Steering Box

[7duster4]

I have an A1 cardone steering box for my Duster. Have had it for a few years still in the box. My Duster is a '74 318, stock manifolds power steering, power disk brakes. Lately my steering has been feeling numb. The car currently has the original box. It leaks a little but more than anything just numb. Like how your arm feels when its sleeping. My question is how hard would it be to install the new box? Would the old one slide out through the bottom with ease or does everything have to come apart? And has anyone used the A1 rebuilt boxes before?

Thanks for any helpful info.

 

[cudamark]

With ease? hardly....Disconnect the battery, drive out the roll pin in the coupler, remove the under column trim, unbolt the column from the dash and firewall (you can leave the wires connected if you're not going to completely remove the column). Pull the drivers side exhaust manifold. Using a good quality puller, remove the pitman arm from the steering gear, disconnect the hoses and plug them and the box so they don't leak all over the place, then remove the 3 bolts holding the gear to the K-member. Then give yourself a hernia trying to left the box out over the fender. I've also done it from underneath but I think out the top is easier. If you just have to go out the bottom for some reason, you'll need to remove the starter and maybe the column shift linkage and probably disconnect the motor mounts and jack the motor up a bit to get enough clearence. It's been a while since I've done it that way so there may be something else I've forgotten. Tranny cooler lines maybe?? Have fun!