Steering box replacement time!

[Deuce_and_a_Half_Dragon]

Well it's time to replace my deuces steering box, hit another patch of ice the other day, counter steered and hit a guardrail with the driver tire and sheared the output shaft from the steering box off about an inch from the frame. Only damage was the guardrail and steering box, the tire (only thing to contact the rail) is fine, still holding air.... Anyone seen the video for the Hunter tire system? "that's a tough tire")

So today I'm pulling the old box, and Friday I'm driving up to Gem1410's place to pick up a new one. So hopefully I'll be on the road again by Sunday. Any tips or tricks from the wizards who've done it before?

I'll post my crash pics and story in a separate thread when I get to the desktop.
(too bad SS doesnt have an iPod App, lol)

 

[R Racing]

If you look carefully in the gearbox output shaft were your pitman arm comes out , you will see a faint line. You need to line that up with the line on the pitman arm. Also the output shaft has a slight taper to it so you will need a impact to seat it . Hope this helps !

 

[hndrsonj]

It's not going to be that simple, well unless it's a gasser. I just changed the M48 gearbox/column over christmas (twice) I got it down to 25 minutes to remove and reinstall the 2nd time. Doing a multi fuel is totally different. There is NOT enough room to remove it whole without lifting the motor. You have to take it out in pieces and it's a PITA. There was an article in MVM 4-5 years ago that covered it. When I did mine in TX, there was one bolt that hits the IP and you actually have to remove the cover with the loose bolt still in the cover. When I reinstalled the cover, I had to cut 1/8" off the bolt for it to fit back together.

 

[Deuce_and_a_Half_Dragon]

Crap, lol, looks like I'll have George help me pull the one he's giving me to learn it then do mine when I get back, was hoping to get it out easy, didn't look like it was tht bad

 

[dabtl]

I replaced mine fairly easily. First do not get in a hurry. Second loosen the front motor mounts and lift the engine an inch or so. then you take it apart in the truck easily. Trust me, you do not have to move the engine to the side and spend a lot of time doing that.

All but the final bolt on the cover are easily removed. That is why you raise the front of the engine.

 

[Wildchild467]

I replaced mine fairly easily. First do not get in a hurry. Second loosen the front motor mounts and lift the engine an inch or so. then you take it apart in the truck easily. Trust me, you do not have to move the engine to the side and spend a lot of time doing that.

All but the final bolt on the cover are easily removed. That is why you raise the front of the engine.

I have to change my steering box soon because the bushing is worn. when you loosen the front mounts and raise the engine, do you have to do anything with the radiator hoses or anything like that? seems like an inch isnt much except with maybe radiator hoses.

 

[hndrsonj]

I didn't have a way to lift the engine at the time. As short as that bottom hose is, i'd take off the 2 nuts on the bottom of the radiator and let it come up with the engine a bit.

 

[dabtl]

I have to change my steering box soon because the bushing is worn. when you loosen the front mounts and raise the engine, do you have to do anything with the radiator hoses or anything like that? seems like an inch isnt much except with maybe radiator hoses.

I used one of the Harbor Freight lifts on mine. I did not remove anything, just lifted it about an inch.

The difference makes it possible to do the job on mine. My guess is that not all deuces are exactly the same. I tried to do it as outlined in an article by NickD in MV Magazine a couple or three years ago. But the last bolt on the cover was just too close to the injector by maybe and 1/8 of an inch. NickD did recommend shortening that last bolt when it was reassembled.

But, mine was just not the same as NickD was working on. So, I adapted. It made the job much simpler. I think the TM method or perhaps from the service cartoons was to move the engine to side by several inches which did require the hoses to be removed. Sure looked like a lot of work to me.

 

[Deuce_and_a_Half_Dragon]

Thanks guys, lifting the engine probly isn't an option for me as the wrecker had to plop the deuce at the bottom of the hill in my yard as my driveway is one heck of a grade, 250 up, and I live on a narrow road, the 50-75 foot deuce+wrecker combo wasn't making that, barely managed to make it on the grass without sticking the wrecker.

I'll have to get ahold of NickD, if it's the same guy on the site, he happens to live about 15 minutes from me, lol.

I'll be trying to get a look at it today before picking up my methanol for bio diesel

 

[doghead]

Are you planning to simply replace the broken shaft(and inspect all other components), or change the complete gearbox and steering column?

A standard issued bottle jack and some blocking will probably work alright to get your engine up enough to get the cover bolt out.

I have seen the motor mounts collapse over time, some much worse than others. You may not have any trouble at all.

 

[Deuce_and_a_Half_Dragon]

I'll probly just replace the whole box seeing as George is giving me a take off from one of his (I'm assuming parts) trucks. Either way I'm assuming the whole thing has to come out but I may be wrong there. As long as he doesn't want my old one, I'll keep it for parts and personal edumacation, lol. I'm still not sure about jacking the motor, the truck is facing down hill on a few degree slope and wet ground. If I can find a way to jack it I deffinatly will. Just haven't had the time this week, or daylight for that matter, to get a good look at what I have to work with. If I could have got it up the hill I could get the forklift running, I'd use that.

Wish me luck, also, I have the TMs on my PC, but if someone could point me to the correct TM with the steerig box info and repair it would be a big help.

Thanks again guys

 

[doghead]

TM 9-2320-361-34
Chapter 12.

 

[Deuce_and_a_Half_Dragon]

Thanks Eric! Time to warm up the printer, lol

 

[Deuce_and_a_Half_Dragon]

Well things are worse then I thought, I just did some more looking in daylight to see how bad things are, and I found out the passenger front spring perch sheared all three rivets/bolts that hold it in place...... Not sure what I'm going to do now, the truck us sitting on a muddy downhill slope, and I kinda feel like I'm standing on one right now any advice from the wise ones?

 

[Heavysteven]

Hate to say it but did you have full coverage on the truck?

I for one could not fix that myself and if it was me i could contacting a dealer. This i not a cheap opition though sorry I'm not much help.

Maybe some can chime if you post some photo's

 

[dabtl]

TM 9-2320-361-34
Chapter 12.

It took a minute to figure out the sequence. But, the reference to the Chapter 3 pics with the lifting device made it clear.

You can observe a lot by watching. I had not seen this before but it is essentially what I did. Took only seconds in the TM. Took me a number of hours to figure it out.

 

[Deuce_and_a_Half_Dragon]

Well unfortunately I have liability, I'm wondering if it's possible to replace the rivets with equivalent grade 8 bolts maybe?

 

[copperhead10]

Has anyone replaced the steering box on a A3, and what is the wire coming out of the bottom of the steering box?
thanks Dean

 

[hndrsonj]

Has anyone replaced the steering box on a A3, and what is the wire coming out of the bottom of the steering box?
thanks Dean

Well on an A2 it's the horn wire. That's my guess. Follow the wire.

 

[Deuce_and_a_Half_Dragon]

Is that what that wire is? I saw it and tried to trace it but it goes into the wiring harness