Steering box rebuild?

[bake74]

     The hardest part is bleeding after to make sure the air is all out.  The removal and install is pretty easy.

[beastie_3]

even that is not hard. You dont get dirty bleeding it!

[VileZambonie]

Don't forget a pitman arm puller.

[Skunksmash]

Don't forget a pitman arm puller.

Think a tie rod puller can be substituted for that? I have that, and they seem to look the same. Unless the pitman arm one is bigger or something.

[beastie_3]

pitman arm is bigger, but only you can see if it will work. Go to autozone or Oreilleys to rent the correct tool for free.

[Skunksmash]

Thought I might need to make a correction here:

Its not 4 or 5 inches of play in the loose steering. Its only about 2 inches, maybe 2.5 inches tops. Thought that might be relevant since vilezamb said that 4 or 5 inches wouldn't likely be related to the steering box. Maybe I'll get lucky and all I have to do is tighten that little screw. I'm going to make the wife help with the dry park check today so I'll report back what I find in a couple hours.

[Skunksmash]

Had the wife do the check. Its the pitman arm. Problem solved. Unless replacing the pitman arm only takes out some of the slack. But it looks like its got at least an inch of slack just coming from the pitman arm's little socket joint.

[bake74]

     Let us know if that fixed it after you replaced it.

[Skunksmash]

Hmm what is the best way to make sure the new pitman arm goes on, in the exact same position that the old one came off? You know, so you can make sure that your steering wheel isn't cockeyed when you're driving in a straight line.

[beastie_3]

I believe the shaft on the steering box has a spot where there are no teeth, so it only lines up one way. If not, then just mark it.

[VileZambonie]

They are master splined however make a witness mark on the old to compare to the new.

[Skunksmash]

Yeah they were master splined, so I just lined em up and installed the new pitman arm. Of course even though I moved nothing, the steering wheel now sits like I'm turning right, even though I'm going straight. I couldn't have moved anything, I did not have a lift the truck was on the ground. So I would have had to be physically strong enough to turn the wheels by wrenching around under there. Which of course I'm not.

As for results, it was a partial success. It took about 1 inch of slop out of the steering, but unfortunately roughly 1" to 1.5"i still remains. Guess I'll do another dry park check and see if I can spot anything else. The old pitman arm was definitely bad though, seeing as how it would just flop around freely when you shook it, and I couldn't move the new one at all. But uh, I don't recognize some of the stuff I'm seeing under there. The tie rod ends have some kind of... sleeve on them with little bolts. And the center link has some kind of weird joint in it. Does that joint go bad somehow too? I probly just need to rebuild the whole steering with all new moog. Anyone got a list of the wear parts? I'll just start ordering and replacing cause it all looks like its got a little slack in it. Some of it has broke rubber boots too.

[VileZambonie]

Is this 2 or 4wd?

[Skunksmash]

Its a two wheel drive.

As for wear parts under there, maybe you can tell me if I left anything out:

1. Inner and outer tie rods

2. Pitman arm

3. Idler arm

4. Center link/s? Looks like its got some type of little ball and socket... stuff on the center link. Not real sure though. Anything else that wears out that could make the steering loose? When the wife gets time again I'm going to recheck. I want to make sure I check it all. That loose steering has got to go! lol

[VileZambonie]

Yes the suspension parts, ball joints, wheel bearings, loose frame rivets/cracked frame, loose gear box, steering coupler issue, control arms, bushings etc.