Steering box replacement

[JayBird]

I am planning on replacing my steering box. My manual states that I need to remove my steering column and starter. Does anyone have an easier method? Are there any tricks or any thing the I should be aware of before I start this project?

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Your timing is excellent. I am just finishing rebuilding the steering box this week on my '71 spider and so... You want tips? I got tips.

I had already rebuilt the entire front suspension (bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, steering linkage rod, idler box), so the job was somewhat easier. Here's what I did, with the caveat that this is for a '71 so there may be some differences depending on model year.

Inside the car, I started by removing the bolt (13mm) that secures the yoke of the lower steering column u-joint to the steering shaft that goes down through the footwell to the steering box (the steering box input shaft). I could then slide the yoke off of this input shaft. The three bolts (17 mm) that hold the steering box to the "frame" were easy enough to remove, but the steering box would only come out about 3 inches before it jammed into the space between the starter motor and the frame. Note that I didn't need to remove the steering column, just the lower u-joint connection.

So, the starter motor came out. Disconnected the battery, then the large fat cable to the starter solenoid (13 mm nut) and the spade lug connector. The three bolts (13 mm) that hold the starter to the bellhousing were removed, and the starter came out through the front and then up. I also had to reposition the ignition coil as it was in the way, but later model years wouldn't have this issue.

Once the starter was removed, I also removed the clutch cable from the clutch fork and the bellhousing and positioned the cable out of the way. At that point, the steering box slid out the bottom fairly easily. I had previously removed the steering linkage rod on the pitman arm, the rod that goes from the left wheel to the right. Used a balljoint remover for this with lots of pounding. Same story for removing the inner tie rod end on the driver's side.

In my case, I took apart the steering box and rebuilt it, rather than replace. "Rebuilt" just included new upper and lower oil seals (referred to as "input and output shaft seals") and cleaning everything up. Bearings looked good, so I left them in place. Yesterday I put the steering box all back together, putting about a cup of 85-90w EP (extreme pressure) gearbox oil in it. From what I understand, the steering box shouldn't be totally filled with oil, but rather to a level about 1 inch below the fill plug.

Speaking of the fill plug, this was ungodly tight on my car which is one of the reasons I just pulled out the steering box. Took a pair of vice-grips to remove it, and I doubt that this could have done with the steering box in the car.

Oh, and the pitman arm was an absolute bear to remove. The nut took a 6 foot pipe on the end of my socket ratchet, but it finally came off. For the pitman arm, it is pressed onto the splined output shaft of the steering box, and it was essentially frozen in place. It took a gear puller, two doses of heat on the outside of the arm with a propane torch, several doses of penetrating oil over several hours, lots of hammering and swearing, but eventually it popped off. Jeez...

Feel free to ask any questions!

-Bryan

[18Fiatsandcounting]

PS: This isn't for the faint of heart. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the hardest, overall it was a 7.

[Jon124]

I also just went through the same thing on my 81. The procedure in the manual works. There’s no room to remove the gearbox without removing the starter. The starter comes out from the bottom and the clutch cable needs to be disconnected to make room to remove it.

In my case the pitman arm was not possible to remove non-destructively. I was replacing a worn out box with a good one though so I cut the shaft of the bad box to press it out of the pitman arm, and cut the pitman arm off the good box so I could replace the seals.

[JayBird]

Thanks 18Fiatsandcounting and Jon124 for your input.

The fact that the job is a 7 out of 10 and I don't have to remove the steering column is good news. I'm also replacing shocks, ball joints, bushings, tie rod ends, sway bar bushings and the brake booster. I figured the steering box would be the worst part. Any tips or short cuts on the other work would also be appreciated.

I have what seems to be a decent used Steering box. I just cleaned it up and went to drain the fluid and replace it. When I drained the fluid I found it had some water in it. My plan is to refill and drain the steering box until I'm Comfortable there is no more water.

Thanks again for the info

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Sounds like a plan. On replacing shocks, ball joints, bushings, tie rod ends, sway bar bushings, the only tip I can give is to get a big hammer. Many folks just buy new A-arms with the bushings already installed; stubborn folks like me keep the original A-arms and just replace bushings. All other issues are resolved with a good ball joint or tie rod end remover.

Keep in mind that my scale of 1-10 is:

1=washing the windshield
2=changing a tire
6=removing and rebuilding the transmission
7=removing the steering box and Pitman arm
10=begging for mercy and just giving up and taking it to a shop.

So, a 7 is pretty challenging.

-Bryan

[DieselSpider]

I also just went through the same thing on my 81. The procedure in the manual works. There’s no room to remove the gearbox without removing the starter. The starter comes out from the bottom and the clutch cable needs to be disconnected to make room to remove it.

In my case the pitman arm was not possible to remove non-destructively. I was replacing a worn out box with a good one though so I cut the shaft of the bad box to press it out of the pitman arm, and cut the pitman arm off the good box so I could replace the seals.

You may want to consider getting a bottle (not spray can) of WD40 to flush the box out with since its primary function is to displace water from parts.

See: https://www.amazon.com/WD-40-Multi-Use- ... RGKSW7P27S