Steering Gear Seal: Service and Repair

Fig. 5 Recirculating Ball Type Power Steering Gear:

Only the sealing parts of the gear assembly can be replaced, Fig. 5. The internal components of the steering gear must be replaced as an assembly.

Fig. 6 Sector Shaft Removal. Recirculating Ball Type Power Steering Gear:

SECTOR SHAFT OIL SEAL, REPLACE
1. Remove steering gear and set stub shaft in straight ahead position, which is 2.14 turns from lock position.
2. Remove bolts securing sector shaft cover and free sector shaft and cover by lightly tapping sector shaft with a suitable mallet.
3. Place a roll of plastic film around the end of sector shaft, Fig. 6, and remove sector shaft from steering gear.
4. Remove dust cover, snap ring, dust cover special washer, back-up ring and oil seal, as required.
5. Replace O-ring seal on sector shaft cover.
6. Reverse procedure to assemble.

Fig. 7 Rear Housing & Worm Gear Removal. Recirculating Ball Type Power Steering Gear:

REAR HOUSING SEAL, REPLACE
1. Remove steering gear from vehicle and mount in a suitable holding fixture.
2. Loosen but do not remove rear housing bolts.
3. Turn sector shaft slightly to raise intermediate cover through piston.
4. Turn stub shaft and place piston (worm gear) in its straight ahead position.
5. Remove sector shaft.
6. Pull out rear housing, intermediate cover, and worm gear as an assembly, Fig. 7.
7. To remove rear housing, turn assembly with worm gear facing bench and tap lightly on stub shaft with a suitable mallet.
8. Remove rear housing seal and O-rings from both sides of intermediate cover.
9. To assemble, reverse procedure. Tighten rear housing attaching bolts in a criss-cross pattern.