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Steering box seals, need answers!!!

496truck

496truck

1/2 ton status
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I just took apart the steering box input and popped the old seals out. Now they are destroyed. The new kit I got, the seals are too small. WTF!!!

There was only one kit listed for this thing, am I missing something? What is wrong here?

Any help would be appreciated! Need to get this thing going again, it's all I have to drive.

Thanx!
 
Augh, I'm starting to find out also that seal kits for power boxes are hit or miss. The newer the vehicle, the more the kit won't work.
I rebuilt the box on my blazer fine (mid 70s box).
The 2001, they don't even sell the right seal for the input shaft, even at the dealership. The bearing place couldn't find a match. Had to machine retainer to fit the seal from the kit.
 
Good luck. I spent days trying to find a seal kit that worked. Every auto parts store and the dealership. I spent probably thirty to forty dollars and screwed up every seal kit beyond returning to the store shape before I said screw it and got a box off another truck. Sorry, not really much help.
 
What number kit did you get??..I assume your talking pitman shaft seals??...
I think National PSK-1 was the most popular one for the older 73-87 trucks boxes--haven't been behind a parts counter since 1994,so my experience with newer things are pretty much zilch!...
 
I have rebuilt MANY of these boxes. Give me the part number for the seal kit you bought and i'll give you the correct part number. For the input shaft seal there are only two choices for the seals. The sector shaft seals are ALL the same on this era box.
 
Update...

I ended up going back to the Autozone catalog and changing years of the truck till I came up with a different part number kit. Jumped around a bit, tried a 91 first, same number. Then went right into the 70s and plugged in a 76, different number, excellent. But it's 40 minutes away. Called the store to verify they had it, they did and set it aside for me. Packed up the wrong kit and the old parts and brought it with me. Sure enough, the kit for the 76 had the right stuff in it. Came home and installed it.

Kit part # that was wrong 8525
One that was right 7095

Anyone else wants to do the input shaft seals in the steering box, get both kits, and have them both ready when you go to do the repair.

Now, it seems like it may still be leaking. But it looks like it's coming from the center of the input shaft. I had installed an XJ shaft before and it seems to be wet on the inside of the U-joint where it mates to the input shaft. Is there a smaller shaft inside the input shaft where maybe an o-ring seal could be bad? I can see a smaller shaft sticking out of the end and looks like it's pinned in there, but I thought it was something to do with the original rag joint and that the rest of the shaft was solid?

Scott, you know these boxes inside and out, is there another seal in there?
 
Sounds like it is leak pasting the torsion bar. I don't think that is serviceable beside replacing the input assembly.
I'm waiting to hear what Scott has to say.
 
496truck said:
I ended up going back to the Autozone catalog and changing years of the truck till I came up with a different part number kit. Jumped around a bit, tried a 91 first, same number. Then went right into the 70s and plugged in a 76, different number, excellent. But it's 40 minutes away. Called the store to verify they had it, they did and set it aside for me. Packed up the wrong kit and the old parts and brought it with me. Sure enough, the kit for the 76 had the right stuff in it. Came home and installed it.

Kit part # that was wrong 8525
One that was right 7095

Anyone else wants to do the input shaft seals in the steering box, get both kits, and have them both ready when you go to do the repair.

Now, it seems like it may still be leaking. But it looks like it's coming from the center of the input shaft. I had installed an XJ shaft before and it seems to be wet on the inside of the U-joint where it mates to the input shaft. Is there a smaller shaft inside the input shaft where maybe an o-ring seal could be bad? I can see a smaller shaft sticking out of the end and looks like it's pinned in there, but I thought it was something to do with the original rag joint and that the rest of the shaft was solid?

Scott, you know these boxes inside and out, is there another seal in there?
Click to expand...

What you're seeing is the torsion bar shaft and there is nothing that is serviceable in there.
 
So, nothing can be done to fix that leak? It's leaking pretty good.

Hypothetically, what if I ran a weld bead around that inner shaft where it meets the outer? What would I be messing with?
 
The sensitivity of the steering box. The part you want to weld is the spring which controls the sensitivity the box. It is spring steel which does not like welding at all
 
496truck said:
So, nothing can be done to fix that leak? It's leaking pretty good.

Hypothetically, what if I ran a weld bead around that inner shaft where it meets the outer? What would I be messing with?
Click to expand...

If you were to weld that shaft then the steering box would no longer offer any assist, it would be just like having a non power steering box.
 
4X4HIGH said:
If you were to weld that shaft then the steering box would no longer offer any assist, it would be just like having a non power steering box.
Click to expand...
Well I did say it was going to change the sensitivity of the box. :haha:
I starting to think it is not worth rebuilding these things.
 
JDNobodi said:
Well I did say it was going to change the sensitivity of the box. :haha:
I starting to think it is not worth rebuilding these things.
Click to expand...

Eliminating and changing sensitivity are two complete different things. :D
 
If it would eliminate the back load instead, that would be cool. I can still remember that Ford at the plant I drove from time to time that apparently had the torsion bar break.

It had no road feel whatsoever. When you turned the wheel, all you felt was the bearings in the steering shaft.

It was like driving a video game. The truck just went with no effort.
 
Like non-load sense orbital valve for instance. Say in a full hydro set up, or forklift.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk
 
So, I just have to deal with this leak then? Nothing I can do for that?

At least until next year when I can get a 2wd box and go to x-over steering.

I'm just not the type to have a truck that drips everywhere it goes, that drives me nuts.
 
496truck said:
So, I just have to deal with this leak then? Nothing I can do for that?

At least until next year when I can get a 2wd box and go to x-over steering.

I'm just not the type to have a truck that drips everywhere it goes, that drives me nuts.
Click to expand...

Err next year? Those boxes aren't exactly expensive. Replace it.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk
 
It's not the box. It's everything else that goes with it. Add it up and divide by my budget and you still have too much to spend. :doah:
 
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