The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline 1958 Chevy 3100 Steering Box Rebuild

New guy to the Stovebolt site, so I’m still feeling my way around. have a 1958 Chevy 3100 step side that has steering issues. After checking over the front end, steering box needs replaced, or preferably rebuilt.

So here are questions:
How difficult is it to rebuild this steering box for a person with no knowledge about steering boxes?
Is there any place where a person can get a new or rebuilt steering box if I need to go this route?
If this helps, the pickup originally had a six cylinder engine with a 3 speed transmission, but was replaced with a 283 V-8 and 4 speed transmission.

Thanks in advance for any information provided!

www.Larescorp.com

Does an excellent job rebuilding your original pump. You can also purchase parts to do it yourself. And yes, rebuilding an original part of any type is almost always better than buying a new part. New parts are frequently junk from the get go.

If you go through Rock Auto for your rebuild you get the same price or better with a much faster turn around. Lares rebuilds the boxes for Rock Auto.

wyoapache, Since your post is about your steering gear box, it better fits into the Driveline forum so it's been moved there for further help and information sharing. Others will be along to offer more help and info on your questions about rebuilding your steering gear box.

I gather t his is not power steering. The manual steering gear box is comparably easy to o-haul if a person has good mechanical aptitude. Kits are readily available from specialty stores with small parts & gaskets/seals. If any of the main parts are bad it is usually easy to find a doner box with good gears & shafts.
You can get plenty of advise help from people on this website.

George

Before rebuilding, I'd go through the adjustment procedures in the maintenance manual. I don't have a link to the Chevy manual, but GMCs used the same steering box. Here is a link to the steering box adjustment page in the GMC Maintenance Manual.

The scale mentioned (tool J-544A) can be replaced with a small fish scale. I think I paid about $5 for mine ( 0 to 5 pounds ) at WalMart.

I 2nd Bill recommendation to adjust the box first. I can scan & upload the procedure (from manual) later tonight when i get home. MAJOR difference after I adjusted mine & also installed a new drag link. Mine used to wander down the road, Now.... I can let go of the wheel & it tracks straight.

To help in adjusting the worm gear loading I had a friend weld up (I don't weld) a tool made from a 1/2" nut (3/4" wrench size) and a piece of 1/8" flat stock. The flat part has a curve ground into the end that more or less matches the curve of the slot in the worm gear adjuster screw.

A trigger scale works great for a replacement for the J-544A tool. (I need a trigger scale for my guns already, and I do not need a fish scale since as I am just going to lie about how big the fish was anyway.)

Here ya go. I ended up doing mine twice ( never done it before)

I've owned lots of old cars & never bothered to adjust the box... it's easy once you've done it.

Good luck 👍