Steering box lower seals- A new issue

[Vin218]

My steering box has been leaking where the pitman arm connects, I got a new seal kit and started to work on it tonight. I took everything off started it up and turned the wheel but the top seal won't come out. The first seal and both washers came out right away, the top seal popped out just a little on one side.

I've tried a few times and turned the wheel both ways but its not budging, I tried using a few different angled picks to pull it out but thats not working either. Any tips or other ideas to get it out?

 

[Viperwolf1]

Right turn against the stop will spike the pressure and push the seal out. That is assuming you still have fluid in the system.

With no fluid you may have to drive a long screw or two into the seal to have something to pull.

 

[RPM289]

My steering box has been leaking where the pitman arm connects, I got a new seal kit and started to work on it tonight. I took everything off started it up and turned the wheel but the top seal won't come out. The first seal and both washers came out right away, the top seal popped out just a little on one side.

I've tried a few times and turned the wheel both ways but its not budging, I tried using a few different angled picks to pull it out but thats not working either. Any tips or other ideas to get it out?

Where did you get the kit and more importantly instructions on building the box? I have to do mine also. ;D

 

[Vin218]

Right turn against the stop will spike the pressure and push the seal out. That is assuming you still have fluid in the system.

With no fluid you may have to drive a long screw or two into the seal to have something to pull.

I did turn the wheel all the way to the right, I don't think there is any fluid left now. If I can't get it out I'll try putting in some fluid and turning the wheel again.

RPM, I'm not doing a complete rebuild just doing the lower seals which I got from napa part # 7360. This link has some instructions, I only read the bottom part about the lower seals but it may help you.

http://www.kokes.net/bronco/powr_str.htm

 

[Vin218]

Played around some more and got that last seal to pop out. Any tips on getting the new ones in? Can I just use a socket or something to drive them in?

 

[Viperwolf1]

Played around some more and got that last seal to pop out. Any tips on getting the new ones in? Can I just use a socket or something to drive them in?

Yes, a section of pipe works well. You should have a flat washer against each seal to drive against. You don't need to drive them as far as they can go. Only go far enough to get the ring in.

 

[Vin218]

Yes, a section of pipe works well. You should have a flat washer against each seal to drive against. You don't need to drive them as far as they can go. Only go far enough to get the ring in.

Ok sounds easy enough, thanks Viper

 

[RPM289]

I did turn the wheel all the way to the right, I don't think there is any fluid left now. If I can't get it out I'll try putting in some fluid and turning the wheel again.

RPM, I'm not doing a complete rebuild just doing the lower seals which I got from napa part # 7360. This link has some instructions, I only read the bottom part about the lower seals but it may help you.

http://www.kokes.net/bronco/powr_str.htm

Guess I'm confused (Nothing new) Are you putting seals in with the box still installed? Mine works great just leaks from lower seal. Maybe the Napa instruction will fill in the blanks also LOL ;D

 

[Vin218]

Yes I am replacing the seals with the box still in. If you take the pitman arm off then remove the snap ring (mine fell out when I took the pitman arm off) there is nothing else holding the seals in. Start up the truck and turn the wheel and the pressure pushes the old seals out. It took me a few tries but they came out.

 

[DaveLev]

Cool tip Vin218, thank you. Will try with box still in.

 

[Viperwolf1]

Make sure you put the seals in the correct order. The double lip seal goes on the bottom.

 

[RPM289]

Guess I need to go to NAPA and pick me up a set, tired of Bronco dribbling in shop floor!!!!
Thanks for the info guys!!!

 

[Vin218]

Bringing this thread back with a new problem. I finally got around to putting the new lower seals in and put the snap ring in. I was bleeding the system and when I turned the wheel to the right it popped out the new snap ring and one of the seals. I put them back in and made sure the snap ring was fully seated and tried again and they immediately popped out again when I turned the wheel.

I'm not sure if its something with the lip where the snap ring sits or if there is something else going on inside the box thats doing it. Anyone ever have this problem or any suggestions?

I also added a power steering cooler, not sure if the way I set that up could be having any effect on this or not but figured I'd mention it.

 

[Viperwolf1]

Tell us about the cooler. If it's very restrictive it will raise pressure in the box.

 

[Vin218]

Its a hayden 676, I mounted it on the core support, the ports are facing down so the hoses are going in to it from the bottom. I wasn't sure as to which side of the cooler the hose from the pump and box went so that could be a potential problem.

 

[Vin218]

Also one other thing to note as I was just thinking about it. I put the steering box in pretty recently and drove it a bunch with no leaks. Once it started leaking I took the pitman arm off and the snap ring was already popped out just sitting on top of the pitman arm, that was before I put a cooler in.

 

[Viperwolf1]

Cooler looks ok. Are you trying to use the same snap ring or did you replace it?

Other than mechanical damage at the ring groove there isn't anything at the box that can cause this. The box doesn't create the pressure.

 

[Vin218]

Snap ring is new. So it sounds like the only things that could be causing this are the snap ring itself or the groove it sits in?

 

[Viperwolf1]

Or there's a restriction that is pushing the pressure up.