Borgenson steering shaft and steering box seal replacement - A

[Paccool]

The following was furnished by Pastor Bob.

To change the steering shaft, the first thingI did was remove the front wheel. Make sure to turn the front wheels so you have good acess to the roll pin on the steering shaft before you jack the truck up. Next, take a pair of vise grips or pliers and pull out the orange plastic piece that is inside the roll pin. If it breaks off, you can use a small diameter punch to drive it out. To drive the roll pin out, you need to hold a block of steel behind the shaft to absorb the blows from hitting the roll pin. If this is not done, there is a chance you could damage the upper set of needle bearings on the stub shaft of the steering gearbox. A 2lb hammer head or a chunk of steel stock will work fine. You just don't want the bearings inside to be taking the force of the blow when driving the roll pin out. I know this from experience as I ruined the oil seal in mine by not supporting the shaft. Anyway, if the roll pin won't drive out one way, turn the shaft and try the other way. Sometimes when the roll pins are driven in, they flare a bit and it is much easier to drive them out in reverse than on through. Once the roll pin is out you will have to remove the old shaft at the rag joint. It requires strong arms and a 12 point wrench, 5/16" I think. Then you can take the old shaft out.

Now to tackle the seal. Here are the part numbers which should be double checked as they may be supersceded...J8130157 SEAL SERV KIT 82042Clean the stub shaft up with awire brush, emery cloth, and carb cleaner. You can remove the dust seal and snap ring with a small scribe or screwdriver. As for the seal, you may have to drill a small hole on each side of the seal and screw a couple of drywall screws in to help pull it. On mine, it just took a small chisel to drive/turn it out. Once the seal is out, you will have to wait for the oil to drain out. Once it stops dripping, clean everything up the best you can with carb cleaner. I greased the shaft and put red locktite on the outside of the seal. The grease will help keep the lip from rolling on the seal and the locktite will keep oil from leaking out around the ouside of the seal. I used a deep well socket to gently drive the seal in. Then take a small screwdriver and fill the gap between the oil seal and the dust seal with the grease that comes with the two seals. This will help keep any water out. Then the dust seal will drive on/in. I think somewhere in there there is a snap ring, but I can't remeber where it is. You may encounter it somewhere, but it is very easy and self explaining.

When you put the new Borgenson shaft on, make sure the steering wheel is centered before you file the flat spot on the stub shaft flat. I found the best way to center the shaft is to put the wheels on and drive the truck down the drive. You will understand once you try it. Once the shaft and steering wheel is centered, then tighten the set screw to mark the stub shaft. Also mark where the steering shaft goes on so nothing gets out of alighnment. Then you can file a flat spot on the stub shaft for the set screw to sit. Also, for the lowest set screw, remove it from the steering shaft and file a flat spot on the steering shaft where the lock nut will set. Borgenson doesn't do this, and it causes the set screw to stretch and possibly break when the lock nut is being tightened. (Dohhhh!) The flat spot on the steering shaft gives the lock nut a shoulder to set on. Trust me, been there, done that.

Everything else is pretty straight forward. Good luck and feel free to ask questions. It will probably take about 1-3 hours to do everything (depending on experience)... at least it did for me... don't ask why.... Have fun!

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Stan

93 D250, PDR Twins HX35&HT3B, 60+# boost,PDR stage 2 head w/o-rings, PDR Cam, modified VE Pump, piston style lift pump, modified 5" intake w/AFE, ATS ported manifold,DTT 89% converter, 4" RIP exhaust, modified tranny, EGT/boost/tranny/tach gauges, TPS removed, a little chrome under the hood. Mag-Hitec tranny and diff. covers. Rear sway bar. Line-x bed liner, after market seats. Front end rebuilt with new springs - 2 " taller now. Single stage Water/Meth system installed. Oversized intercooler installed 10/06, 3" IC lines.

"if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem"

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Last edited by Paccool : 01-02-2006 at 09:23 PM.

[5.9fan]

where can you get rebuild parts (if needed)?

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1991 W350 automatic. Reading service body, 8ft. Fisher plow. smoke screw up many turns, swiss cheese airbox, performance muffler, autometer pyro, starwheel and afc adjusted
other ride: 1966 Dodge Dart dead slant six.