Sag box leak!!!

[chicago]

Remanned j20 box that I JUST INSTALLED....
It leaking from the top cap.
Can I just pull it and try a new gasket!!
I bought it over a year ago and I don't have a receipt anymore, otherwise I'd return it.

 

[boots4]

To pull it you will need to loosen the adjusting nut on top so just count the turns to set it back up. If it's like the cruiser box there is an o-ring that seals it that could have been pinched or could be missing.

 

[chicago]

To pull it you will need to loosen the adjusting nut on top so just count the turns to set it back up. If it's like the cruiser box there is an o-ring that seals it that could have been pinched or could be missing.

Thanks for the tip boots!
I have just pulled that willy nilly and not thought a thing of it.
I can't imagine it's much. It's right off that cap on the top!

 

[CruisinFJ60]

most places ask for your phone number for warranty reasons.

Just sayin.

 

[chicago]

most places ask for your phone number for warranty reasons.

Just sayin.

Humpf... That's a good point!... I should check on that!

 

[Elbert]

as noted by many others...I think the quality of rebuilds has reached a new low. In years past I had some level of confidence that a rebuilt parts had some life span and would function at inital try. Nowdays its a roll of the dice....not happy to see something fail right out of the box but its become my expectation that either it will fail or it will not last long. Some of these parts are quite a pain in the @$$ to install in the first place.

 

[chicago]

Yeah... I just put fluid in the thing and it started right off. Seems to work great... Hopefully it's just the gasket.
Would "right stuff" gasket make work or should I source an actual gasket??? Never had to mess w/ a ps gear box before.

 

[bsilva132]

The rebuild kit is ~$20 from AZ/NAPA/etc. See these threads for how to take apart and reassemble the box:
Saginaw Box Rebuild - How To! - Pirate4x4.Com Bulletin Board

Pirate4x4.Com - Extreme Four Wheel Drive

As mentioned above, make sure you know how far the top nut is screwed on as the box will leak there or may not work properly. Mine was about 1.5 turns too much on the nut and it leaked after the rebuild. I backed it off a little and it has not leaked since.

 

[chicago]

Cool!!!
Thanks for the link!!

 

[Elbert]

yea I'm no expert but if you get the adjustment off you've got some issues. I've never had a steering gear apart so I don't know if the RTV /right stuff would be fine or gasket....

 

[chicago]

yea I'm no expert but if you get the adjustment off you've got some issues. I've never had a steering gear apart so I don't know if the RTV /right stuff would be fine or gasket....

Seems pretty straight forward...
One thing I just can not stand are leaks!!!
I hate leaks!
Gotta do something!

 

[rusty_tlc]

Seems pretty straight forward...
One thing I just can not stand are leaks!!!
I hate leaks!
Gotta do something!

I believe Joe rebuilt a few Sag boxes when he was in the ATEC program.

 

[bsilva132]

It is no big deal to rebuild if you follow the pics and info in the treads I posted. The hardest part is getting the BBs back in which you do not need to deal with if you are just replacing the top gasket.

 

[peesalot]

Mountains outaa mole hills.
Get rebuild kit, the gasket is a metal piece with a rubber lip molded onto it.
Drop the pitman arm, unbolt top cover and pull up.
Cover will come with shaft, no undoing of adjuster nut. Replace with new gasket.

 

[chicago]

Mountains outaa mole hills.
Get rebuild kit, the gasket is a metal piece with a rubber lip molded onto it.
Drop the pitman arm, unbolt top cover and pull up.
Cover will come with shaft, no undoing of adjuster nut. Replace with new gasket.

Really???
If I pull the Pittman arm and undo the box, all I have to do is undo the cover and pull the whole shaft UP and OUT???

 

[waycrazy]

Sounds like a great chance to drill and tap for hydro assist. If your going that far into the box.

 

['74 UA FJ]

You don't have to disassemble anything to drill and tap for hydro assist. It is a lot easier if the box is on the bench, though.

 

[rusty_tlc]

You don't have to disassemble anything to drill and tap for hydro assist. It is a lot easier if the box is on the bench, though.

Don't you have to flush the box after you drill and tap?

 

['74 UA FJ]

Don't you have to flush the box after you drill and tap?

I am very careful with the shavings and use a magnet and a magnetized angle pick to get them out of the holes. You can also turn the input back and forth when you are done to flow the residual fluid back and forth to make sure you get everything. I've never had a problem with pump or box or ram after doing this. I also have an inline filter on the return line, but I ran it without one in the past with no issues.

 

[waycrazy]

I have done them also with out disassembley with the above mentioned method. But if you have the box apart why not do it right and flush the box out completely. But that is just a opinion . And you know what they say about those...
I dont know if this subject has been covered on this board but here is a basic overview of the process.
http://pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/HydroAssistTap/index.html