Red69

I just finished rebuilding my PS control valve and piston... while all the linkage was out of the way I was going to drop the steering gear (box) to check the seals and clean it up... the service manual doesn’t mention anything about pulling the steering column... just unbolt it from the frame and disconnect the flex coupling. Well, there doesn’t seem to be enough room to separate the flex coupling... I didn’t pull the pitman arm yet... but is this the trick..? Oh yea... is a BB...

Thanks :flag

Jim Shea

First, remove the pinch bolt from the flexible coupling flange that connects to the gear input shaft. Now when you remove the three bolts that hold the gear to the frame, you should be able to move the gear around enough to disengage the flex coupling from the gear input shaft.

If you can't get enough movement to get the coupling off the gear shaft, you could try removing the two nuts and lockwashers from the bolts that connect the flex coupling to the steering column flange. Now, you won't have to move the gear as far to get them apart.

You could also try loosening and removing the pinch bolt on the column flange as well. This will allow the flange to slip up the column shaft a short distance giving you a little more room to work.

BTW, before removing either the flex coupling from the gear shaft or the flange from the steering column shaft, it is helpful to mark the flange and shaft with chalk, crayon, or grease pencil to help orient them when you reassemble them.

Red69

Jim,

Thanks for the tip. Should the gear then be able to drop out? I'm cheating here... I have not removed the the pitman arm yet? And that BB exhaust manifold doesent provide much clearence...

Thanks

Jim Shea

I really don't know the specifics of big blocks, exhaust manifolds, and clearances to drop the gear with or without the pitman arm.

wayne_69_427

Jims on the money the procedure works on the big blocks too. :iagree:

Red69

Thank again Jim.... Seperating the coupeling helped... But I had to remove the cluch cross bar linkage... Just one of those things thats real easy to remove but not so obvious untill after you get the gear loose and figure out its in the way...

There was a little bit of play in the gear.... the lower seal is shot... oil is weeping right by it... at room temp! Ever rebuild one of these? Is this one of those things that Iwish I never opened up or are they fairly strait forward and easy to do? I saw a seal kit on the ZIP web site for about $20.... I havent poped the top yet but I bet the grease could use a changeing.... What do you think?