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Jul 21st, 2025 | | | | Joined: Jan 2015 Posts: 13 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2015 Posts: 13 | Greetings fellow Stovebolters,
I have a '58 Apache Fleetstide, 1/2 ton with original steering gear. How difficult is the rebuild on these? Wondering if I should mess with it or buy a replacement unit from Classic Industries.
I welcome your thoughts. | | | | | Joined: May 2015 Posts: 9,830 Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums | | Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums Joined: May 2015 Posts: 9,830 | If it's a manual steering box, it's not hard to rebuild. You'll need a fish scale to do the bearing preload and sector adjustment. That's covered in a Service Manual.
Depends on how much Classic wants for a replacement, and what you think your time is worth. If it's a power steering box, then I'd probably go with a professional rebuild.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truckFollow this saga in Project JournalPhotos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2021 Posts: 5,686 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2021 Posts: 5,686 | Or send it to Lares for a rebuild. They did my '76 F-150 8 or 9 yeaqrs ago. Excellent job. www.larescorp.com
1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)
1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1956 Cadillac Sixty Special Fleetwood (The Godfather) | 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado (The Purple Knif) | 1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe | 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2003 Posts: 546 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jun 2003 Posts: 546 | I do not see one listed on the Classic Industries site.
"Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just leave me alone, you're starting to freak me out."
1957 GMC 150
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2015 Posts: 13 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2015 Posts: 13 | Thank you for the replies. I never knew about Lares. Question, can I remove the steering gear box without removing the steering wheel and shaft? | | | | | Joined: Jan 2019 Posts: 2,249 Herder of Cats, Goats, and Sheep (moderator) | | Herder of Cats, Goats, and Sheep (moderator) Joined: Jan 2019 Posts: 2,249 | Not really, no. The steering shaft is pressed in to the steering box and it is intended to be treated as a single unit from there.
If you could separate them, you would still have to remove the column from the truck to put them back together and reinstall them as a unit.
The FAM says to lift the cab to get the column out, but I have seen a couple people say it will come out the bottom if you lift the frame about 2.5'. I have not tried it, so I can't confirm that though. | | | | | Joined: Jan 2022 Posts: 1,987 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2022 Posts: 1,987 | I took the steering column with the box attached out of the bottom of my '57 GMC 1/2 ton V8 while the truck was on a lift. And put it back in. And it still worked !!
Last edited by Bill Hanlon; 01/26/2025 8:31 PM.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12
'52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2015 Posts: 13 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2015 Posts: 13 | Really, lift the cab?! Wow. I do have a lift so, I was figuring on taking the steering wheel and turn signal off and pulling it out the bottom. I suppose that would work. Appreciate the tip on the units being pressed together. Answers my question. Another question comes to mind, can you rebuild the box on the frame or is it better to remove the whole assembly? I assume the later. | | | | | Joined: Jan 2015 Posts: 13 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2015 Posts: 13 | Sorry about the repeat post. I was getting an error pop up, now I cant figure out how to delete the duplicates. | | | | | Joined: May 2015 Posts: 9,830 Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums | | Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums Joined: May 2015 Posts: 9,830 | Sorry about the repeat post. I was getting an error pop up, now I cant figure out how to delete the duplicates. No worries, I'll delete the duplicates for you. I believe you can do that by clicking on the edit button on the lower right. Should work for your posts but not other members. Moderators have that ability on all posts. [on edit] I believe that an AD steering box could be rebuilt in-frame, but the rub might be taking the steering shaft out the bottom (something is guaranteed to be in the way with the box bolted to the frame. Not sure if that would apply to a '58. But if you could do it in-frame, it would likely be MUCH harder than just removing the assembly.
Last edited by klhansen; 01/26/2025 10:50 PM.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truckFollow this saga in Project JournalPhotos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together. | | | | | Joined: Dec 2020 Posts: 1,730 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2020 Posts: 1,730 | You can run the front of truck up on ramps to remove the column.
~ BD.
You won't find me in an old folks home | | | | | Joined: Jan 2015 Posts: 13 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2015 Posts: 13 | | | | | | Joined: Apr 2024 Posts: 172 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Apr 2024 Posts: 172 | It appears Lares has gone wholesale as they now direct you where to go to buy their products. Lots of parts stores listed
1956 3100 three speed 6 cyl. Stock with a few upgrades.
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