Steering Gear Box

[derrickmcphate]

So i am thinking of changing my steering gear box tomorrow.... Anyone ever done it any pointers or tips or should i just pay a shop to do it?

[wonder]

heres a bump for you. im looking to do the same thing on my 02.

[dereku]

they are a piece of cake just be ready to get oily. There are 3 bolts are are easily accessible through the driver side wheel well, you don't even have to remove the tire. Just need a pitman arm puller and some good pickle forks. While you are at it it is a good time to change the hoses coming from the cooler and going to the brake booster. the superdutys have hydraulic assisted braking so a pinch in the line or a leak spells trouble. I know from experience. But they are really but if you get them from a parts store and not ford it will probably be a reman and you will have to adjust the backlash or whatever they call it. It is a little screw on to of the box.

[new big toy]

its real eazy took me about an hour to do. one bolt on the steering shaft, three for the box and one nut for the pitman arm. have a buddy handy to give a hand ( the box gets a little heavy holding it with one hand while you try to get the bolts through the frame)

[md18]

Originally Posted by dereku

they are a piece of cake just be ready to get oily. There are 3 bolts are are easily accessible through the driver side wheel well, you don't even have to remove the tire. Just need a pitman arm puller and some good pickle forks. While you are at it it is a good time to change the hoses coming from the cooler and going to the brake booster. the superdutys have hydraulic assisted braking so a pinch in the line or a leak spells trouble. I know from experience. But they are really but if you get them from a parts store and not ford it will probably be a reman and you will have to adjust the backlash or whatever they call it. It is a little screw on to of the box.

You should NOT have to adjust anything on a reman box, if you do you should take it back out and bring it back to wherever you bought it for another one. It really is pretty easy, if you buy it from NAPA it comes with a lifetime warranty

Oh, and even though it might seem cool to see how fast you can spin the steering wheel with it disconnected...DON'T! Theres a little would up wire in there that will break off if you do. Ask me how i know that one

[dereku]

yeh I know but it is a good rule of thumb so you can get then dialed in nicely. Only do it if it feel sloppy of coarse. I use advanced and they are lifetime too. I actually broke 3 mudding in about 6 months and they always gave me another.

[md18]

Originally Posted by dereku

yeh I know but it is a good rule of thumb so you can get then dialed in nicely. Only do it if it feel sloppy of coarse. I use advanced and they are lifetime too. I actually broke 3 mudding in about 6 months and they always gave me another.

Yeah I just said that because they might void the warranty on it if they see you tried to adjust it. Much better off just taking it in to get another one.

[dereku]

Yeh true but I am a tinkerer. which I learned is a bad thing hence why my truck is broken more than going.

[derrickmcphate]

i guess i will give it a shot.... how do you make sure the pitman arm is in the same exact spot? do i have to remove anything to change it?

[dereku]

it is keyed there are 4 larger splines that match up with the pitman arm.