Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Has anyone rebuit a leaking power steering box them selves? or even removed one from a car?

any links of how too would be great or advice from those who have done it before.

Thanks
Ben

Have done some research elsewhere and found some people who have tried it.

I was basically told you can do it yourself but there is every chance it will still leak, something to do with tolerances.

So for anyone else who thinks of giving it a go I was recommended to get it done by a pro - note it was a refferal not the avtual person who would benefit from the work who suggested it.

catch ya

What car are you talking about ?

I removed mine from my 4runner (2.8 diesel, IFS) leaking fluid from the top (again). Not hard to do, only problem I had was that one of the pwr steering line fittings was frozen stuck so I couldn't undo it from the box. Luckily it was near a flexible part of hose so I just undid it there. Also had to bend up the inner guard a bit with pliers to squeeze the box out thru. I had a go at getting the pitman arm off the box but mine was stuck solid and you don't have to take the arm off the box anyway to get it out.

I dropped it into a shop to get taken apart and resealed. All up $395 and they freed the frozen fluid line. Saved a bit over $200 doing the removal and reinstall. 5 yrs ago I had to get it done with them doing the lot and it cost $565. Today would cost a bit more.

Reinstalling was no real hassle. The book said to mark the box spline and steering shaft yoke so that when refitting, the steering wheel is back to where it originally was but an easier way is to just take the wheel off and centre it.

They recommend that you don't leave the leak too long as the shafts in the box can get scored which could mean scrapping it.

As for DIY see: http://www.toyotasurf.asn.au/forum/view ... eering+box

http://www.toyotasurf.asn.au/techsite/powersteering.htm

LN 106 2.8 Diesel.

yeah i found the stuff on asnsurf site thanks.

Have got quotes now for 300 to rebuild if i fit it myself which is better than paying some one 500 as origionally quoted, and the problem you had getting that bit undone sounds par for course with it.

was thinking of pulling it down and trying to replace the seals my self (as they dont cost much) then if all else fails take it to be rebuilt. I always like to give it a go myself first.

I might clean it down thoughrouly and see where its leaking so i know what im looking for. once i open it up. just hope that shaft isnt worn as that apparently is $$$.

Just pulled out the box last night... bugger of a job, the worst part was once it was all undone getting it out of the car, doesnt fit out the bottom and only just fits out the top. I think it took me as long to get it out as it did to undo everything.

2 inch body lift would have been the goods thats for sure!

am going to have a go at replacing all the seals myself, will let you know how i go...

Ive got it all apart and been off to get the new seals and o rings, had to be ordered in and will have them tuesday.

Was having a bit of a play with reassembling it again and could not work out how to do the ball bearing bit.

has anyone reassembled this part before? you cant just throw them in as they end up falling out and you cant line all side as they dont stay there either... hmmm

any suggestions

Try covering the ball bearings in grease first, that will make them stick.

I have rebuilt the steering box, the grease on the bearings worked a treat.

all up the parts cost $12.50 from an industrial supplies shop in penrith.

I have tried something a little different though... let me know your thoughts as to it being good or bad.

The input shaft is renouned for getting pitting on it from trapped water and dirt in the seal, pitting causes the leak and having it recromed costs several hundred bucks.

What I did was fit 2 seals one after the other on this shaft. I thought it would help for 2 reasons, a if one seal doesnt sit flush enough the other might and also as the seals actually wear the shaft where they contact so sometimes a new seal might not be 'tight' enough. the second seal sits on a 'new' section of the input shaft closer to the pitman arm and should not have any wear on it. Interestingly the exposed part of the shaft (where my second seal sits) did not have any of the pitting which was visable where the old seal sat.

The housing for the seal has plenty of room for 2 seals and it doesnt interfer with anything else...

might be a solution to save people paying to have shafts recromed.

but then again im a hack so feel free to tell me why this might not work