Steering collumn removal

[1lo620]

Lets just start by saying that I am an idiot...Well I am working on my project 620 and I was going to pull the body off and do some cleaning and custom stuff....Well got most of the unhooking stuff done and then came to the steering collumn...well I am have never personally done this ..I thought all you did was undo the bolts and it slid out....Wrong...Well I even check the haynes guide...shit that didnt help..#1 to #2 and slide #3 untilll,......So I was just going to put it back together until I figure out how to do it...Well, being the smooth mechanic I am. I forgot to line up the bearings and I smashed both set of bearings...

So my first question is does anyone know how to take the steering collumn out of the gear box. And the second question does anyone have extra bearings,are know where I can get 2 bearings...I appreciate all the help and advice..and please dont laugh and this troubled sole...:o :confused: :eek:

[Icehouse]

I don't know how to do it right but I got the one out of my 521 it was a pain, I may have the bearings I will look.

[datzenmike]

I totally know what you're talking about jeff!!! The first time I ended up taking the wheel and turn signals off and sliding the cab back, up and off the column.

 

Another time I took the three bolts off the steering box where the column meets it and turned it and unscrewed the worm gear inside. I chickened out and re-assembled it but, when I screwed the worm gear in it bottomed out and pushed out the plug in the very front of the box and all the oil pored out. Not good, and not happy.

 

My manual says to strip everything off the column in the cab and loosen the bolts under the dash. Then remove the steering (or Pitman) arm from the splined sector shaft at the bottom of the box.(you may be able to get away with taking the two ball joints for the cross shaft and the side shaft off and leave the steering arm on). Remove the three steering box mounting bolts to the frame and slide the column and box as a unit, down and out through the front of the truck. You might want to jack the front end up for clearance.

[tdaaj]

thats the best way to do it. my first column i removed the worm gear alsdo. big mistake, so very hard to get it back together w/out knowing how.

[]2eDeYe]

I just cut mine in half with the blue tipped wrench...oh wait...I don't have to put it back together :P

 

I should have everything in the box if your coming by ;)

[datzenmike]

thats the best way to do it. my first column i removed the worm gear alsdo. big mistake, so very hard to get it back together w/out knowing how.

 

Yeah, now I know to remove the sector shaft and the ball nut assy. then the worm gear. It's best to have it out of the truck first anyway.

 

The blue tipped wrench...(I like that!)

[Icehouse]

Yeah Mike I agree with you. I will do as the manuel says next time.

 

haha thats funny Steve :D blue tipped wrench.

[datzenmike]

You know 1lo620, If you were just removing the cab, you could just seperate the two steering ball joints on the Pitman arm and the steering box mounting bolts and lift the cab and the steering box and column with it.

 

Sorry, I guess this doesn't help with the bearings much. When you get the box out and apart, get the number off the bearings and try for a replacement, or get them out of another box, or simply switch the box all together. If you do have it apart be sure to replace the seal down at the lowest part of the box where the splined sector shaft sticks out.

[mklotz70]

Hmmm...I had the seat out when I pulled the one from the 521. I took off the steering wheel and blinker, then raised the steering box over the core support....since I couldn't get enough ground clearance to take it out the bottom. I also separated the shaft from the box to shorten the column, but it's been a couple of years and I don't remember having that much grief. I think you want the gear in the box to be toward the hole, then as you start to put the worm gear in, it will push forward. I think you can turn the shaft to get it to bottom out in the box, then bolt the outer tube back down to hold it together. You should be able to put the shaft in by itself, then put the tube on afterwards. Of all the projects that I've taken pics of.....that's one of the only ones I didn't take pics of.

[datzenmike]

Hey mike,

just beware of screwing the worm gear in and popping the expansion plug at the front of the box out. Don't know how I did that, but I removed the sector shaft, installed the worm and then put the sector shaft back in and that worked better.

[datsunaholic]

I've removed and replaced the whole assembly as a unit, WITH the engine in the truck (but the radiator out, as the whole thing came out the grille!). Hardest part was getting the pitman arm apart. Bought a balljoint separator and just wailed on it.

[mklotz70]

hhmm...I don't remember there being a plug on it...guess I'll have to look at it.

 

I was just trying to recall what I did. It was the first time I had done one and I never find the best way the first time :)

[datzenmike]

That's what my G/F said!

[mklotz70]

That's what my G/F said!

 

That I was her first????? :)

 

ah...to be 25 years younger with the knowledge I have now!!! :) Maybe I'd have seen some BIG "O" faces....instead of the "Oh my god! Is that it face?" :D

[earwig]

i had the worm gear snap off of the shaft once. that was exciting! about one third of the factory weld was a void. i guess i got lucky getting my pitman arm off. i just took off the bolt, smacked the side with a hammer, and it fell right off. i thought i'd have to go crazy on it with gear puller and a balljoint fork. when i put everything back to gether, i replaced the bushing under the signal selector with a sealed bearing. it really made it easier to crank the wheel around. i know what you're thinking, "what a wuss!" but i have a 13" grant steering wheel and 31" tires. kind of makes for a good work out. especially when i'm off road. don't be afraid to take the steering box apart though. its not as complicated as one might think.

[datzenmike]

That I was her first????? :)

 

ah...to be 25 years younger with the knowledge I have now!!! :) Maybe I'd have seen some BIG "O" faces....instead of theface "Oh my god! Is that it face?" :D

 

 

ahahah what she said was that it looks like a baby's arm holding an apple. lol

 

Ah... to be 35 years younger and know what I know now... hell I'll settle for 10!! Just realized this was a 620 box with the expansion plug in front of the worm. Had a 521 but that was 25? years ago, and memory storage space is at a premium in this poor old head.

[mklotz70]

I haven't looked yet, but I'm sure the 521 is a closed casing at the front. The 320(some520) cases have a bolt on plate.....the casing can be used for both left and right hand drive.