Steering Box is leaking?

[bluebird]

I have a 65 that seems to be leaking power steering fluid near the bottom of the steering box near the steering arm. It looks like there is a 1 1/2 inch gap where I can see the gear. Is this normal? Can it be leaking from anywhere else and just dripping down to the bottom of the steering box. Any help would be great. I don't want to buy a new steering box if I don't need to.

 

[Joe Vandatta]

There are two seals on the pitman arm shaft, my guess is these are bad. You will have to pull the pitman arm and remove the old seals (not easy) and replace them, if your lucky you might get by with just replacing the lower one.
Joe

 

[Steve66]

It probably is the bottom seals. As Joe said, not easy to remove in the car, but worth a try. If you remove the box from the car now you can easily remove the top cover and pitman (sector) shaft. With that out, replacing the seals is alot easier. Rebuild kit are still available and not very expensive from common autoparts stores. Wile your at it, change the input shaft seal/s.It also has two seals. Don't remove the input shaft/ ball nut assembly unless you realy have to. Those little balls can be a pain in the....

Steve66

[ 05-17-2002: Message edited by: Steve66 ]

 

[Joe Vandatta]

As Steve says, removing the old seals is not easy. I did it and then the top seals started leaking so I had to remove the box and install a seal kit. If you take the box out it is much easier to get it back in if you raise the steering shaft up, bolt the box in, then lower the shaft into the flex coupling.
Joe-66