power steering leak - looks like from gear box. Replace?

[centuryhouse]

My 72 GMC C15 (350 engine, TH350 trans, etc) has had a severe ps leak for a while. I replaced the hoses but the leak persists. I ran a towel under the pump & reservoir, and it came up pretty dry. The main leak seems to be under the gear box & rag-joint.

The power steering works great and feels great. I hate to replace working units, but the leak is bad - leaks out entirely within 3 or 4 days.

Do gear boxes often leak? Will a standard parts store replacement work? Should the rag-joint be replaced at the same time?

When I replaced the high pressure hose, it was nowhere like what came off the truck. And neither is any other type I could find when I checked all surrounding years. I'm afraid of buying the gear box and it not being right either.

[joeydurango]

I'm not aware of a kit that will allow you to rebuild your own steering gear box. I've always used Redhead replacement boxes - they rebuild old cores to excellent quality, and can even get you a quick-ratio version if you want to update your steering feel a little. Direct fit, direct replacement, no problems.

Replace the rag joint if it's falling apart or damaged, but leave it alone if not!

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by centuryhouse

My 72 GMC C15 (350 engine, TH350 trans, etc) has had a severe ps leak for a while. I replaced the hoses but the leak persists. I ran a towel under the pump & reservoir, and it came up pretty dry. The main leak seems to be under the gear box & rag-joint.

The power steering works great and feels great. I hate to replace working units, but the leak is bad - leaks out entirely within 3 or 4 days.

Do gear boxes often leak? Will a standard parts store replacement work? Should the rag-joint be replaced at the same time?

When I replaced the high pressure hose, it was nowhere like what came off the truck. And neither is any other type I could find when I checked all surrounding years. I'm afraid of buying the gear box and it not being right either.

You can buy the seals to rebuild the stock unit. the problem is it's probably leaking because it's worn out on the inside. If you put new seals in a wore out box they will leak again pretty quick. Redhead is a good gear for sure. The parts store boxes are known to be of varying quality.

[Shady Rascal]

I've resealed countless steering boxes. While I won't downplay the wear factor that the above poster mentioned, I find the culprit is usually just an old dried out seal. Here is a picture I took awhile back while resealing a box. Notice the old rubber is just dried and cracked. A 15 dollar seal kit fixed it fine, and to this day, it's still bone dry (my own personal truck actually).

[joeydurango]

You learn something new every day - glad there are actually seal kits out there!

[centuryhouse]

Originally Posted by Shady Rascal

I've resealed countless steering boxes. While I won't downplay the wear factor that the above poster mentioned, I find the culprit is usually just an old dried out seal. Here is a picture I took awhile back while resealing a box. Notice the old rubber is just dried and cracked. A 15 dollar seal kit fixed it fine, and to this day, it's still bone dry (my own personal truck actually).

Hey neighbor! (I'm actually in Plano, but from out in Graham so I used to drive through your area all the time).

I like the idea of the seal kit due to costs. I haven't really experienced any steering problems so the box itself is probably still ok.

How hard is it to pull that gearbox? Special tools needed?

And is there a particular place to get that seal kit?

[joeydurango]

I obviously don't know the source for the seal kit, but it is very easy to remove the box. A basic socket set and a few open-end wrenches will get the job done, no problem. Just disconnect the intermediate steering shaft first (comes off the rag joint), then the hoses, then unbolt from the frame. Then remove the rag joint (PB Blaster is your friend here).

[57taskforce]

You'll need a spanner wrench to get the box apart as well.

[Bigdav160]

It sounds like the adjuster plug is leaking. Kits are readily available and inexpensive. Special tools are a small torque wrench, a sacrificial 12 point socket, pin punch and a pin spanner.

Following the service manual instructions is important. The adjustments need to be done in the correct order and there are pins that must be properly aligned in the spool valve.

I've rebuilt about 100 boxes.

[centuryhouse]

Thanks for the info guys!

[midniteblues]

The boxes are not that hard too rebuild. Time,patience,large work area too spread everything out on and a few tools.

The rebuild kits are cheap.

IF you decide too pull it completely apart be very careful of the ball bearings in the sector and worm gear.

I knew they were coming out and still dropped a lot of them
There is a few good how too videos on u tube.

[slikside]

Sub'd.

[stsalvage]

If you have a factory box dod not trade it in as a core Eat the core price cus your factory steering box has more turns then the after market box dose.So hang on to your boxes have them rebuilt mark them with a chisel so Know one steels yours

[joeydurango]

Redhead boxes have the same number of turns - they are remanufactured original boxes. You can buy a quick-ratio one (less turns), but the stock replacement one is just like stock. Don't know about the parts store ones.

[rx78nt1alex]

I just bought the kit to do the complete seal repair. Do you have the original steering box? If so, they sell complete, Pitman arm seal, or input seal kits at Oreillys. The store in Arlington on Matlock usually has more than your local store. I picked up a complete kit for $25 or so on Monday.

Make sure you have the original box by looking at the casting numbers to the right of the aluminum cover with the 4 bolts to see if you have a newer one or not. 7802644 was my casting number and I typed that in to oreillys.

7802644L appears to be the first design, so probably your truck.

7802644 appears to be the second design, which was mine, as the PO may have replaced it before.

Oreillys has both kits available in their house brand Master Pro or Gates.

Link for Complete kit
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/se...make=Chevrolet

Link for Input seals (where the steering wheel shaft connects) and usually leaks
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/se...make=Chevrolet

Link for Pitman arm seals
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/se...make=Chevrolet


I plan on using these links for rebuild:

Link for input shaft and Pitman arm seal repair only
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=619634

Link for complete rebuild
http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/tr...g-box-rebuild/


The important thing is to reallllly clean the outside so that nothing falls inside and maybe using an old baking sheet to work on to keep things near by, should they roll away.

I'm going to bite the bullet and rebuild the whole thing; it worked beautifully but just got that same leak.

[65 C20]

If you go to the suspension forum and search under ( back to the basics )
Tx Firefighter has done an excellent job discribing how to rebuild the box along with a bunch of pictures.

Cal.

To bad I found it after I had bought a new box.

[rx78nt1alex]

Measure the input shaft diameter before you go to the store. The Pitman arm shaft should be the same through different models, but the input shafts are different diameters. Mine has a 7/8 diameter shaft, so when I went to install the new bearing, it just dropped out the bottom of the plug. I think 7857 should be the correct one for the complete kit. 7095 should just be the input shaft seals only.

[cigar-]

My two cents...

I' not at all adept at rebuilding a steering box. But I found a company in SoCal that does them all the time and does them REALLY well. Cost if I recall is around 200-300. I had my 71 steering box rebuilt and it is so smooth and no play whatsoever. Granted that's a bit of money but the truck steers like new.

I also had to make sure I had the right "ports" or fitting in the steering gear as a revious owner had put a steering gear in the truck from a different vintage truck. The box leaked all over and I broke down for the rebuild. The company (Lee Engineering) in Sun Valley, CA sells aluminum inserts to install the later model hose into the box.

They are pros and have solutions that work.

[Andy4639]

I had a small drip on mine a while back. About one drop a day. I bought a bottle of Lucas power steering stop leak. So far so good.

[Willie Makeit]

please, for the love of all that is good, don't pour any sort of "mechanic in a bottle" into your system. that's the half-ass way of repairing things and eventually these "fixes" will do more harm than good. do it right. rebuild it.

[Andy4639]

Originally Posted by Willie Makeit

please, for the love of all that is good, don't pour any sort of "mechanic in a bottle" into your system. that's the half-ass way of repairing things and eventually these "fixes" will do more harm than good. do it right. rebuild it.

Tha fact is it worked! No I don't usually use this type of stuff but a week before the HRPT working 12hr shifts I didn't have time to fix it. As stated it was a small drip so I tried it. It hasn't leaked since.

[Willie Makeit]

the fact is, bailing wire will hold your muffler on too, but that don't mean it's the correct way of repairing things.