For those of you with manual steering 4x4s.....

[Guardsman]

I'm sure you can count the number for people on your hands and feet.

Anyhow, I figured out how to make a nice improvement to the slop on a worn out steering box, until you can get a rebuilt unit.

I got a manual box from a guy, but the box mounting holes were different. So, I pulled it apart, out of desperation (my current one was bad).

I found out that you can pop the two cover plates on the box, pull the pitman arm from the vertical shaft, and use a hammer to drive the vertical shaft up to the "sprocket" for the pitman arm. Then, you can thread the worm gear out about half way, and then you have to play with it, but you can eventually pop it out.

On the unit that is in the truck, you can leave the box in the truck, I pulled mine apart that way, and repeated the above procedure. Then, I got the work gear threaded back in, and closed it up.

It certainly isn't like new, but it works alot better now.

The only catch with doing it this way is the bearing that goes on the forward end of the worm gear, at the front of the box. The worm gear, and the box, are not designed with anything to hold the bearing in place until the worm gear is in. I had to use some green tranny assembly lube to stick the bearing to the front of the worm gear, and I can't be 100% positive that it seated correctly, but it felt like it did. It's one of those situations where there's no way to check once it's in, except that it feels right.

I would recommend a rebuilt unit, but if you don't have the time, money or both to do it right away, this will work.

Also, I found a company called Lares, up in Minnesota, that will rebuild the boxes for $275 plus shipping, and they say the turn around time is about 2 weeks.

John

[sideoilerfe]

Interesting. I have 2 spares for my hi boy and I was thinking about taking one apart to see what it's made of.