Im not sure if my lingo is correct but there appears to be a leak coming from the bottom of my steering box, where the pitman ?? arm attaches to, the level of power steering fluid hasnt really dropped much and it isnt creating any leakage on the ground, but i can see there is a slight leak somewhere around there....

its a 85 f150 4x4 4 speed 300 i6 in question here....

is there a seal on there that i can replace??? what do i need for tools??? is this a job a moderatly inclined mechanical guy can tackle???


-gbm-

 

Yes, you can replace the seals, but you have to pull the whole thing out. Mine's starting to leak worse and it's a little loose as far as steering. It didn't bother me much until my dad and I switched truck's for a week (he has a 94 f150, while mine is a '85 f150.) and he cussed mine cause it "was all over the road!!".

Anyways, what I was getting at is that it's probably easier to just replace the whole gearbox as a whole, especially if it's semi loose, or that's the opinion I've been getting on this forum. My front end dude told me that the newer gearboxes have some fixes in the them making them better, tighter, and last longer than the old orginal ones, which would also be a good reason to change it. I'm currently weighing the pros & cons of a new one to a good used one.

 

i replaced the sector shaft seal in my 82 without removeing the box. i removed the pitmin arm, removed the seal, reinstalled and it was leak proof. very easy

 

if it is not leaving a spot on the driveway, and the fluid level is not dropping, leave it alone!
if the above is the case it is not the seal leaking. some will boxes seep a little bit over time, but a little seep looks like a big leak after a while. it gets a little thin layer on the gearbox and gets dirt in it, then it looks like a leak but really isnt.


jim

 

You can replace the sector shaft seal, but, it's only a temporary fix, the sector shaft itself wears, and, it will leak again.

 

I had a slow power steering fluid leak on Clyde. Turned out to be one of the lines was leaking. Replaced it ... problem gone. I wish they were all that simple but sometimes it does happen .

 

gbm,

The seal can be replaced with the steering box in the truck. And, while many times it is the shaft that can be worn that is not always the case. On the last one that I had to replace it started leaking in a big way almost over night. No leaks for almost six months now.

But, as someone suggested if it is nothing more than some seepage then it could go for a long time before it gets worse and is causing the steering system to always be low.

If you do decide to replace it you will most likely make a bit of a mess. The nut holding the pitman arm on the shaft is rather large and can be torqued on pretty high. Mine required a 1 5/16th inch socket which I used with my air impact to get it removed. Also, the pitman arm can require some real force to get off. Mine cam off with relative ease using a two jaw puller. You should mark the shaft and pitman arm so that you can put it back on in the correct location.

Once you have the nut off you will then need to use a circlip removal tool to get the big clip out. When you have it out put the nut back on a couple of threads in order to catch the old seal as it is removed. The easiest way to get the seal out is to start the truck and turn the steering wheel lock to lock. The pressure of the steering system will force the seal out (and a bunch of fluid too). As you take off the nut and remove the old seal watch carefully how it was installed and put the new one in the same way. I used a short piece of PVC pipe to push the new seal into place using the nut as a way to press it in. Only go as far as necessary to be able to put in the new circlip. Remove the PVC, install new circlip, tighten the nut to spec.

Good luck,

Mark

 

thanks guy, ya ill just play it by ear here, theres a "weap" from the front of the pump aswell that isnt really upsetting me much either... im gonna print this out for futer refrence incase i need it...



-gbm-

 

well looks like ill be tackling it, that "weep" turned into a puddle this morning, that seal is gonna cost me $30



-gbm-

 

I had the same prob on my 94F1504x4, it had 220,000 miles on it with 36" tires almost the whole time!! Not bad! I ended up replacing the whole box, easy job done in 2 hours or so. Preventive maintenance.

 

well guys...


i replaced the seal and it leaks even worse now...

I did however bang up the new seal a little bit driving it in... there are 2 small dents in it, is it worth trying another seal or is my pitman shaft worn out????


-gbm-

 

did your kit have one seal or two seals? it doesnt take much of a dent to make one leak.


jim

 

the kit had 2 seals, i dented the inner one


i put the seals back in to place in the same order they came out..

-gbm-

 

the dent is the leak. the inner seal holds the fluid in, and i beleive the outer seal keeps the trash and dirt out! give it another try!


jim

 

ok ill go get another seal, uggg....



oh by the way that trick of removing the snap ring and letting the pressure knock the seals out is the only possible way to get the seals out, i tried removing the seals with various objects both with the steering box in the truck and out and i ended up putting it back in to knock them out that way, but it does make a mess so be prepaired...


-gbm-