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Sector shaft swap write up

/\ That is very good to know /\


So say you had a choice between the two steering boxes, which should a person go for?? And which is easier to get your hands on??




AND!!! Which application is the Variable box used on???
 
From 85mudblazin experience, at least 1985 had the variable ratio boxes, so GM start using the boxes sometime during the 80s.
I don't had much experience driving a variable box, but I want to swap one into my blazer sometime.
 
I got myself in deep. I need a complete write-up on how to completely disassemble and rebuild a box. Anyone have one? 4x4HIGH, I know you know how...
 
This came from the Moog Front-End Service Manual 1986.
SBREBuild-1.jpg

SBREBuild-2.jpg



SBREBuild-3.jpg

SBREBuild-4.jpg
 
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Thanks man. Don't stress on it. I googled and yahooed and found some info. I'm giving up on making in to Blazer Bash and taking a break anyway.
 
DavidB said:
I got myself in deep. I need a complete write-up on how to completely disassemble and rebuild a box. Anyone have one? 4x4HIGH, I know you know how...
Click to expand...

i just read your post, it made me laugh. what were you tryin to do to your box?

i have the gm unit repair manual if you need the teardown/rebuild info still.
 
BUDDYRAMMIT said:
i just read your post, it made me laugh. what were you tryin to do to your box?
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Bah...porting the box for hydro. First one, someone who shall remain nameless told me it's ok to port without disassembly. Sent me a pic of some ORD truck. Sounded sketchy to me, but hey, he used to work for ORD...oops, maybe I spilled it. :D Any way, I drilled in the wrong place and messed up the 2wd box that was on the truck. Went out and ripped another (4x4) box off another truck in the back. Cleaned it up, swapped in 2wd sector shaft, pulled input shaft stuff out the top, ported it, tipped it up to celan out the shavings and dumped the shaft and bearings all on the floor and into the waste oil container. :mad: At 12am. :mad: Then I had to clean up tools, etc, etc. and drag the piece out into the yard with the forklift.

http://s142.photobucket.com/albums/r118/DavidWhymore/TECH/
 
More images from the service manual.
SBREBuild-5.jpg



SBREBuild-6.jpg


SBREBuild-7.jpg

I see if I can find the over-center preload spec in the morning.
 
makovai said:
Excellent thread,
I'd like to add. If you go with the entire 2WD box the diameter of the steering shaft spline is smaller, this is a great thing if you plan to swap the steering shaft for a cherokee u-joint steer shaft.
I just finished my cross steer and replaced the entire box with a 1978 suburban 2WD box and a 1991 Jeep cherokee steering shaft and a trailmaster ford drop pitman arm and i didn't make a single mod. Everything bolted up like it was meant to go together.

Just my 2¢
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Good to know and remember what you have, I found out the hard way. I got the wrong one as a replacement at the wrong time :p: The rag joint would not fit on the new box when my buddy wheeled it back in to me :doah:. This is at Dusey Meadow on the Dusey Ershim Trail. Hey at least I got to stay an extra night :haha:

IMG_0483.JPG

IMG_0480.JPG
 
hey guys just found a new way to adjust the play in the new sector shaft

what i did was put the pitman arm on and bolted it all the way down, then i clamped the arm into my vise nice and tight

then i adjusted the rod or whatever you would like to call it

then i grabbed the entire box and moved it left to right slightly, you can feel the play between the gears, and you can adjust the rod untill the center is tight, then just tighten the locknut
 
I finally got a '78 2wd box yesterday at a pick-n-pull for my '73. Piece of cake to get off the truck, but I noticed the pitman arm has a balljoint on the end....who carries a good replacement without it? The biggest PITA was getting the pitman arm off the sector shaft. I broke 2 sets of pullers, went through 1/4 can of PB Blaster and ended up just heating it and busting out my BFH. After that, it was a breeze. Napa carries replacent output shaft seal kits for about $12 and comes with a new snap ring, 2 washers, a dust shield and an oil seal. Easy to install as well, just don't knick the bearing casing.
Only down side to all of this is that I replaced my PS pump and resovoir, had to grind the heck outta the resovoir so the bracket would seat properly and allow the pulley to line up...and now it leaks. Not where I ground it, but at the friggin' front seal. Pretty pissed, you can imagine. Hard stuff comes easy, bolt something on and it's a load o' work!
 
He says he mills down an 1104 SuperLift pitman arm, but the 1104 comes up and Ford and Jeep...it'll work though? Anyone else carry a compatible pitman?
Btw, are you using heims or TRE's?
 
HellsK10 said:
He says he mills down an 1104 SuperLift pitman arm, but the 1104 comes up and Ford and Jeep...it'll work though? Anyone else carry a compatible pitman?
Btw, are you using heims or TRE's?
Click to expand...

The box is your basic Saginaw, as used in Chevy, Ford, Jeep, Scout, etc.

So yeah, it'll work. ;)

I'm using DLE's for the draglink and TRE's for the tie-rod ;) [Pretty sure the DLE's are different from the ends on the tierod... anyway, they aren't heims.]

Call Trevor; he knows his sh!t and he'll set you up.

-- A
 
I just took the whole cap and sector shaft from a 2wd box and put it in a 4wd box. I didn't adjust anything. Now I haven't actually driven the truck yet, almost done with the Dana 60 with Histeer Crossover.

I figured if I replaced the shaft AND CAP I don't need to do anything with that center adjusting nut on the cap. Am I wrong? What I have a question about is, do I need to torque the nut that holds the pitman arm on to a specific fl/lbs?
 
I think you still need to adjust it. The adjustment changes the clearance between the sector gear and the, for lack of a better word, rack. If it is a new combination of sector gear and rack, the clearance/backlash may not be (and probably isn't) correct.
 
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