Steering Box Replacement?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 6,359
Likes: 428
From: Seattle Area WA
Since no one else has chimmed in, here is some help in a nutshell.
It's rather a very straightforward and intuitive job. Perhaps a Haynes manual would cover it for you. You'll need to buy or rent a Pitman arm puller to first remove the large pitman arm from the box. Pullers come in various sizes so measure the width of your pitman arm before going to Autozone etc to rent the tool to make sure you get the right size the first time. This is the biggest PITA since they can really be stuck on the box really good. An impact wrench comes in handy on the puller here. (You may have to remove the arm from the steering linkage first, I don't remember off the top of my head, in which case you'll need another type of seperator). They you can loosen up the steering coupler between the column and the box noting the orientation of the coupler to the box. The box is held to the frame by three bolts, unscrew the three nuts on the box side. You may need to pry the coupler open a little bit in order to slide the box free.
It's rather a very straightforward and intuitive job. Perhaps a Haynes manual would cover it for you. You'll need to buy or rent a Pitman arm puller to first remove the large pitman arm from the box. Pullers come in various sizes so measure the width of your pitman arm before going to Autozone etc to rent the tool to make sure you get the right size the first time. This is the biggest PITA since they can really be stuck on the box really good. An impact wrench comes in handy on the puller here. (You may have to remove the arm from the steering linkage first, I don't remember off the top of my head, in which case you'll need another type of seperator). They you can loosen up the steering coupler between the column and the box noting the orientation of the coupler to the box. The box is held to the frame by three bolts, unscrew the three nuts on the box side. You may need to pry the coupler open a little bit in order to slide the box free.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,248
Likes: 48
From: westland mi
Gary is the MAN when it comes to steering boxes, see here http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...ad.php?t=76773
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Boaz Alabama
A few more Questions
Does anyone know what size wench I need for the pitman arm to steering box nut. Also, do I need to remove the pitman arm from the steering valve before I remove the pitman arm from the steering box?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,175
Likes: 3,990
From: Connecticut, USA
Use a 2 jaw tie rod puller to remove the arm from the CV. If you use a pickle fork it most likely will rip the rubber boot.
Also be very careful when you work on the rag joint. Remove the pinch bolts and mark the steering column so that you don't drive it up into the column. You can do this without knowing it. Then pull the 3 carriage bolts from the frame and the box will come out.
Look at the frame where the box mounts and where the Ram A bracket mounts to the frame. This areas will sometimes rip. Reinforment plates can be made to weld in if you want or need to fix.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Boaz Alabama
2 jaw tie rod puller?
I have been trying to find a 2 Jaw Tie rod puller. Does anyone have a source or part number. I went to the local Harbor Freight store and they said theirs was discontinued.
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