Steering gear box change

[BlooDSMeaR]

I have a new manual gear box to install in my 73 roadrunner. I have never changed one, any hint or tips before I start ripping it apart?

 

[moparedtn]

A factory service manual works wonders.
IMO nobody should be fooling with these old rides without one - or at least some manner of vehicle-specific manual.

 

[FrnkNsteen]

Not much to it other than having room to get it out and back in. Don't know what your vehicle is, but usually just a matter of disconnecting the steering column, three mounting bolts, and the pitman arm.

If you haven't disconnected the steering column before, the ones I have done had 2 bolts inside at the base of the column. Take those out, disconnect the wire harness, two or three nuts under the column. Then there is a roll pin that goes through the coupler at the steering box and the coupler can be removed from the gearbox. A second person will help to support the column from inside the car (especially when re-installing).

Three bolts hold the gearbox to the K-frame, and you will likely need a pitman arm puller to separate the pitman arm from the gearbox shaft. Auto on the column will require disconnecting the shift linkage (mine was a manual trans).

Re-install is just the reverse. Bolt in the new gear box, attach the pitman arm back on, and re-install the steering column coupler onto the input shaft of the gear box and replace bolts you removed from steering column inside and reconnect wiring harness.

Oh,... Forgot to say,... the hardest part is getting your motor out of the way to get the old one out and the new one in. We had to disconnect both motor mounts and lift the whole motor to get it out.

Warning,... if your steering coupler separates while removing it from the gear box, just make sure you get the shoes back in the right way or you will have a ton of slop in the steering. Lots of pics online if you do a search for "Mopar steering coupler".

 

[BlooDSMeaR]

Not much to it other than having room to get it out and back in. Don't know what your vehicle is, but usually just a matter of disconnecting the steering column, three mounting bolts, and the pitman arm.

If you haven't disconnected the steering column before, the ones I have done had 2 bolts inside at the base of the column. Take those out, disconnect the wire harness, two or three nuts under the column. Then there is a roll pin that goes through the coupler at the steering box and the coupler can be removed from the gearbox. A second person will help to support the column from inside the car (especially when re-installing).

Three bolts hold the gearbox to the K-frame, and you will likely need a pitman arm puller to separate the pitman arm from the gearbox shaft. Auto on the column will require disconnecting the shift linkage (mine was a manual trans).

Re-install is just the reverse. Bolt in the new gear box, attach the pitman arm back on, and re-install the steering column coupler onto the input shaft of the gear box and replace bolts you removed from steering column inside and reconnect wiring harness.

Oh,... Forgot to say,... the hardest part is getting your motor out of the way to get the old one out and the new one in. We had to disconnect both motor mounts and lift the whole motor to get it out.

Warning,... if your steering coupler separates while removing it from the gear box, just make sure you get the shoes back in the right way or you will have a ton of slop in the steering. Lots of pics online if you do a search for "Mopar steering coupler".

Thanks! This is the information I was looking for.
I do have a pit man arm puller, I rebuilt the whole front suspension, my alignment guy said I did a great job, and I was even close on the alignment specks. He was the one that told me my gear box was shot out. I didn't think any thing of it until I did my first 1/4 mile pass and when I hit 100 mph the front end was so loose I had over 90 degrees of play on the wheel and the car really was a loose cannon going where it wanted (scary)
Thankfully I have the motor pulled as I am upgrading to a full roller cam, and getting it dyno tuned. I'll have the space to work on it

 

[AR67GTX]

Have you tried adjusting the lash on the steering box? From your description of 90 deg free play it sounds like it does have an issue but I would at least try adjusting the lash before going through all the effort to pull it. Since it's been to an alignment shop I'm going to assume they verified the box gears and steering wheel are centered with the straight ahead positioning of the wheels (?) A worm gear box has the least lash (free play) at the centered position. Anything off of center will have increased lash. That's also why lash should be adjusted with the box centered. If you adjust it to tight it will be felt as resistance when you turn the wheel through the center position.

just ignore this if you or the alignment shop have already gone through this then.

 

[BlooDSMeaR]

Have you tried adjusting the lash on the steering box? From your description of 90 deg free play it sounds like it does have an issue but I would at least try adjusting the lash before going through all the effort to pull it. Since it's been to an alignment shop I'm going to assume they verified the box gears and steering wheel are centered with the straight ahead positioning of the wheels (?) A worm gear box has the least lash (free play) at the centered position. Anything off of center will have increased lash. That's also why lash should be adjusted with the box centered. If you adjust it to tight it will be felt as resistance when you turn the wheel through the center position.

just ignore this if you or the alignment shop have already gone through this then.

Yes, my alignment guy is an old school car guy. one of the best in my area. He adjusted the worm screw all the way in, and its just shot out. I bought a 16 to one box to install. Ill probably change it out this weekend and should be good to go.