REMOVING A POWER STEERING GEAR QUESTION........

[CFD244]

Hi Folks

Before I start removing parts, can anyone advise what components I need to remove in order to get a power steering gear out from the bottom (from experience)? The car is a 1971 340 Demon with power brakes, 1969 exhaust manifolds, TTI 2 1/2 inch head pipes, .920 torsion bars, and a mini starter. I am working under a hoist.

Thanks FABO

 

[RAT ROD AL]

Good Luck Troy !

 

[junkyardhero]

you'll need a punch for the roll pin on the coupler. do that first before anything else. 1- because it's solidly in place with everything bolted down & 2- so you don't forget and leave it till last and you're wrestling it with all the stuff flopping around.

1 5/16" socket for the sector shaft nut (pitman arm), pitman arm puller, 3/4" socket on a ratchet for the steering box bolts (you'll need a short, deep and an extension or some combination therein to get all three).

i've found that i can usually get it without pulling the arm out of the centerlink or otherwise disturbing it, but if that's not the case, add a tie rod separator in there.

beyond the huge by large socket for the nut and a pitman arm puller, everything else is general hand tools.

i like to have plugs ready for the supply line and box nipple and a bolt or whatever to plug the return so that it doesn't slop fluid all over the place.

you'll need to loosen/drop the steering column so you can pull back the coupler off the splines on the box.

you *might* need to loosen the motor mounts and lift the engine slightly, but that's not always the case.

hth and good luck!

 

[CFD244]

you'll need a punch for the roll pin on the coupler. do that first before anything else. 1- because it's solidly in place with everything bolted down & 2- so you don't forget and leave it till last and you're wrestling it with all the stuff flopping around.

1 5/16" socket for the sector shaft nut (pitman arm), pitman arm puller, 3/4" socket on a ratchet for the steering box bolts (you'll need a short, deep and an extension or some combination therein to get all three).

i've found that i can usually get it without pulling the arm out of the centerlink or otherwise disturbing it, but if that's not the case, add a tie rod separator in there.

beyond the huge by large socket for the nut and a pitman arm puller, everything else is general hand tools.

i like to have plugs ready for the supply line and box nipple and a bolt or whatever to plug the return so that it doesn't slop fluid all over the place.

you'll need to loosen/drop the steering column so you can pull back the coupler off the splines on the box.

you *might* need to loosen the motor mounts and lift the engine slightly, but that's not always the case.

hth and good luck!

Thanks for the insight JYH. So the exhaust head pipe and torsion bar can stay put?

 

[remytherat]

So the exhaust head pipe and torsion bar can stay put?

Ideally yes.

 

[junkyardhero]

Thanks for the insight JYH. So the exhaust head pipe and torsion bar can stay put?

the exhaust dumps toward the middle back, so you should be good. the t-bar shouldn't present a problem, but you may need to bring the motor up a hair to create a little space.

 

[cudamark]

Disconnect the battery first. I'd pull the starter too. Doesn't take long and gives you more room to wangle that steering gear around.

 

[Mojoe9955]

I just did it a few weeks ago, to swap in a manual box. My plan was to leave the coupling on the gear and just pull the steering column out of the coupling. Look closely at the coupling for the little hole, for a roll pin that holds the parts that holds the column in the coupling. FSM says to drive it into the coupling to remove the steering shaft. I neglected to read that info and ended up cutting it to bits with a grinder. I did have to loosen the header to get more room for it to slide out.

 

[Demonx2]

Can't believe you guys forgot to mention to have a wide variety of swear words ready!

 

[junkyardhero]

Can't believe you guys forgot to mention to have a wide variety of swear words ready!

is that not covered in "general hand tools"?

 

[cudamark]

Can't believe you guys forgot to mention to have a wide variety of swear words ready!

That's automatic! It will start by pulling off the first hose.

 

[CFD244]

I'd rather do the engine thing than drop this freaking exhaust........We'll see how it goes

 

[junkyardhero]

I'd rather do the engine thing than drop this freaking exhaust........We'll see how it goes

you could always pull the battery tray, the pump, the brackets and come out the top!

 

[cudamark]

you could always pull the battery tray, the pump, the brackets and come out the top!

I think you'd have to remove the exhaust manifold to do that.

 

[junkyardhero]

I think you'd have to remove the exhaust manifold to do that.

i'm not 100% but i think it'll *just* fit if you raise the motor up.

i did it once, but it's been a million years and i've slept since then so i can't remember all of the granular details. i do remember that there was no way in hell i was about to get under a POS and roll around in the muck so the situation dictated that it come out the top.

 

[CFD244]

Looking for the easiest way (with the least amount of dis assembly). It drives me nuts to go backwards. I have a nice shop with a hoist and all the tools you could dream of.

 

[RAT ROD AL]

Looking for the easiest way (with the least amount of dis assembly). It drives me nuts to go backwards. I have a nice shop with a hoist and all the tools you could dream of.

 

[junkyardhero]

Looking for the easiest way (with the least amount of dis assembly). It drives me nuts to go backwards. I have a nice shop with a hoist and all the tools you could dream of.

hustling out the bottom is the easiest. pop the pin out, pull the shaft back and drop the column onto the seat, yoink off the pitman, pull hoses off and then the three bolts, jack the motor up a little and it should wriggle right on down.

*you can pull the hoses and drain/plug them when you pop out the roll pin as well.

 

[CFD244]

you'll need a punch for the roll pin on the coupler. do that first before anything else. 1- because it's solidly in place with everything bolted down & 2- so you don't forget and leave it till last and you're wrestling it with all the stuff flopping around.

1 5/16" socket for the sector shaft nut (pitman arm), pitman arm puller, 3/4" socket on a ratchet for the steering box bolts (you'll need a short, deep and an extension or some combination therein to get all three).

i've found that i can usually get it without pulling the arm out of the centerlink or otherwise disturbing it, but if that's not the case, add a tie rod separator in there.

beyond the huge by large socket for the nut and a pitman arm puller, everything else is general hand tools.

i like to have plugs ready for the supply line and box nipple and a bolt or whatever to plug the return so that it doesn't slop fluid all over the place.

you'll need to loosen/drop the steering column so you can pull back the coupler off the splines on the box.

you *might* need to loosen the motor mounts and lift the engine slightly, but that's not always the case.

hth and good luck!

Thanks for the engine lifting tip JYH. I never would have guessed that just an inch did it. I probably would have dropped the exhaust without guidance.

 

[junkyardhero]

my ol' lady thought the same thing! sometimes that last 1/2" is the most important!

sounds like you got it licked, good job man.