The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1953 Chevy 3600 ; Should I replace my steering gear box?

Hi-
My 3600 P/U has wobbly steering, requires lots of correction and occassionally I struggle to keep her in a straight line. Very shifty and Im really afraid I'm going to veer into on-coming traffic.

Ive been told the steering boxes are often the culprit.
Three Questions:
1) Will a new steering gear box likely help?
2) Is gear box replacement a difficult job? Im an average home mechanic with no fancy tools.
3) I hear about king pins creating steering trouble - is that more often a problem with these trucks?

Thanks in advance for steering me in the right direction!
Ron A

I would address the possibility of the steering box being bad for last, since it is the most time consuming task if a rebuild is necessary. They can be rebuilt. No need to buy a replacement usually.
You need to check all of the other steering components first.
King pins.
Wheel bearings.
Tierod ends.
Pitman arm-to-steering arm joint(at left spindle).
Leaf spring shackle pins.
Old bias ply tires will also cause auto-tracking in minor ruts in the road
Carl

Hello Ron,

Similar question/advice was posted in an earlier thread.

Nonetheless:

1) Will a new steering gear box likely help?
1. Maybe. Have you adjusted the steering as described in the Shop Manual? How good are your other front-end parts?

2) Is gear box replacement a difficult job? Im an average home mechanic with no fancy tools.
2. You'd most likely have to clean off a lot of grease and unbolt about 4 large bolts between steering box and frame, and remove the steering wheel, and remove the bolts/clamp that hold the steering column to the dash. The procedure is described in the Shop Manual. A rebuilt steering gear assembly would cost around $350.

3) I hear about king pins creating steering trouble - is that more often a problem with these trucks?
3. More often than what? King pins wear out and are commonly found to be loose in these old trucks, which were poorly maintained after their first 10 years of existence/service. This is easy to diagnose (Shop Manual). If the axle cannot be serviced and/or the steering knuckles/spindles cannot be serviced, this can be a challenging repair.

Do you have tools and experience in doing mechanical work on cars/trucks?
Do you know a garage that can/will work on an old vehicle?
Do you have a Shop Manual?