The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Can I change my steering box in the truck?

I found a company in Los Angeles that rebuilds steering boxes. My question is can I take the 4 bolts off the top of the steering box, leaving the outside column attached to the finished interior,and remove the steering wheel and seperate and slide the inside spline out of the column as long as I get it high enough on a lift?

I already have messed it up trying to follow a tech tip and backed off the slack screw and preloading the bottom of the box with the balls inside. I didn't do it right. I would like to start over and buy a rebuilt one, give them mine in exchange but don't want to have to dismantle the interior and drop the whole unit.

Can it be done or do the bearings and the seal in the bottom where it bolts together with those 4 bolts in a square have to be pressed in?

Thanks John

The entire column must come out with the box.

you are really going to enjoy this....There is no splines, the worm shaft is welded to the steering shaft. You have to pretty much completely remove the left fender. I also had to remove the gauges since the captive nuts were rusted in place and I had to get in there and hold them. But fortunately, you only have to do this every 50 years or so.

It tells you how in the shop manual step for step on removing the box if you don't already have one (i'd get one ,you need it for alot of stuff) they are on the web at old truck manual project .


Pete

That is not necessary. Jack the truck up and remove from underneath.

Hi Cletis, can you answer this question for me.

What are the 4 bolts for on the top side of the steering box that has the column bolted to? I know I have to remove the big bolts that run through the frame rail. Can't I seperate the steering column and slide the inside guts out of the already installed column? I figured the 4 bolts on top of the box where it goes into the firewall would seperate and I would have to slide the whole steering stem out of the column. I assume there is at least a seal there, maybe a bearing. (Like 4 and a half feet long with the threaded part on top to put the nut on for the steering wheel) out the underside of the truck and slide the new one in up the empty tube, put the 4 bolts back in the square block that the column is pressed into, put in the new top bearing and thread the horn wire down, and put the horn button back together and put the steering wheel back on. Maybe I am not explaining myself correctly.

This does not come apart on top of the steering box? I can't seperate it and replace it this way? Am I making sense asking the question correctly?

John

It does not come apart like that if it did and I wish it did ,so do all the bolters ,it would be easy read thru the shop manual it's not easy but if you follow the manual it will make sense.

Pete

Those 4 bolts will let the steering tube come off but the steering shaft is still intact. Unbolt the steering box from the frame, pull the steering wheel, then unbolt it from under the dash and pull it from under the truck.

That is exactly what I want Greg_H. Get the steering tube not to come off (already painted and installed in the truck) and slide the steering shaft out of the tube, then slide the new rebuilt one in. I think you understood what I wanted to ask. Thanks Greg_H. I will order the rebuilt steering box, remove the steering tube that comes with it on the bench and slide the shaft and steering box up into my already installed steering tube and bolt it back together.

Thanks!

53John3100,

I think Greg is telling you the same thing everyone else is: you can't do what you want to do. At least that's how I read it

If you leave the tube in place, you will never get the steering shaft stabbed back into the steering bearing at the top of the tube. I understand your fresh paint ordeal and now think your best option is to wrap it in tape before removal and take it out with the rest of the steering box/column assembly. You can put the painted tube on the new gear box before you install it, but I think the gasket thickness stands a good chance of affecting the steering shaft end play adjustment.

What if you take the steering tube off (wrapped in tape as mentioned) and send it to the steering box rebuilder and have them install it on the new gear box and adjust it for you?

Well the box in MY truck is trapped under the inner fender liner and there was absolutely no way to just "remove it from underneath" unless I cut the inner fender away. Not to mention this is the method called out in the manual, (at least the one I have) once I got it free of the fender then I took it out from underneath. I was just right on the verge there for a while....

I rebuilt the steering box in my 51 suburban.I did mine as cletis said,I used a 1x2 board and pryed the inner fender well by the shaft and the steering box came right out underneath the truck.


Tim