Michael B
SILVER Star
Power Steering Gearbox Reseal (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter ufg8r
- Start date
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Nice work, Chris!
Thanks for taking the time to post pics - I'm sure I'll be referencing it sometime in the future...or maybe I'll just con you into doing it!
- Brian
Thanks for taking the time to post pics - I'm sure I'll be referencing it sometime in the future...or maybe I'll just con you into doing it!
- Brian
@Cruiser Jimmy - Can this be added to the FAQ, please?
Cruiser Jimmy
Moderator
will do.
Done. It's in the FAQ's.
Done. It's in the FAQ's.
Last edited:
micruz60
Unleaded Regular
Cruiser Jimmy
Moderator
I rebuilt my box a couple months back as well.
The two major issues I ran into were:
1. The tightening screw on the sector shaft striped out and I needed the screw and the nut replaced.
2. I made the two spanner wrenches for the large ring nut on the top plate so I could tighten it.
The two major issues I ran into were:
1. The tightening screw on the sector shaft striped out and I needed the screw and the nut replaced.
2. I made the two spanner wrenches for the large ring nut on the top plate so I could tighten it.
Cruiser Jimmy
Moderator
I do have a write up on the 80 side, but it was the pump and box combo rebuild. And to be honest the box was a little weak for the write up.
ufg8r
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #30
No problem, has been fun to document. Between stoping for pictures, letting my kid help, and stoping for all kind of things decidedly less fun than this, I probably have 4 or 5 hours in so far. I'm sure it would take way less time going straight through.
On Sunday I got that stubborn c-clip out. After soaking with PB Blater overnight I had to tap it a bit with a punch to free it from the corrosion/dirt in the groove it rests in, but got it free without too much trouble. After that a metal spacer, Teflon seal, and an oring come out. The item at the bottom of the pic is the dust seal I removed earlier.
After cleaning the internals up a bit I put in the oring and then the seal. This seal seems to be trouble sometimes, I saw in a couple other threads that it can be bent into a heart shape to get it into place and then made back into a circle. Mine went in without having to do that. As it sits the box is ready to be reassembled, but will be a day or two before I can get back after it.
On Sunday I got that stubborn c-clip out. After soaking with PB Blater overnight I had to tap it a bit with a punch to free it from the corrosion/dirt in the groove it rests in, but got it free without too much trouble. After that a metal spacer, Teflon seal, and an oring come out. The item at the bottom of the pic is the dust seal I removed earlier.
After cleaning the internals up a bit I put in the oring and then the seal. This seal seems to be trouble sometimes, I saw in a couple other threads that it can be bent into a heart shape to get it into place and then made back into a circle. Mine went in without having to do that. As it sits the box is ready to be reassembled, but will be a day or two before I can get back after it.
ufg8r
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #31
I finally got back to this today and made some progress but also had a "whoops" I'll have to remedy.
I dealt with the issue of the loose Teflon seals by putting the worm shaft in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Worked great for shrinking the seals and the shaft went into the housing pretty easily.
From there I put the balls back into the worm shaft and ball nut. I wasn't able to take a lot of pictures of this, but it's documented in one of threads linked earlier. I had the best luck with putting the worm all the way into the nut, adding the balls to the opening furthest away from the housing, and then slowly turning the screw out of the ball nut while putting in the bearings one by one.
The problem I ran into was with the Teflon seal on the end of the ball nut (the one that goes over the oring on the right in the pic) when I went to put the assembly back into the gear box housing. I cooled this all off in the freezer too, and it started in easily enough but I got the seal caught up on the housing where the sector shaft goes through and tore it
.
Will have to see about I getting a new one before I can finish. On the Teflon seals, if you've never messed with them before like me, there is certainly a learning curve to dealing with them. I'll document what I've learned here later. All for now until I get the new seal.
I dealt with the issue of the loose Teflon seals by putting the worm shaft in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Worked great for shrinking the seals and the shaft went into the housing pretty easily.
From there I put the balls back into the worm shaft and ball nut. I wasn't able to take a lot of pictures of this, but it's documented in one of threads linked earlier. I had the best luck with putting the worm all the way into the nut, adding the balls to the opening furthest away from the housing, and then slowly turning the screw out of the ball nut while putting in the bearings one by one.
The problem I ran into was with the Teflon seal on the end of the ball nut (the one that goes over the oring on the right in the pic) when I went to put the assembly back into the gear box housing. I cooled this all off in the freezer too, and it started in easily enough but I got the seal caught up on the housing where the sector shaft goes through and tore it
.Will have to see about I getting a new one before I can finish. On the Teflon seals, if you've never messed with them before like me, there is certainly a learning curve to dealing with them. I'll document what I've learned here later. All for now until I get the new seal.
Freezing helps, but I also softened the sharp lip in the housing with some emery cloth. That lip has no effect on the seal, so it can be softened so as not to cut the teflon.
How similar is this gear box to a 1989 62 gear box? I'm looking at doing this myself but am anxious about it. Also, my problem is a very loose/wandering steering box, not leaking. What is usually worn in the box that causes it to be so loose? I can't imagine some seals being bad causing the steering to be so loose. And I know it's not TRE's or other steering components since I've checked them all, everything seems to be tight and without excessive play. The only other items that could cause this, are the gearbox and the intermediate steering shaft. Anyway, sorry to go off on a tangent there, just really interested in doing this, thanks...
Check your TREs, especially illy the one that connects to the pitman arm. Otherwise the screw on the top of the box is meant to tighten the box up..., thought I don't remember which way to turn the screw to tighten it.
Otherwise, the rebuild process is the same for 60 and 62 boxes.
Otherwise, the rebuild process is the same for 60 and 62 boxes.
ufg8r
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #35
Going to do this tomorrow. Spent just a little time trying to source the individual seal. Found it at SOR but was nearly as much as I paid for the entire Gates kit. Might could have found it elsewhere but ran out of time to look and just ordered up another kit from Orielly's, this time it's Masterpro. Orielly's also had the Gates kit but it was almost twice the cost that Rockauto was asking for it. Won't get here till next week though, so no real progress can be made for a few more days.
Side note: counter guy had a heck of a time finding this because it's listed as a "power steering hose"
ufg8r
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #37
Well, I got my new kit in yesterday and took another stab at getting the ball screw back in the housing. This time I was successful.
Here's how I dealt with the seal this time. I put the ball screw into the freezer for a little while and went and ran some water through my coffee pot. Once hot, I poured the water into a bowl and then tossed the Teflon seal in to get it hot. At that point I took the hot seal out of the water and pulled it over the end of the ball nut into its seat. I think this probably helped keep the stretching of the seal to a minimum.
After that I put a home made seal resizer on it to reshape the seal. This consisted of the bottom of a plastic cup and a hose clamp. Hose clamp needs to be big enough to go around the 2.75 inch diameter of the ball nut. The cup protects the seal from being damaged by the clamp. I left the clamp on for about 5-10 minutes before taking it off. Then immediately went to work reassembling.
Even with deburring that sharp edge and resizing the seal it still tried to catch on the lip again, so I CAREFULLY used the blunt side of a curved pick to get the seal where it needed to be. Eventually got the ball nut back into place. Taking a little more off that edge may have made things a little easier.
Here's how I dealt with the seal this time. I put the ball screw into the freezer for a little while and went and ran some water through my coffee pot. Once hot, I poured the water into a bowl and then tossed the Teflon seal in to get it hot. At that point I took the hot seal out of the water and pulled it over the end of the ball nut into its seat. I think this probably helped keep the stretching of the seal to a minimum.
After that I put a home made seal resizer on it to reshape the seal. This consisted of the bottom of a plastic cup and a hose clamp. Hose clamp needs to be big enough to go around the 2.75 inch diameter of the ball nut. The cup protects the seal from being damaged by the clamp. I left the clamp on for about 5-10 minutes before taking it off. Then immediately went to work reassembling.
Even with deburring that sharp edge and resizing the seal it still tried to catch on the lip again, so I CAREFULLY used the blunt side of a curved pick to get the seal where it needed to be. Eventually got the ball nut back into place. Taking a little more off that edge may have made things a little easier.
ufg8r
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #38
From there I bolted the housing back in place to secure the ball screw. Next step was to find the neutral position of the gear box. Did this by turning the input shaft all the way in one direction (clockwise) and then turned it all the way in the other direction (counter clockwise) while counting the number of full turns of the input shaft (think I counted 4.5 turns). After that reverse direction (clockwise again) while counting full turns and stop halfway (for me 2.25 turns). Once done I tried not to let the input shaft turn.
Next step was to put a light coating of grease on all the needle bearings and the gear teeth. I aligned the sector as in the pictures and put it back into place.
Next step was to put a light coating of grease on all the needle bearings and the gear teeth. I aligned the sector as in the pictures and put it back into place.
ufg8r
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #39
Last step was the top cover. Place it over the preload set screw and thread it into the cover. I alternated between tightening the cover bolts and turning the screw until the cover was seated. Finished by putting the seal and nut back on the preload screw. Another odd thing about the FSM is that it calls out a gasket for this top cover. My gearbox doesn't have one, but there is an oring on this part. I reassembled this without a gasket or any formagasket.
Next I put the pitman arm back on. With that, everything is put back together but I still need to check the preload on the input and sector shafts and check the torque on the bolts and input shaft adjusting cup. Getting close to done with this now.
Next I put the pitman arm back on. With that, everything is put back together but I still need to check the preload on the input and sector shafts and check the torque on the bolts and input shaft adjusting cup. Getting close to done with this now.
Yeah, I wonder how Mr. T got that teflon seal in there without nicking it...
Hint: you can also count the #of teeth on the piston and drop the sector shaft in that way.
Q: which way on that top screw tightens the sector shaft i.e. increases the preload?
Hint: you can also count the #of teeth on the piston and drop the sector shaft in that way.
Q: which way on that top screw tightens the sector shaft i.e. increases the preload?
