Uwharrie Damage - Chevy IFS Steering

[Ricky B]

Well out of my group that went this weekend the Bronco on 35's broke his right front U-Joint, The guy with the wrangler lost a brakeline on the trail but fixed it on the trail, the guy with the 4runner on 35's had absolutly no oil pressure but that was easily fixed by actually checking the oil and seeing he needed a whole bunch.

Here's my problem: I caught a rock with my right front tire that I didn't see on Sawmill and I happened to be throttling pretty hard to get up a rocky hill at the time so my steering is waay out of alighnment now and is leaking pretty good out of my steering box where the pitman arm attaches underneath. Obviously it is also making the slight grinding noise you get when your low on steering fliud. Any body have an idea on what it could be? I'm probably gonna pull my skidplates and take a look at it tommorow but I dont really know anything bout a 95 Chevy IFS steering box so I'm just going to be looking for visible breakege. Any tips on what to look for would be great.
Thanks

 

[Lee]

sounds like you messed up the sector shaft on the steering box and/or bent something in the linkage, probably gonna need a new steering box or seal kit for it. and an alingnment if everything else checks out ok

 

[grapehead]

shine a light up there and see where it is leaking from.

could be anything from blowing the seals out (an easy $15 fix) to cracking the box...

 

[Ricky B]

Thanks for the replies, I still havnt gotten around to looking at it but luckly its not my daily driver so I can take my time with fixing it. But yea hopefully its not too serious . . .

 

[Ricky B]

Ok took some time yesturday to look at it. Ok I took some pics so I'm gonna explain as best I can exactly what is going on. ok so the first pic here shows the whole box and as you can see down where the arm is its wet from fliud being leaked out:

Now, below is a picture with a black arrow pointing to what looks like a washer:

That washer is actually made of rubber so I assume it is the "seal". Now between that seal and the actual pitman arm is where the fliud is leaking out. There is no visible damage whatsoever and it only leaks out when you turn the steering full lock one way or the other.


Now, like I said before I dont know what the heck this means so I am assuming that I need to change out that "Seal" and my problem will be solved. With this extra info does anybody have any better clue as to what is wrong? Should I just go ahead and change out the seal and see if that fixes it?
Thanks


PS: Is there anything special to unbolting a pitman arm or do I just take it off?

 

[Metto]

your going to need a puller to get it off...they dont just slide off. with the fluid leaking on it it may have help loosen it up a bit

 

[fryedaddy]

I would check into that as soon as possible. I had a problem with my steering box leaking for a couple of weeks and it was a metal washer inside the steering box. They are pretty simple and I would go ahead and rebuild it all. No cents in putting a washer on the fix what you "think" is wrong. Would suck to get it back together to realize it's not that.

 

[grapehead]

a pittman arm reseal kit is like $15 at AZ or advance. you will need a puller and some good snap ring pliers. youve already blown out the old ones, so it should be easy.

 

[shawn]

Before you go sticking a seal kit on it, have a helper rock the steering wheel while you watch for lateral play in the sector shaft.

IME, if the seal goes bad or squirts out, it's because the sector shaft bushing is junk, letting the sector shaft flop around and tear up the seal. If that's the case, it's time to rebuild the box.

 

[grapehead]

true. that snap ring shouldnt pop out like that.

 

[rattlecanpaint]

your going to need a puller to get it off...they dont just slide off. with the fluid leaking on it it may have help loosen it up a bit

So, uh, what kind of puller? Is a standard two arm one OK?

 

[Rich]

So, uh, what kind of puller? Is a standard two arm one OK?

Hell no - you need a pitman arm puller. Get it from NAPA at the bare minimum, NOT from AutoZone, Northern, etc...

Crank on it while hitting the pitman with a BFH.

 

[Ricky B]

Ok so I went by Parks Chevrolet and the guy there gave me a printout of my steering box internals. I tried to take pics of it but all I have is my crappy camera phone so they are bad but bear with me here.

Ok so the first pic here is a total layout.

And this Pic shows the 4 washers that are inside of the boot between the pitman arm and the box.

Now, the guy there said alot of times one of those washers fail and thats whats probably causeing my leak so I went ahead and ordered all 4 to replace em anyway.


Saf-t:

- Now from what I'm reading what I should really be looking at is the sector shaft. First off I dont know which part the sector shaft is I'm guessing its part # 12 on the layout but correct me if im wrong. When I'm actually under my truck where am I supposed to be looking for the play in the sector shaft?

-Now if I find the bushing is bad thus causing play in the sector shaft why would I rebuild the box and not just replace the bushing? (Also if you could, point out the part # that is the Sector Shaft Bushing).

 

[Rich]

look at the pitman but while someone turns the wheel. if it moves in any way other than rotating, that's bad.

 

[Ricky B]

Oh ok, yea I've already done that and it doesnt move at all other than how its supposed to. So does that mean its probably a seal? Because I just picked up a seal kit today anyway.