

Perhaps the seal is not so easily gotten over there either?  Especially from Advance. 

[DJF]

Yeah im sure I can get the seal, my problems is, when i had the car up in the air the steering felt very notchy, and if that seal is gone ... what else is knackered. This car I Bought as somones finished project, It looked real good. But in the three years I have owned the car I have had to completly rebuild the back axle. New transmission. Engine Rebuild even though it had only been done 1k miles ago, it was put together with I dont know what in mind, was like somone picked up a catalogue and just ordered some parts and didnt think how they would work together, it was a slug.

Now this steering box. is there a complete rebuild kit I can buy coz shipping to me on this, for one from say from Rockauto or Yearone will suck coz its so heavy. But hey if thats the best solution so be it. I dont wanna cut corners I want it right. Everywhere says they are reconditioned units. How good are they? Does anyone have one?

[resq302]

I have personally found that reman'd stuff by A1 Cardone is a crap shoot.  Most of the time they start leaking just after the warranty is up as I have heard they only replace the parts that are needed to make the unit back to within acceptable tollerences.  Meaning that if there is something that is worn, they don't rebuild or replace it, they just throw it into the unit and give it a lick and promise that it will hopefully hold up.  Personally I have been through 3 A1 Cardone power steering boxes in the charger and the next one that I get will be from a company that rebuilds them for a living, not A1 Cardone that rebuilds power steering pumps, water pumps, starters, you name it.  Lets face it, their quality can not be that good if they have the same person doing all that stuff.  One person can not know how every single part should go on lets say 8000 different units.  But again, thats my 

[1969chargerrtse]

Sooooooo, I read all the threads here. My box has a small leak up top also. It is dripping out of the huge ( castle type ) nut that tightens down on the large flat plate whereas the center shaft comes out of. It looks like I can tap it off with a chisel, very fine thread? Is this the same thing you guys are saying has a huge rubber O ring and easy to do?

[1969chargerrtse]

Where'd everybody go?

[elacruze]

Yeah im sure I can get the seal, my problems is, when i had the car up in the air the steering felt very notchy, and if that seal is gone ... what else is knackered. This car I Bought as somones finished project, It looked real good. But in the three years I have owned the car I have had to completly rebuild the back axle. New transmission. Engine Rebuild even though it had only been done 1k miles ago, it was put together with I dont know what in mind, was like somone picked up a catalogue and just ordered some parts and didnt think how they would work together, it was a slug.

Now this steering box. is there a complete rebuild kit I can buy coz shipping to me on this, for one from say from Rockauto or Yearone will suck coz its so heavy. But hey if thats the best solution so be it. I dont wanna cut corners I want it right. Everywhere says they are reconditioned units. How good are they? Does anyone have one?

The problem with rebuilt units is the warranty-you can't afford to return it if it's not perfect. I don't know your budget, but if it was in mine and I wanted a once-only event, I'd buy one from Firm Feel and suck up the cost.

Alternatively, you might get somebody on the board to send you a rebuild kit in a gift box, if you had paypal...unfortunately it can't be me as I'm in the U.S. only for a few more days before returning to Afghanistan.

[1969chargerrtse]

"If it is the piece on the very top it is just rubber O-rings. To set the centering back to normal after replacing the O-rings you have to tap that casting back or forward to get the pressure equal again then tighten it down fully. "



"

"If it is the piece on the very top it is just rubber O-rings. To set the centering back to normal after replacing the O-rings you have to tap that casting back or forward to get the pressure equal again then tighten it down fully. "


"i have replaced this seal many times.you can buy the seal at advance auto.you do not have to remove the steering box to do it.
take out the steering column with the coupler.then use a sharp punch and drive it into the seal face.then just pry the old seal out.it comes out easy.tap the new one in.piece of cake."

What I'm asking about is where it was said it's easy to change the O ring.  Mine leaks from the large castle nut ring area.  Is this the easy to cahnge O ring part?

[1969chargerrtse]

Sorry, I clicked the wrong link.

[DJF]

Thanks for all the advise.

I finally saved up an ordered a Firm Feel box with a new pitman arm.

Now, Does anyone have any tips or a sure fire way for me to get the car goin in a straight line first time when I fit it?

Many Thanks

[Hemidog]

Thanks for all the advise.

I finally saved up an ordered a Firm Feel box with a new pitman arm.

Now, Does anyone have any tips or a sure fire way for me to get the car goin in a straight line first time when I fit it?

Many Thanks

As long as you don't mess with the tie rods, the car should act just like it did before the swap.

[maxwellwedge]

When you have the box in center it by counting how many turns lock to lock. There should be a missing spline on the boxes shaft (for where the steering coupler slides on). Have that pointing at 12:00 o'clock. Make sure your wheels are pointing straight as sometimes pitman arms can go on in more than one position. There is a similar missing spline on the steering shaft coupler (and a little notch) as well. Have that at 12:00 o'clock as well and slide it on. I would not install the pitman arm permanently until everything looks lined up.
Good Luck.