Steering box removal

Discussion in 'Mech Tech' started by Betty the Bay, Mar 25, 2020.

  1. Betty the Bay

    Betty the Bay Supporter

    I decided after collecting all the various seals etc to try and sort my leaky box, that I ought to remove it before I lost access to a garage mate with a suitable puller.
    I couldn't get the metal cover at the bottom of the column to move, so I moved underneath to loosen the various nuts......don't know what all the fuss is about the drag link , I bent the locking tab back, removed the finger tight nut holding the drop arm and pulled the arm off using just one hand!
    Think I can undo the nuts on the rubber coupler from underneath....one question...there's a pinch bolt between the coupler and the box...if I loosened this, would the box come out without meddling with the coupler?
     
  2. Take the coupler off - no big deal. Your “finger tight” nut should be done up to about 100 lb ft ;)
     
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  3. Betty the Bay

    Betty the Bay Supporter

    I may turn out that I'm superman, but I doubt it.
    Sods law, all the nuts and bolts, coupler down, were all easy ( as in too easy ) to remove, the coupler ones, less so !
    Given them all a squirt of penetrating oil and given up for day.....not like I'm going anywhere anytime soon!
     
    Valveandy likes this.
  4. Did the ball joint come off ok? Getting the drop arm off might be a struggle.
     
  5. Betty the Bay

    Betty the Bay Supporter

    I was waiting for my ball joint splitter to arrive and was just checking how much hassle removing the various bolts would be.
    The drag link just fell off....it's still attached to the drop arm....the ball joints look to be in good condition, so was intending not to bother breaking the joint.
     
  6. Betty the Bay

    Betty the Bay Supporter

    It would be easier to get to the coupler bolts with the box out of the way.....hence the pinch bolt query.
     
  7. As you can't get a torque wrench on it, how do you measure 100?

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  8. Betty the Bay

    Betty the Bay Supporter

    Didn't have to use any tools to remove mine, but there is room to get spanner or socket on..might need ramps for torque wrench.
     
  9. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Should be able to get a torque wrench on it. What's stopping you?
     
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  10. Betty the Bay

    Betty the Bay Supporter

    If the domed metal cover at the bottom doesn't come off, how would you check the oil level....or to put it another way, how does the cover remove without stripping the steering wheel off ?
     
  11. Can get a 30mm spanner on it, but that doesn't measure torque. Could get a 30mm socket on it for torque wrench, but it would need to be 4" long - is there some other way of doing it?

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    JamesLey likes this.
  12. The cover comes off; put both feet on it and pull the tube up hard. Before you do this straighten the horn spade at the bottom of the tube - if it still exists. Hassle. I am thinking of drilling a 10mm hole at 12 o'clock in the plate to make oiling the steering box easier.

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  13. Betty the Bay

    Betty the Bay Supporter

    Surely that just separates the two parts, it will still be in the way if you need to get to the coupler bolts.
    Why wasn't it made a slightly larger diameter so it could slide up the shaft !
     
  14. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    Beware of yank it off advice on this. Later buses yep, Earlier buses you break that insulating plastic part you can see between the outer and the plate part that locks them both together. Go under, two spanners, you'll have to turn the steering now and then to access bolts but it's quite easy. Not sure there's room to pull the wotsit off the splines while shuffling the box out but no harm trying.
     
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  15. Nothing wrong with yanking off in a 74! As long as the curtains are closed

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  16. Betty the Bay

    Betty the Bay Supporter

    Managed to get a suitably bent spanner on top of bolt and undid it from coupler...just getting all the years of crap off it, along with the underseal that has concealed the leak for years.
     
  17. Worth replacing the coupler bolts if they’re in a state. And new self-locking nuts.
     
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  18. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    And don't loose the fat washers. Bet you already can't remember exactly where they were. He-he.
     
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  19. Went out and gave my tube a good old tug - bit embarrassing with all the bored neighbours watching - half expected to get arrested. Anyway here is the result[​IMG]

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  20. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    So it's a later year model or already broken I guess.
     

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