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Steering gearbox install

4K views 28 replies 6 participants last post by  Alpha Male 
#1 ·
I have a 2005 4WD F250 I'm gonna replace the gearbox on. Never done one before so I got a few questions. To get to the nut on the sector shaft do you have to remove the track bar bracket? Also to get to the steering shaft where it connects to the gearbox what needs to be removed? I'm assuming the air filter assembly? Also a good way to immobilize the steering wheel? I don't have one of those things you'd use on like an alignment rack to keep the steering wheel from turning. Thanks y'all.


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#2 ·
On my 2wd it was pretty easy......except getting the damn pitman arm off!
 
#4 ·
A torch and a bfh (big f'n hammer). Distroyed the shaft on the old box lol, but they still took the core back.
 
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#8 ·
I just did mine. It wasn't to bad. I pulled the box then pulled the pitman arm nut and pit man arm. I tried the pullers from oreillys but they where both to small. Make sure you get a set of line wrenches so you don't round off the lines and the box.
 
#10 ·
I did mine last week.. Took no more than hour and a half from start to finish.

I didn't use a puller.. I put a block of wood between the pitman arm and the frame and use a sledge hammer to the nut (put the nut on upside down and hit that) came out in 2 min.

Its literally two hydro lines, 3 frame bolts and a shaft bolt. and it drops out. Easy peezy
 
#16 ·
You use the nut thats already there - just turn it upside down so you dont f up the crown. 14-15mm if I remember correctly, I used a crows foot to loosen tighten because it a slightly tight fit.

Don't forget you have to have the truck jacked up!!! 2 qts of Mercon 5 ATF - DO NOT USE POWER STEERING FLUID!

while its jacked up go from full turn to full turn - 10 or 12 times while adding fluid as you go, start pumping the brake as well to get the fluid through the booster. Its gonna whine for all the fluid to go through and the air to bleed out. When you get it close to ready drive around the block, pop the hood and add more fluid if needed, dont it over and over until it doesnt scream at turn and isnt taking anymore fluid.

good luck!
 
#12 ·
Just a heads up, I think I remember seeing someone got a reman and the pitman arm came with it, call around to the parts houses. I got mine at oriellys and it did not come with it, also it was around a $75 part but had a $400 core charge.
 
#13 ·
Line wrenches are metric. I don't remember the sizes for the nut or the lines sorry. I bought a whole set of line wrenches. I'm going to guess 46mm for the pitman arm and 16mm for the lines. Don't hold me to it tho
 
#24 ·
If you're askimg me, I did all that on the ground off the truck to remove the pitman arm. For the drag link im sure I used a tie rod fork, but if you can hit the solid part that the threaded part goes thru it will usually fall apart.
 
#25 ·
I never could find a line wrench the right size so I tried using a normal wrench and it rounded off the head on the line that's closest to the front of the truck, the one that the little dust shield doesn't clip onto. I went to Ford and got a new one on the way it was like 275 bucks, does this sound like the right one?


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#26 ·
Google search is always your friend -
Materials:
Besides the steering box the material list is rather small.
2 quarts ATF fluid
Red thread lock
Cotter pin
Zip ties
Small length of hose (about the size to fit over the input and return lines)

Tools:
The tools needed are also pretty minimal. Some of the socket sizes are based on aftermarket replacement parts (such as the drag link) so they may be different in your case.
Jack and jack stands
13MM socket
14MM socket
21MM socket
34MM socket (for pitman arm nut which is actually SAE but I did not have the right size)
16MM flare nut wrench (a regular wrench will work fine as well)
Pitman arm puller (you’ll need proper socket or wrench size for your puller)
Breaker bar
Torque wrench
Bench vise
Needle nose pliers
Side cuts
Hammer

Removal:
Removal is pretty straight forward.
1.) Lift front tires off the ground and support each side with a jack stand. Do not work under or around truck if not properly supported by jack stands!
2.) Remove negative battery cable.
3.) Turn ignition key to “run” position so the steering wheel is unlocked.
4.) Loop seat belt through lower part of steering wheel and buckle it to keep the wheel from moving while the steering shaft is in hooked from the steering box. WARNING: The clock spring can be damaged if you have the steering shaft disconnected and the steering wheel is turned too much in one direction. This is why it is important to immobilize the steering wheel as much as possible to avoid turning it.
5.) Remove and discard cotter pin from crown nut on the top of the pitman arm that holds the drag link. Remove nut with 21MM socket.
Click the image to open in full size.

6.) Slide the Pitman arm puller over the arm and center it over the drag link bolt/pin. Crank down on the puller and the drag link will pop off. To keep the drag link off the floor and out of the way I zip tied it to the tie rod.
7.) Remove air intake filter housing using 13mm socket.
8.) Remove shield over steering shaft by popping it off the return line and up the steering shaft.

Click the image to open in full size.

9.) Removed steering shaft pinch bolt using 13mm socket.

Click the image to open in full size.

10.) Slide up lower steering shaft up and off of steering box input shaft. I had to prying between the gear box and the end of the steering shaft to get it to come off.
11.) Place oil pan under the truck and position it under the steering box.
12.) Loosen and slide up the nuts on the input and return lines using 16MM flare nut or regular wrench. Do not pull the lines out of the steering box until you have both nuts loosened. I made this mistake and got fluid all over. Once they are both loose pull one line out and slide the hose over it. Pull the other line out and slide the other end over it. Zip tie the hose on to make sure it doesn’t slide off. This will keep fluid from leaking all over the place.

Click the image to open in full size.

13.) Remove two of the three bolts on the driver’s side frame that hold the box in place using 14MM socket. Loosen the remaining bolt but do not remove it until you are in place to support the steering box. If you are not prepared to support the box it can drop to the floor! Once the last bolt is removed the box will drop down and slide out from the bottom.

Click the image to open in full size.

14.) Remove the Pitman arm by mounting the steering box by the Pitman arm in a bench vise. Use a breaker bar and a 34MM socket (or equivalent SAE socket) and remove the nut holding the arm on. You can also use an air impact like I did instead of a breaker bar. Save nut and lock washer for installation.
15.) Slide the pitman arm puller over the arm and center over the output shaft. Start cranking down on the puller. Even using an air impact I had to bang on the pitman arm a few times with a hammer while cranking on the puller. With a little bit of work the pitman arm popped off.


Installation:
Before beginning the installation make sure the steering box is centered. I checked with the folks at Red Head Steering and they said the box was already centered. Installation is pretty much the reverse of removal.
1.) Reinstall Pitman arm by tapping the arm back on the output shaft and then remounting it in a bench vise by the arm. Apply red thread lock to the output shaft and reinstall lock washer and nut and torque nut to 199 ft-lbs.
2.) Apply red thread lock to the three bolts that hold the steering box to the frame.
3.) Slide the gear box back into truck from the bottom and support it while you install the bolts. It’s easiest to start with the bottom front bolt and then use this as a pivot point to start the other bolts. Torque bolts to 59 ft-lbs (45 ft-lbs for 1999 MY).
4.) Reinstall the steering shaft by wiggling it onto the input shaft of the steering box as far as you can. Then tapping (hammering) on the back side and top of the rubber spring of the steering shaft. Apply red thread lock to the pinch bolt and torque to 36 ft-lbs.

Click the image to open in full size.

5.) Before reinstalling the input and return lines check that each line has a small rubber o-ring at the seat near the end of the line. Without these o-rings you may have a leak. Remove the zip ties and hose looping the lines together.
6.) Once you check the o-rings reinstall the lines by pushing the lines on the steering box and tightening the nuts.
7.) Reinstall the steering shaft shield.
8.) Reinstall the drag link to the pitman arm by tapping (hammering) it back into place. Reinstall the crown nut and torque to 66 ft-lbs (60 ft-lbs 1999 MY). Install new cotter pin. You may need to adjust the drag link to center the steering wheel again.
9.) Reinstall air intake filter housing.
10.) Reattach negative battery lead.
11.) Fill the power steering reservoir to the proper level.
12.) Start the engine and bleed the system by cranking the steering wheel from lock to lock several dozen times. Do not hold the steering wheel against the locks for more than several seconds. Recheck fluid level.
13.) Remove jack stands and lower front tires back down.
14.) Look at your pretty new Red Head Steering box and enjoy the slop free steering.

Click the image to open in full size.
 
#27 ·
Good grief, for $275 I think I would have tried to get it off and back on with vice grips lol
 
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