Steering box leak 544
 

I have developed a steering box leak that is dripping on the ground. Before I tear into it are there easy ways to replace seals without full removal of the box and column?

If you are going to do the job by the book you need to remove the steering box so you can accurately measure the friction of the steering column for example.

Trying to replace seals with it in-situ would be in my opinion a pain in the arse - I think the job will go more quickly with the unit out of the car.

If you decide to remove it I'd look very carefully at the item before removal to work out which bit is indeed leaking. Looking at my steering box the most likely source seems to me to be the lower pack of shims at the end of the column - which is why I reassembled my steering box with a load of sprayed on Hylomar on each side of each shim

It is leaking out of the lower part of the steering box. It’s leaking out of the shaft then it runs along the Pitman arm and then leaks off of the Tie end rod.

Bite the bullet and do the job once and for all.There might be an alternative. recently on this forum there was some discussion re a steering box grease.

Remove Pitman arm noting the punch marks on the shaft and arm. They have to match up. Pick out the seal and replace. For you perhaps obtain from Mike Dudek or Eric-Planetman. Will it stop the leak? Probably. Will it last? Possibly. It will depend on how much wear there is in the bottom steering box bush and the amount of movement to the shaft it allows. A lot of movement will damage the seal quite quickly depending on the wear.
If you want to go further there is a refurb kit that provides new bushes and gaskets. Bushes need to be reamed to fit the shaft. New shafts with steering worm, which is part of the shaft are no longer available. Finding a better used box is your only other option.
Oil spec for the box is 80, the rear axle is 90. Use 90 for both. Do not use grease in the box. There are some thicker fluid greases that may feature in replies to this. The idea is that they reduce the leakage and that may be true. 160 that old Jaguars use for instance. Use at your own risk. It is very hard to get this out of the box if you decide it doesn't work. Bearing grease virtually impossible without a strip down.

My Studebakers use cornhead grease in the boxes. Nasty, sticky stuff. I will look into replacing the bottom seal. This was my replacement box from a parts car. My original was seized and damaged. I am correct that the entire column has to come out with it? That is how I replaced it.

From what I have seen the column does indeed have to come out.

Not sure if this helps but you can remove (need to remove) the axle onto which the Pitman arm is fixed before you remove the long shaft that runs down the steering column (the part with the worm gear)

It is possible removal of the Pitman arm will be a pain in the backside - the one on my steering box wasn't too bad to remove but if I remember correctly I did need to apply a fair amount of heat before it would budge. I've had Pitman arms on other vehicle types causing me heaps of trouble before...

I managed to remove my pitman with a puller which I bought from ebay. I agree with Derek bite the bullet and get a full re furb' kit.

Did you get one like this George? The ends that go behind the arm have to be quite thin as there is very little room on the Volvo box. I have one of these or similar, and it worked on a Duett box (I think I got it back from you Simon?) It's different to the Volvo type.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/US-PRO-TI...UAAOSws65TodKc