badazzbulldog
I'm Awesome
arm needs to be replaced is what it means,the ps box should take an hour or so to do
Can someone help me out here? I have a LOT of steering play.
- Thread starter Silentkillzr
- Start date
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Z Fury
I'm Awesome
I just started reading up on the idler arm. Looks like that will be next on my truck (may as well replace the pitman arm while in there). Suspension will have to wait until later. Fun times.
I just replaced my innner and outer tie rods, pitman arm, idler arm, CV axles, and upper and lower BJ, as well as the CA bushings...literally everything. It tightened things up but I still need to do my sterring box since I have about 1.5 inches of play. When I took the truck in for an alignment, they said everything looked good and that the steering box needed to be replaced. I have a 6" lift and 35's so I am sure it is worn to ****.
Anyone have a how to of replacing the box?
Anyone have a how to of replacing the box?
sewlow
Bitchin' Stitchin'
Unless you drive a car or truck equipped with rack-and-pinion steering, there's a good chance your vehicle utilizes a frame-mounted powering steering gearbox. Durable and relatively simple in design, these steering boxes (or "steering gears" as they're often called) multiply driver input and generate an impressive amount of force with which to steer your vehicle. Though they lack the precise feel of a modern rack-and-pinion assembly, the basic mechanical design of the steering box has been used since the turn of the century and is found under countless domestic and imported cars and trucks. These mechanisms eventually wear out, however, and require adjustment or complete replacement. The difficulty of either task depends greatly on the amount of engine compartment space available, despite the relatively simple work involved.
Hydraulic Lines
First, disconnect the battery and ensure that the vehicle is safely secured by the parking brake and wheel stops. After allowing the engine to fully cool, disconnect the rather substantial hoses that route high-pressure hydraulic fluid through the steering box. (If your vehicle doesn't have power steering, you'll be able to skip this messy step.) Place a drip pan under the box to catch the quart or so of hydraulic fluid that will quickly exit the hoses, and loosen the hose fittings using a "flare" type open-end wrench (also called a "line" wrench). The fittings are often extremely tight and difficult to break loose, and a flare wrench is much less likely to round off the corners of the fittings than a standard open-end box-type wrench. Take care that debris is not allowed to enter the hoses or steering box orifices.
Pitman Arm
Use a tie-rod puller to separate the pitman arm from the steering linkage. You could remove the pitman arm from the splined sector shaft beneath steering box instead (using a pitman arm puller), but this may be easier to accomplish with the steering box removed from the vehicle and secured in a large vise. In either case, soaking the splines with penetrating oil several days ahead of time will greatly ease pitman arm removal. Once the pitman arm is removed, it will need to be reinstalled on the new steering box and torqued to factory specifications. Some steering box sector shafts have a "key spline" to ensure that the pitman arm can only be installed in the proper position. If your steering box does not have this feature, you'll have to count the number of input shaft turns from lock to lock, then rotate the sector shaft to the halfway point prior to attaching the pitman arm in the perfectly centered position.
Steering Shaft
Disconnect the steering shaft from the steering box input shaft. Often the upper end of the steering shaft will have a splined section, which will allow the shaft to be collapsed slightly and enable you to clear the steering box input shaft. Next, look for the large bolts attaching the steering box to the frame. Remove this hardware, being careful to support the surprising weight of the steering box as the last bolt is removed. Lower the unit down and out of the underside of the vehicle. If this is not possible due to space constraints, the box will have to come up through the engine compartment, which may require temporary removal of accessories like the alternator or power steering pump. On vehicles equipped as such, check the ball joint on the end of the pitman arm for excessive play, and if you have not already done so swap the pitman arm to the new steering box. Install the new steering box in the vehicle, reattach the steering shaft, hoses, and steering linkages, being sure to torque all hardware to the manufacturer's specifications. Refill the power steering pump reservoir with the proper fluid, reconnect the battery, and start the engine. Look for any fluid leakage, then begin turning the steering wheel back and forth from lock to lock. Shut off the engine after each pass, checking and refilling the power steering pump reservoir to the proper level. Air will slowly escape the system, so check the fluid level every few days after the installation. Assuming the ball joints and the rest of your steering components are in satisfactory condition, you should now be enjoying "like new" steering, and vehicle wandering will be a thing of the past!
Hydraulic Lines
First, disconnect the battery and ensure that the vehicle is safely secured by the parking brake and wheel stops. After allowing the engine to fully cool, disconnect the rather substantial hoses that route high-pressure hydraulic fluid through the steering box. (If your vehicle doesn't have power steering, you'll be able to skip this messy step.) Place a drip pan under the box to catch the quart or so of hydraulic fluid that will quickly exit the hoses, and loosen the hose fittings using a "flare" type open-end wrench (also called a "line" wrench). The fittings are often extremely tight and difficult to break loose, and a flare wrench is much less likely to round off the corners of the fittings than a standard open-end box-type wrench. Take care that debris is not allowed to enter the hoses or steering box orifices.
Pitman Arm
Use a tie-rod puller to separate the pitman arm from the steering linkage. You could remove the pitman arm from the splined sector shaft beneath steering box instead (using a pitman arm puller), but this may be easier to accomplish with the steering box removed from the vehicle and secured in a large vise. In either case, soaking the splines with penetrating oil several days ahead of time will greatly ease pitman arm removal. Once the pitman arm is removed, it will need to be reinstalled on the new steering box and torqued to factory specifications. Some steering box sector shafts have a "key spline" to ensure that the pitman arm can only be installed in the proper position. If your steering box does not have this feature, you'll have to count the number of input shaft turns from lock to lock, then rotate the sector shaft to the halfway point prior to attaching the pitman arm in the perfectly centered position.
Steering Shaft
Disconnect the steering shaft from the steering box input shaft. Often the upper end of the steering shaft will have a splined section, which will allow the shaft to be collapsed slightly and enable you to clear the steering box input shaft. Next, look for the large bolts attaching the steering box to the frame. Remove this hardware, being careful to support the surprising weight of the steering box as the last bolt is removed. Lower the unit down and out of the underside of the vehicle. If this is not possible due to space constraints, the box will have to come up through the engine compartment, which may require temporary removal of accessories like the alternator or power steering pump. On vehicles equipped as such, check the ball joint on the end of the pitman arm for excessive play, and if you have not already done so swap the pitman arm to the new steering box. Install the new steering box in the vehicle, reattach the steering shaft, hoses, and steering linkages, being sure to torque all hardware to the manufacturer's specifications. Refill the power steering pump reservoir with the proper fluid, reconnect the battery, and start the engine. Look for any fluid leakage, then begin turning the steering wheel back and forth from lock to lock. Shut off the engine after each pass, checking and refilling the power steering pump reservoir to the proper level. Air will slowly escape the system, so check the fluid level every few days after the installation. Assuming the ball joints and the rest of your steering components are in satisfactory condition, you should now be enjoying "like new" steering, and vehicle wandering will be a thing of the past!
Dragon Daddy
Newbie
- Joined
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Hi,
I am new to this forum. Just bought a '98 K1500 and the steering is loose also.
Has anyone found a reasonable source for OEM quality replacement parts?
Thanks.
sewlow
Bitchin' Stitchin'
Moog.
Silentkillzr
OBS Enthusiast
how hard are the balljoints todo? I just got a quote for 1050$ todo them, ( not a fan of suspension work ), but id like todo it myself, thats steep as hell when all 4 balljoints costs under $200
Moog is recommended everywhere in the forum, I got my Moog parts from Amazon/Summitracing
Dragon Daddy
Newbie
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2011
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Thanks.
the big blue bus
I'm Awesome
easier in a shop. i did mine a month ago at my buddys shop. moog ball joint top and bottom. lowers press in and out. uppers have to cut rivet heads off and press em out. then new ones bolt it. if they havent been done before it will not be as easy
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