steering box remove and replace

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HarryJ

HarryJ

1972 340 Duster "Lucille"
Joined
Jun 14, 2014
Messages
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Location
Firestone Colorado
Does anyone out there have detailed instructions on removing and replacing the steering box. I have a lot of play in my power steering and I assume the steering box needs to be replaced. I just had the front suspension rebuilt by a mechanic. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks (A bodies rule!)
Harrj
 
a service manual is helpful. you can get a CD version pretty cheap on line. basically, drop the pitman arm, power steering lines, steering column and the exhaust manifold.

good luck
 
Have you had the car aligned after the front end rebuild?
 
Just for your knowledge NAPA still sells rebuilt P/S boxes. In case your looking for one.
 
Other than being a general pain in the ***, it's pretty straightforward. Good luck on finding a remanned box any less sloppy than what you have. The Cardone I bought was definitely not. Couldn't even get a decent alignment with it,the guy said it was worn out.
Talk to Dick at Firm Feel. Don't let the price scare you. It's worth it to do it right the first time and will change the whole driving experience.
Stage 3 and LOVE it!!!
 
You have to drop the column onto the seat for the disconnection. Pull the pitman arm and unbolt the box. Pull the hoses off, plug them and swap the box.
 
There's nothing detailed about it. A pressure line. A return line. The pitman arm connection. The steering shaft connection. Drop the steering column. Three steering box bolts. On the ground. A chimp could do it. It's really that easy. I promise.
 
Thanks everyone for the quick responses most helpful. The front end was aligned after replacement the steering is sloppy. It wasn't perfect before,but worse now. I haven't tried to adjust the box for slop that's my first step before replacement.
Thanks again everyone for the help. My first new car was a '71 wedge head 340/4speed loved the car it only took me 41 years to get another only this one is a '72
 
Whatever you do, don't get the crappy rebuilt cardone box. I did a front end rebuild and replaced my leaking old box. The new one is horrible. It doesn't leak... So that's nice I guess. But it's sloppier than my old untouched steering box. I'll be sending my original box off to be rebuilt at firm feel pretty soon.
 
You should go with firm feel , My stock box had lots of slop in it . The firm feel is great . The swap at least to me was a ***** . All of the things that the members said on here are correct , but I had to remove the motor mount on my drivers side and crank the motor to the side , to get the box out , drop the header . Good luck
 
If the steering got sloppier after the alignment, that would be unusual. I think I would either take it back for inspection, or slide under it myself. I have to wonder if they left something loose.
The sector shaft adjustment is easy. Just dont overtighten it, as it will steer poorly requiring constant corrections, and with poor, to no, self-centering.
 
Make sure to check your idler arm and pitman arm to make sure they are not the problem. I just changed my gear box. I used a good impact gun to get the bolts out. drop the column. i used a zip tie so it just dangled and pull the column back. remove the retaining nuts from idler and pitman arm which I just replaced both might as well. I used a re-manufactured box from auto zone. have not tested yet because the motor is out I hope I got a good gear box after reading what others have posted good Luck.
 
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