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1st Gen. Ram - All TopicsDiscussion for all Dodge Rams prior to 1994. This includes engine, drivetrain and non-drivetrain discussions. Anything prior to 1994 should go in here.
[quote=nonrev]Ol-dodge 1992 Mine also has 4 bolts holding the steering box to the bracket, the bracket is held on by 3 bolts. The nut you are referring to on mine is made from stamped metal and holds the bracket that holds the lines, correct? I used an air gun to get all my bolts out easy as you please.
Yes sir that's the one ... I got the nut off it was the bolt that I could not get out to separate the box and plate... but as you can see from my last post everything is apart and in pieces (even things that I didn't want to be)
The only thing now is to weld up the plate ... somehow get the steering arm off the bottom of the steering box... pick up the new parts from NAPA tomorrow and throw her all back together so I can go to church on Sunday and then work on Monday!!!
Decided to remove the steering box from the steering shaft... I drove out the roll pin in the rectangular coupling... tried to coax the coupling off the splined shaft going into the box... and the shaft came out of the coupling?!?!
Is this ok ?? I'm thinking not ...
Then I tried to remove the pressure lines... first one started rounding off so I got a pair of vise grips and squeezed down really good... you guys know what happened... the metal right angle section of the line twisted off like it was warm butter!!!
If the lines were that old/thin I suppose I'm glad to be in my driveway and have the failure instead off some back road during hunting season... or coming home from work in the middle of town!
Anyways... how do I get the steering arm off the bottom of the steering box? And ... what do I do about the steering shaft and coupling?
Thank you for putting up with my misery... and as always thanks for any advice
SD
I'm thinking it's time to retire that box or send it to redhead to get it rebuilt, although I have had pretty good luck with the rebuilts from the Zone.
To get the pitman arm off I've always had to use a puller. JMHO
I have a new/reman steering box coming from NAPA... new pressure lines coming from NAPA so getting the pitman arm off without busting it is the next step
Would a 2 or 3 jaw puller work or must it be a designated pitman puller
I have a new/reman steering box coming from NAPA... new pressure lines coming from NAPA so getting the pitman arm off without busting it is the next step
Would a 2 or 3 jaw puller work or must it be a designated pitman puller
AutoZone (don't know if you have them in Canada) has a tool loaner program that is free. I am sure that if there is no Autozone, there is probably one that has the same. Pitman arms can be a pita to get off, especially if they have never been removed...Mark
Ol-dodge 1992 Mine also has 4 bolts holding the steering box to the bracket, the bracket is held on by 3 bolts. The nut you are referring to on mine is made from stamped metal and holds the bracket that holds the lines, correct? I used an air gun to get all my bolts out easy as you please. the nut you are referring to?
you can see both bolts, this is the end towards the cab
the one on the top is a little hard to see but it is there, pic 2 and 3 are shot from the top looking towards the ground
This is on the 1992 W250 in my sig but when you order a box at the parts store they say the same box for 2 and 4 wheel drive and if I remember correctly it's the same box for 1/2 ton 3/4, and 1 ton.
That does not look factory, they haven't used square nuts like that in a hundred years...Mark
The primary cause of the outer (factory) brace cracking is because the pitman arm nut loosens up on the steering box spline. The marginal C-frame’s flex doesn’t help either. Moves the box vertically, and ithe brace starts cracking around the raised bolt bosses.
Generally happens by making the factory brace crack due to reusing the hardened washer, and/or not staking the nut after torquing to 180ft-lbs.
The inner (Ramcharger) brace helps some, but just delays the inevitable. It can be beefed up though.
Crossover steering, while nice on a lifted truck, isnt needed for bump steer on a stock height truck; it’s only advantage on a stock truck as far as strength is that it moves the steering box backwards about an inch and a half to the 2wd location. One does need to shorten the steering shaft to compensate though.
Look for cracked nylon bushings and sagged springs on the upper caps’ kingpin hardware for death wobble/shimmy on a first gen.
As far as Redhead - no thanks. I’ve seen 3 out of 5 boxes this year alone with substandard operation.
BlueTop or a NAPA box is a more consistent bet.
If you go BlueTop, definitely get the 12.1 ratio box.
I have a new/reman steering box coming from NAPA... new pressure lines coming from NAPA so getting the pitman arm off without busting it is the next step
Would a 2 or 3 jaw puller work or must it be a designated pitman puller
A 2 jaw might work. but I have found that if you have one that is small enough to get between the arm and the box it isn't strong enough to pull the gear without breaking.
The nut in the picture is not square on my truck either it is a thin, stamped steel 6 sided nut.
A 2 jaw might work. but I have found that if you have one that is small enough to get between the arm and the box it isn't strong enough to pull the gear without breaking.
The nut in the picture is not square on my truck either it is a thin, stamped steel 6 sided nut.
Sorry, it looks square in the pic. What exactly is it holding? It couldn't be "structural" if it is a thin stamped nut, could it? It is hard to tell from the pic where exactly it is, Thanks Mark Sorry again, I missed your description above the pic That said, To OP, I go back to just cutting it off and move on...
Sorry, it looks square in the pic. What exactly is it holding? It couldn't be "structural" if it is a thin stamped nut, could it? It is hard to tell from the pic where exactly it is, Thanks Mark Sorry again, I missed your description above the pic That said, To OP, I go back to just cutting it off and move on...
Sorry Mark, the pics were not to clear, it holds the support for the line holder
Very good pictures showing exactly what I was trying to get off ... the nit was no problem but, I could not get the bolt to break loose.
Finally decided to remove the pressure lines and once I got the whole steering box/plate assembly out of the truck and got a 1/2 breaker bar on that last bolt she came out no problem
Still waiting on parts from NAPA this morning... hopefully button everything up on the steering this afternoon
Sorry Mark, the pics were not to clear, it holds the support for the line holder
front
side
hope this makes it clear as mud
Yup,that explains a lot, my '90 W250 doesn't have that. The biggest pain for me on a job like that is finding the only &*$%^@#$#!@#%& 16 mm wrench that I have to get the one PS line off. It could be 18 mm, it doesn't really matter though, because I only have one of those too...Mark
Yup,that explains a lot, my '90 W250 doesn't have that. The biggest pain for me on a job like that is finding the only &*$%^@#$#!@#%& 16 mm wrench that I have to get the one PS line off. It could be 18 mm, it doesn't really matter though, because I only have one of those too...Mark
Those light metal straps on the ps hard lines is probably to help prevent vibration fatigue. There were on my '90 D250 too. I bet that stuff disappears the first time the lines are changed...
I've got in the habit of keeping a set of new lines on-hand. On a crusty old box, I pinch the old lines off with a bolt cutter and use a socket and breaker bar on the fittings. Put a tiny smear of neverseize on (threads only) in hopes it will come apart easier next time.
FWIW, the intercooled ps lines are longer (both rubber and steel sections) and will work on non-IC trucks. The lines are longer to clear the IC outlet better, and the vac pump is longer overall.
09-07-2018, 02:30 PM
That said, To OP, I go back to just cutting it off and move on...
