Tips for changing steering gear on '72

[Stanger007]

I've got a rebuilt steering gear that I need to put in on my '72 Mach 1 - anyone got any tips for the install/removal?

Looks like the only special tool needed is a pitman arm puller?
Is there any special way to bleed the powersteering system other than turning the wheel lock to lock?

Thanks guys!

Wes

 

[jikelly]

All very good questions that I can't answer.

Now are you changing the gearbox, or doing a rebuild? I have seen instructions for rebuilding a Corvette sagnaw box and aparently they have the same internals.



Check this out.
Some Steering Box Pic's
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=1345411

 

[yeloxr7]

Unbolt the rag joint.
Remove the hoses using a flare nut wrench. Place a drain pan underneath to catch the fluid as it comes out.
Remove the pitman arm nut. You may need to purchase or borrow the socket for this.
Pull the pitman arm using a pitman arm puller.
Position the steering linkage out of the way.

Remove the bolts holding the gearbox to the frame rail. Support the gearbox as it is heavy.

Installation is the opposite order of removal.

You'rre right, the only way to bleed it is to fill the system, start the engine and turn the wheels back and forth. YOu may have to do this a couple of times to get the majuroty of air out. The fluid in the reservoir will look foamy after this but it will settle down eventually. When it does, top up the fluid to the mark on the dip stick.

 

[Stanger007]

I've got a rebuilt steering box from NAPA.

My longtubes are pretty close to the pitman arm so I attempted to remove the pitman arm from the rest of the suspensison and leave it on the steering box until I can get a puller on it but that sucker is on there good!

A pic is worth a thousand words...

View attachment 434604

 

[Stanger007]

I went ahead and grabbed a pitman arm puller from the store today - I'll give it another go tomorrow.

 

[Stanger007]

Anyone know where I can get the rubber bushing (dust seal???) between the pitman arm and the steering knuckle? The one I had on there was in shreds so I ripped off the remainder of it.

You can see a good pic of the bushing here:
http://www.mustangmonthly.com/howto/33578/photo_10.html

REALLY good pic here:
http://johnsmustang.com/Parts/details-4635.html

 

[Stanger007]

Ended up ordering a new pitman arm from Mustang's Unlimited for $35 as well as a new urethane rag joint.

Got a tie rod separator and knocked the pitman off the steering knuckle and then pulled the pitman arm when the steering box was off the car - worked out great.

Now to order the rest of the steering - Laurel Mountain Mustang looks to have a great kit, probably going with them for the tie rods, idler etc etc.

Thanks again jikelly and yelorx7 for the help above.

 

[jikelly]

Let us know how that rebuilt box works.

Hope it's nothing like the one I got from the #$%$@#$ !@@%^%$# at Advance Auto Parts.

 

[Stanger007]

NAPA usually has good parts. I'll post up my results when the rag joint and pitman arm come in.

Regardless, it can't be worse than what I had - at least 3/4 a turn to either side before the car started to turn.

Wes

 

[jikelly]

That's what I thought too. I was wrong. What really sucked was advanced refused to replace the defective item the second time around. Said it was my fault, but I followed the instructions both times to the letter, and replaced the steering pump both times to make sure no trash would get in there.

 

[jikelly]

How's that box?

 

[Stanger007]

Looks great sitting there on my workbench... waiting on my rag joint from Mustangs Unlimited... it's on backorder.

Wes

 

[69 Rustang]

Just FYI, I ended up rebuilding my idler arm as the ones I found at local parts stores were not correct. I found a place locally that sold the bushings needed to rebuild my idler arm for my 73. The pitman arm puller was the only way to get it off--that was a lot more work than I expected!!!

 

[Stanger007]

Cool thanks for the tip - I'm going to get a kit from a Mustang supplier so that I get all the correct pieces... just need to find time this week to make a decision on one.

Wes

 

[Stanger007]

How's that box?

It's *almost* in... got my rag joint in today (finally) and started reassembling everything.

I didn't know how much to turn the steering gear to center it up to install the pitman arm so I went ahead and put it in the car and lined up the front suspension and figured out where the "center" of the steering gear was and then put the pitman arm on (it lined up perfectly). I ran into a problem getting it pressed all the way on however.

I greased up the inside of the pitman arm and the steering gear shaft and then got about 5 turns on the nut that holds the pitman arm to the steering gear but it's getting very tight and I don't want to damage the gear by putting a lot of force on it. Is there another way to get the pitman arm on or should I just keep turning the nut?

A picture is worth a thousand words...

View attachment 419204

View attachment 419205

Anyone got any ideas? How have ya'll done it?

 

[dbfarr]

Something stinks here. Take the pitman arm off and take a closer look. Is the sector shaft the same diameter as the old one. What about the pitman arm?

Ended up ordering a new pitman arm from Mustang's Unlimited for $35 as well as a new urethane rag joint.

Could it be the wrong part?

IMHO, as soon as you start beating/forcing something, you find out that things weren't right in the first place. Sort of like measure twice, cut once.

Compare the new pitman to the old one carefully. Look for burrs or foriegn crap on the grooves of the sector shaft. Make sure the sector shaft is the right diameter. Etc...

Otherwise, impact driver? Not sure, but I imagine it would stress the internals of the gear a lot less. But, before you start putting 90 pounds of torque on it, look before you leap.

 

[Stanger007]

I pulled it off and checked it over - same exact thing and lined up perfectly.

I put a little muscle into it and got it on and everything hooked up and bled the system.

Now I have a leak on the return hose... just ordered a new one... hopefully that'll be all I need. The hose was leaking on the old box too - it looks like the metal was slightly bent at the compression fitting.

Are there any o-rings on the compression fittings at the gear or in the ports the compression fittings connect to?

Thanks,
Wes

 

[jes72mustang]

Hey Wes,
That sounds like the exact operation I just did this past weekend on my 72 coupe. The pitman arm puller was a lifesaver. I didn't have any other issues. I just got my headers installed this evening and I will get the power steering pump and hoses installed, probably Friday, then Bleed the system on Saturday. I need to fit my exhaust pipes too, but I think I will run it open header to bleed the power steering just for fun.

 

[jikelly]

I Believe the orings are in the hoses. Been a while since I had mine off so I'm not certain about that though. Crap I feel bad. I know I haven't been any help for you on this, and I changed my box three times. (still need to find a new replaecment for the peice of from Advance #$%% ^&^##$$% $%$$$!!)

 

[Stanger007]

but I think I will run it open header to bleed the power steering just for fun.

Your neighbors must love you!

I'm lucky enough to have some awesome neighbors who don't mind my cars (which aren't loud at all) and my friend's cars that come over (one guy has dumped straight pipes)!

I Believe the orings are in the hoses.

That may be where my leak is coming from? I'll have to pull them off and see - there were o-rings on the rubber plugs that kept the ports on the gear clean in shipping... wonder if I was supposed to transfer them to the hoses.

This pic (link) on your favorite parts stores site shows O-rings... wonder where the go.

My leak looked to be between the metal tube and the nut... not between the steering gear and the threads.

Wes