Steering box rebuild, what's the trick with the balls??? (2 Viewers)

[FJ40Jim]

Was the binding there when the box was cycled on the bench?

If not, there is a possibility the binding is a rusted steer shaft u-joint.

 

[Davaa]

Used two seals because I already had the second and I wasn't sure where the first seal had been set in relation to the groove.

Couple of lessons learned:
1) don't mess with the balls lol: x 44)
2) speedi-sleeve will not work because of the roller bearings

Mounted up the resealed box this weekend and no leaks, that's the good part. Bad part I don't have the adjustments set properly because there's a binding in turning the wheel lock to lock.

I remember reading that the speedy sleeve was installed from the bottom after the roller bearing like. Have you cosidered this way?

 

[Godwin]

Was the binding there when the box was cycled on the bench?

If not, there is a possibility the binding is a rusted steer shaft u-joint.

I reinstalled the old dirty leaky box and all operations are smooth.

Putting the resealed box on the bench I can cycle it from lock-to-lock without any strong binding. There is a little notchiness around the mid-point of the cycle. I noticed that in manually moving the pitman arm that the exposed end of the the worm shaft will move slightly in and out. Preload on the worm shaft too low?

No amount of adjustment of the adjusting screw will reduce the pitman arm backlash to zero. Related to possible low preload ajustment of worm shaft?

 

[Michael Hanson]

Jim, Did you put the arm in a lathe and polish it ? Also did you clean and check the roller bearings ? Mike

 

[FJ40Jim]

Yes, the preload of the worm shaft bearing is too low if the worm is seen to move axially or radially.

If the cross shaft (sector shaft) has any axial movement, then the internal lash adjustment needs adjusted using SST #09632-00030, which is a hollow allen socket.

 

[Godwin]

First attempt at assembly I know that I did not have the worm shaft preload correct and not having a SST not sure how I would accomplish setting the preload. Digging around in some junk I found an old FJ40 steering coupler and the spline count matches that of the FJ60.

I cut off the pins and removed the rubber cushion.

Leaving behind the metal coupler.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Spiffy. Now does it work?

 

[Godwin]

Remaining stubs of the pins were easy to knock out since they were simply pressed in.

I cut a piece of metal and bolted that to the steering coupler.

Not having a welder I JB welded a broken 1/2 F to 3/8 M adaptor to the metal plate.

With this I should be able to measure the preload with an in-lbs torque wrench. Guess I'll find out later after the JB cures.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Remaining stubs of the pins were easy to knock out since they were simply pressed in.

View attachment 1755299

I cut a piece of metal and bolted that to the steering coupler.

View attachment 1755300

View attachment 1755301

Not having a welder I JB welded a broken 1/2 F to 3/8 M adaptor to the metal plate.

View attachment 1755302

With this I should be able to measure the preload with an in-lbs torque wrench. Guess I'll find out later after the JB cures.

Great fab. I’d let it dry overnight. Did you scuff the surfaces so it would adhere better?

 

[Godwin]

Finally found time to come back to this. Box has been sitting on a table since the summer but I'm still within my self-imposed 6 month window of project completion . I put the home brew SST to work with a Park Tool inch-lb torque wrench and now have the preload set properly. Box operation is smooth throughout the cycle, at least with bench testing.