Replacing a manual gearbox

[belair53]

I'm tring to replace my manual steering gearbox on my 68 F100. Is there a trick to getting the gearbox off the pitman arm? I already have everything unbolted but the pitman arm won't release the gearbox or the steering link. Please HELP!! Thanks in advance for any info.

[Mach428]

You will need to remove the pitman arm from the center link so that you can get the gearbox on a bench to remove the pitman are from the box.

To do this, loosen the nut at the pitman arm / center link. Almost all the way. Then take a ballpean hammer and hit the pitman arm circular area where the center link stud goes through. You will have to do this several times and hit it pretty good, but be sure to hit the hammer square with the pitman arm circular area.

The concept "shocks" the area where the center link stud mounts through the pitman arm hole and allows the tappered stud to dislodge from the tappered mounting hole in the pitman arm.

Works everytime...

[belair53]

Thanks for the advice.

[fordman]

3 ways i know of.
1 use a puller on the steerign linkage to pitman arm.
2 tap the pitman arm
3 use a pickle fork to seperate the joint. usually i can do them in one hit now that i have done enough of them.

[belair53]

I finally got the gearbox off by using a ball joint fork. I removed the pitman arm from the gearbox by using a press. Does anybody know a good place to buy a manual gearbox? The price at Advance Auto Parts is 245.00. Thanks for all the help.

[fordman]

a junkyard or i have seen them on ebay. i have one but i am unsure if it is good. it may just be installed wrong i dont know. i put it on as fast as i could and drove it to where it is parked now. it had a slight problem turning right i think. so i may have gotten it installed wrong. others may also have one. i think timmytim is going to have one off his truck soon.

[Mach428]

I have one that I took off my 28,000 mile truck to install power steering. It has the pitman arm still installed because I had to use a PS pitman arm on the Saginaw box. All the mounting holes are perfect with no damage whatsoever to the box.

It's yours for $100 plus shipping. I charge ACTUAL UPS charges with no hidden fee for packing / handling, etc.

Let me know if you're interested.

[belair53]

I finally replace the gearbox and rag joint. I got a new one from Advance Auto and its working great. Thanks for all the advice.

[heviarti]

Wish I'd have gotten back sooner. The place for steering is Benchwork Steering of Scottsdale, Az. They rebuild boxes and do a fine job.