My saginaw box is leaking :( Have some questions

[cardinal fang]

It is an easy fix. Seal kits go for around ~$30. Autozone has the best for the price. All you need to do is pull the retaining ring out from the output shaft hole and replace the rubber seal that the output shaft passess through. You should also replace the six seals that are on the 'valve body'. Not difficult but not easy.

 

[Joe Link]

I called asking for the seal kit but they need to know what the box originally came off of, how can I figure this out?

 

[Josie'sLandCruiser]

Hi All:

"Joey," this may be a bit from "left field," but that nut on the top plate of the steering box that is leaking, does it have a gasket on it? (Like, a drain plug has a gasket.)

I have my own Saginaw power steering leak woes - it appears the ps gearbox on my FJ40 is cracked - there is no apparent leaks from any of the fittings, yet it drips from the front of the gearbox housing! I need to deal with the issue, yet the leak is not that bad yet.

BTW - where are your studying? I'm in Finals this week - probably shouldn't be on MUD but instead writing two papers, but this is the only entertainment handy!

Good luck with the fix!

Alan
Seattle

 

[honk]

Hi Joey,

You don't need to know exactly what your box came off of - there's only a few different ones so find a car that used the type you have and tell the parts guys that. They can't think beyond their parts books so you gotta lie to them sometimes. Yours looks like a four bolt box and that was like a generic for over half the P/S GM cars built from the sixties till now. There's a casting number on top that'll make sure.

As for sealing it - I don't like your description using the word "gushing". There's passages under a lot of pressure in the boxes and if it gushes it might well not be just a simple top seal fix. Believe me, you don't want to rebuild those boxes - think balls that all have to stay in place while you fumble around with all three hands trying to get a shaft through them. It can be quite a hassle.

I'd get another box. They're cheap, and you posted a picture of yourself once showing that you could skip a meal or three

If it's really hanging you up send me a pm and I'll loan you the money to fix it.

 

[dgangle]

s*** can it and go to the yard and get yourself a new one for $30

you get them that cheap? This is exactly what I'd recommend but the cheapest I can find is $50-ish.

 

[cardinal fang]

Replacing the seals on either end of the box is not that hard. Replacing the seals on the pitman arm shaft is not that hard. The 'bearings are an issue only when you pull the ball bearing screw shaft out and you don't have to do that just to replace seals. All those seal kits are basically the same. The design of the saginaw boxes are the same no matter what application they come off of. Scout, Ford, GM, Jeep, all the same basic design. Some boxes do have larger pistons like the jeep box with 3.5 piston, but most all have a 3" pistons. 'Gushing' would indicate that the hard seals on the piston are shot. If that is the case, then the box itself would not be working properly which would be quite evident. Like not turning! So I would think it is only a rubber seal.

 

[bustanutley]

Yeah pull-n-save is the shizzy. Axle assemblies drum to drum or hub to hub are $80 a piece, doesn’t matter what it is. This weekend I think engines are on sale for like $50. They are all stupid 80s and 90s cars for the most part, every once in a while there is a mini truck though.

As in new to you. Go to the yard and look for one that isn't covered in greasy muck and you should be all right. If when you undo the fittings and a bunch of clean ATF comes out then you should be golden.

 

[cardinal fang]

But don't just grab anyone. You want to count the turns! Any box with 3 or less is no good. I know, I had one for a while, which was too quick on the street.

 

[Hamachi]

Just picked up a reman 4 bolt-4.25 turn gear for 120.00....

I read the J20 is 3-3.5 turns. Which one is better J20 or a 4.25 turn?
Or did the J20 come in 4.25 turn also?