Steering Box Seal

die hard · August 26, 2009

2001 2500 hd 8.1 steering box seal is leaking around the shaft that comes from the steering column has any one changed the seal with out removing the box from the truck ? looks like there might be enough room to do the job ? just looking for some advise ..i blam the seal leaking from the road salt/ liquid calcium they put on the roads in winter causeing the seal to corroad ..thanks for reading my post

96chevy7.4L · August 26, 2009

thats a pitman arm seal. Its not hard to change. Easiest way to get it out is to remove the pitman arm and with the truck on jack stands and the pitman arm off start the truck up and turn the wheels all the way to one side and it will blow the seal out the bottom. The other way is will a big seal puller which is a PITA. Once it blows the seal out you will know shut the truck off or it will dump all the fluid out on the ground.

die hard · August 27, 2009

thanks for your reply ..the seal i need to change is on the top of box on the shaft going towrds the steering wheel is that seal just as easy to change or are there ant tricks to install or remove ? thanks

gmtech4 · August 27, 2009

the seal kit can be a pain to install and has to be done on the bench and there is a proceedure for this ,i have no access to GM info anymore but an experienced tech can cheat and win as long as the lock nut is put back where it was before removal and the retainer is counted the number of turns as well ,it takes some force to put the seal assy on the shaft,I recommend letting a tech do it as the shop is responsible if they mess it up ,your lookin at APPROX 2.0 hrs labour ,you can ask first ,its called the sector shaft seal or steering gear input seal

die hard · August 27, 2009

thanks for your reply my list of things is getting longer and longer ..1 broken exhaust stud, front pump seal on tranny, steering box seal, heater fan switch ,a few dash lights , fuel gauge is messed up , my dash board looks like a x-mas tree with all the lights lite up ...i just did a lower ball joint replaced my transfercase ,crank senssor...whats next ?

96chevy7.4L · August 27, 2009

If its the top seal you have to replace yeah the box has to come out. That seal kit is a pain to install. But sounds like your doing an overhaul. Let us know how it progresses.