I'm looking for seal/rebuild kits for the power steering gearbox on our 73 F250 2WD w/ 390. I want to get both the input shaft and pitman shaft seals.

I keep seeing this reference to available kits to choose:
W/ Tags SPA-AB, SPA-AJ
W/O Tags SPA-AB, SPA-AJ

What the heck does that mean?

Does that imply a physically marked "tag" of some kind might, or might not, be attached to the existing gearbox with these markings on it?

Good example, from the Gates parts identifier website (but that's not the only place I see this):

 

Oh, hey - i think i found it documented, in a post in the '61-'66 forum.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-gear-box.html

From that, if I'm reading the chart correctly, a 1973 F250 2WD w/ power steering should be an "SPA-AB" or "SPA-AJ" gear box... whereas some '74s, up to 78, would be "SPA-AN", "SPA-BN", or "SPA-BS" gearboxes.

IF, indeed, there is a tag or marking like this on my gearbox, it would be physically impossible for me to read, right now, considering its still on the vehicle and absolutely coated with hardened multiple layers of old leaked fluid and dirt.

So I would want the "W/ SPA-AB, SPA-AJ" seal kit... right?

 

Have you read this thread? https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post14696828

 

Whet it is telling you is that there are two available kits, one for the FORD box, the other for the SAGINAW. Unless you can visually differentiate the two boxes, you need to clean and find the attached Assembly I.D. Tag.

 

Whet it is telling you is that there are two available kits, one for the FORD box, the other for the SAGINAW. Unless you can visually differentiate the two boxes, you need to clean and find the attached Assembly I.D. Tag.

 

... is there an echo in here?

 

Yes, but it doesn't describe what/where those markings appear, or if it's a "catalog" number of some kind. My question was more "what/where are the identifying markings".

 

WHEW!

Finally got the old box pulled out of the truck, and cleaned up. Lo and behold, there IS a "tag" underneath all the crap and dirt.

SPA-AB

So there's good news and there's bad news. The box is NOT leaking from the bottom (sector shaft) seal, unlike most.

But it is leaking from BOTH the input shaft AND the top seal. I found the input shaft seals at local Advance Auto (part number 8520).

But I'm having trouble figuring out what the right kit/seal is to buy for the top cover (the sector shaft top cover). I don't want to pull it off until I know I can buy the seal.

Anyone have any ideas on that part number? I found this id number in a diagram, 3E501... but searching for that matches a whole lot of different kits. Searching a different way, I think the Gates 351260 kit includes both this seal and the two lower sector shaft seals.

 

3E501 is a FORD Basic PN. It has to have a prefix and suffix to make it a complete Service PN (example- C7AZ 3E501-A). 3E501 is the upper seal kit and 3E502 is the lower seal kit.

GATES will be a quality vendor. Beware of cheap import parts.

 

Used the gates seal kit for the upper and lower sector shaft seals. Used an auto parts store package for the input shaft seal (Advance Auto, Powercraft #8520).

Rebuilt the box last week, and reinstalled it tonight. After bleeding it all down, none of the replaced seals are leaking, but now I can see it's leaking from the input shaft housing seal (between the input shaft housing and the main sector shaft housing). But it's a "weeping" leak, not spewing all over like it used to.

I'm not going to pull this apart again - I'll do that another time! I grabbed a socket and breaker bar and put a bit more torque on the 4 bolts that hold that assembly together... maybe that will keep it to a minimum for now.

 

ID tag number: SPA-AB or SPA-AJ = 1973/74 F100/250 2WD & F350 Ford/Saginaw P/S gearbox.

D7AZ-3E501-A (replaced C5AZ-3C538-A & D3AZ-3E501-A) .. Sector Shaft Seal Kit // D7AZ-3E502-A (replaced C5AZ-3C538-A & D3AZ-3E502-A) .. Input Shaft Seal Kit.

Ford/Saginaw P/S: 1969 F100/250 2WD & F350 from serial number D96,001; 1970/79 F100/250 2WD & F350 // Misc. 1965/79 FoMoCo Passenger Cars.

Originally, only a master seal kit (C5AZ-3C538-A) was available, then in 1973, Ford replaced it with these two kits. Part numbers were updated in 1977.

Note: The Ford/Saginaw P/S gearboxes have a flaw, there are no bearings on the sector shaft, it rides directly on the housing. So, before too long, fluid begins leaking from the sector shaft seal.

Red Head Steering Gears (Seattle WA) takes the housing, machines it to install the needle bearings that Ford omitted...on purpose...so they could sell a gazillion sector shaft seal kits!

And, since only the seal kits are available, auto parts store so-called rebuilt gear boxes are nothing more than resealed gear boxes.
Your info is backwards. 3E501 is the lower (sector shaft) kit, 3E502 is the upper (input shaft) kit.