Well wouldn't you know I just installed a new engine, and it hasn't been 300 miles and now the power steering box is leaking like mad at the input shaft. I believe the box is original to the truck. It does have the word "Ford" imprinted on top near the adjustment screw, and the unit is rather long. I don't drive this truck too much, just an occasional tow job. Do you guys advise seals or whole new unit? I see a company called Redhead but do I need to spend that much for a truck I hardly drive? Any advice or direction appreciated.

 

I just did mine recently. I tried a re seal kit once and it didn't work. This time around I got a shop to do it that specializes in gear boxes. I sent it to him so he could take it apart check the internals to let him decide to reseal or rebuild then order the appropriate kit. He said just reseal so I bought a kit from ford for $50, then he charged me only $20 for labour. I think the trick was he used Vaseline on the seals as it is perfect now..

 

There are two seal kits used with the Ford integral P/S gearbox.

D7AZ-3E501-B (replaced D7AZ-3E501-A, D3AZ-3E501-A & C5AZ-3C538-A) .. Sector Shaft Seal Kit / Available from Ford.

MSRP: $24.18 // FTE Ford Dealer Parts Dept sponsor PARTSGUYED.COM price: $17.41 / PartsGuyEd = Horizon Ford in Seattle WA
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F3AZ-3E502-A (replaced D7AZ-3E502-A, D3AZ-3E502-A, C5AZ-3C538-A) .. Input Shaft Seal Kit / Available from Ford.

MSRP: $24.02 // PARTSGUYED.COM price: $17.29.

The problem with this gearbox design is, it has a built in flaw!

There are no bearings on the sector shaft, so it doesn't take too long for the puppy to begin leaking from this area.

There are no spool valves, other internal parts available any longer for vehicles of this vintage. The so-called "rebuilt" gearboxes sold by autoparts stores are nothing more than re-sealed gearboxes.

redheadsteeringgears.com (also located in Seattle WA) takes the gearbox, machines the case, installs the needle bearings that Ford left out...on purpose, so they could sell a gazillion seal kits.

Go to their website and read all about it.

 

Thank you Numberdummy. Very cool to have a Ford parts guy here. Sounds like if I'm going to continue to keep the truck I might as well do it right, and thanks for any and all responses

 

Like Numberdummy said, there is no lower bearing or bushing for the sector shaft in the lower section of the steering box housing, eventually the bore gets egg shaped, and the sector shaft can move enough to make the lower seal leak, usually onto the radius arm bushings, so they swell up and split. Replacing the lower seal MAY help for a little while, but the best bet is to get an upgraded box. I`m about 400 miles North of Springfield OR, so hopefully you can find a steering box rebuilder closer to home, but I found a good steering box shop up here in BC Canada. It`s caled "Steering Solutions", the owner is the one who explained the sector shaft bore problem, his cure is to bore the sector shaft hole larger, and install a ball bearing inside for the sector shaft to ride in. I installed one of his rebuilt boxes about 5 or 6 years ago, and no more leaks, plus the truck drives like new again. All that side slop from the worn bore in the steering box had caused a lot of play in the steering, and it was wandering quite a bit on the freeway, now it`s great. If you can`t find anything closer, I can get contact info for them.

 

Hey good to know! I'm in Victoria bc . I see they are in surrey. If I have a problem again I'll look into this.

 

Also which year boxes dont have the lower bearing? All them up to the 90's, 2000....???
I run a 2wd unit from 73-79

 

ALL of them-period! Not a single one has the sector bearings.

This gearbox design was first used in 1965 Galaxie/LTD's, then used in many other Passenger Cars thru subsequent years.

Crown Vic's, Merc Grand Marquis were the last Passenger Cars to use it (2002). 2003 and newer have Rack & Pinion P/S.

F100/250 2WD's and F350's first used it in 1969, from serial number D96,001. 1966/68 F100/250 2WD and 1969 F100/250 2WD before D96,001 used Bendix integral P/S. No P/S was offered for F350's before D96,001.

4WD's first it used in 1977: 1973/76 F100/150's used Power Assist P/S, as did 1973/77 F250 4WD's (Highboys). 1977 F250 4WD's assembled from # Y20,001 (not Highboys) used it.

1991 was the last year for some of the trucks, but...

If you wanna know all the myriad applications from 1984, type one a the part numbers into PARTSGUYED.COM's website (nothing prior to 1984 is listed).

 

Good info Rory428. Mine is leaking as well. I put them in my favorites. When I get to that point in my rebuild I'll have to check them out.