pitman arm seal
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pitman arm seal
Has anyone had any experience replacing the pitman arm seal on an 87 F150 This is a two wheel drive truck, if there is any difference. I wondered if it's an accessable seal behind the arm or do I need to take the box apart. I'm hesitating getting into a mess. I'm hoping it's a seal similar to a trans tailshaft seal, if I'm lucky,. Thanks, Walt
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Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Bonita Springs FL
It's been discussed, so a search should turn something up. When my pitman arm was leaking, I decided to just replace the whole gearbox. It had some play in it, and the steering improved 100% when I did. Plus, no leak!
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: The dark carnival
Check these guys out:
www.prosteering.com
I have purchased several steeing gears there and have NEVER had a problem...much better than the junk that most parts stoors sell.
www.prosteering.com
I have purchased several steeing gears there and have NEVER had a problem...much better than the junk that most parts stoors sell.
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Joined: Oct 2005
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You have to have a large 1 5/16" socket to remove the pitman arm nut, then you need a pitman arm puller to remove the pitman arm. Then take a pair of snap ring pliers and remove the snap ring. Then fill your power steering pump with fluid and place a large catch pan under the steering box. Start the engine and turn the wheel to the extreme right or left and hold it for a few seconds. You may have to do this a few times, but usually the pressure will blow the old seal out of the box. Sometimes in a rare instance the seal is stuck in there and you have to pick it out.
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Joined: Dec 2005
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I have had this happen on my 1992 Explorer. Fortunately, Ford used the same power steering setup for vehicles with pitman arms from the 60's to the mid 90's (if not present, I wouldn't know because I despise new vehicles). The snapring that holds in the seal was not seated correctly from the factory, and the seal sat crooked and wore in one spot. Eventually it wore through when my wife was backing in the yard and all the power steering fluid went onto the driveway. This happened around 220,000Kms (about 120,000-125,000 miles) and I just rented/borrowed a puller from partsource (you pay them and they reimburse all your money when you return it) and I borrowed the 1 and 5/16 socket from work. I did not have to blast fluid under pressure to remove it, but I also removed the steering gear from the steering box so I could drive it out. It really wasn't that difficult. I just want to caution you to make sure you don't move your steering components around too much with stuff disconnected... it could get ugly. Good luck!
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Uh Oh...Broken Snap Ring
I just replaced the Pitman arm shaft seal on my 88 F150, it was leaking badly. This shaft does have a name, but I can't remember at the moment.
Anyway, after (FINALLY) getting the Pitman arm off (whew!), I noticed that both ears were broken clean off the snap ring, so I couldn't get it out with snap ring pliers
After a couple hours of picking and failing, I finally had to remove the shaft and take a torch to the snap ring (with a spray bottle of water and a fire extinguisher on standby for flame-ups - power steering fluid is flammable!) in order to heat it enough to take the temper out of it, bend it, and remove it with a channel lock.
I figured I would add this just in case anyone else is fighting with an issue like this. Good luck!
Anyway, after (FINALLY) getting the Pitman arm off (whew!), I noticed that both ears were broken clean off the snap ring, so I couldn't get it out with snap ring pliers
After a couple hours of picking and failing, I finally had to remove the shaft and take a torch to the snap ring (with a spray bottle of water and a fire extinguisher on standby for flame-ups - power steering fluid is flammable!) in order to heat it enough to take the temper out of it, bend it, and remove it with a channel lock.
I figured I would add this just in case anyone else is fighting with an issue like this. Good luck!
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