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Topic: Steering box blues

in Forum: C3 Handling Components

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Steering box blues (1/10)
6/10/15 5:54pm

hmel '74
Former Member
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York, SC - USA

Vette(s):
1974 mille miglia red with oxblood interior 355ci, 320hp

Joined: 9/4/2005
Posts: 534

Discovered a leak in my steering box (see white arrow in pic)
Dont mind the missing paint on the cap, I'll be repainting :)
Is this salvageable?

|UPDATED|6/10/2015 2:54:06 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

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Re: Steering box blues (2/10)
6/10/15 9:48pm

Joanne
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Joined: 11/30/2006
Posts: 441

yep,I think so did my stng box awhile ago wasn't to hard a job.

zip corette has parts and a how to.article,on they're site.

good luck.

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1979 Corvette

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Re: Steering box blues (3/10)
6/10/15 10:34pm

Adams' Apple

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Duncanville, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas

Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20128

Certainly re-sealable. Best to remove gearbox to do the job, but not really a hard repair to do.

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Re: Steering box blues (4/10)
6/11/15 10:28am

kstyer

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CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH - USA

Vette(s):
1975 C3 Red, T-Tops, Black Interior. All I need is time and money! Getting there!

Joined: 12/2/2003
Posts: 6424

With the box out it's fairly easy to do. Kits are available.

Just be sure to adjust it properly. All of the nuts by shafts are a bearing preload adjustment. If you want to do it the easy way, mark the position of everything and be sure to put it back in the same place. If you go ahead and do the preload adjustment you may find the steering is a bit tighter and smoother. Then again, if there is little wear you might not be able to tell a difference.

The hardest part is just a matter of grunt. When you take the pinion arm off of the pinion (output) shaft the nut is VERY tight and the arm wont want to come off. You will need a pitman arm puller. Again, not difficult, but necessary to get it apart. The seals at the input you indicated can be done in the car if you don't want to take the box out, but it will make you hold your tounge funny and say bad words.

|UPDATED|6/11/2015 7:28:18 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

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Re: Steering box blues (5/10)
6/11/15 10:58am

hmel '74
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York, SC - USA

Vette(s):
1974 mille miglia red with oxblood interior 355ci, 320hp

Joined: 9/4/2005
Posts: 534

thanks guys.�
I think i'm going to fore go rebuilding and get a reman box. I see zip has them for $200 and mid america has them for $170. I think i'll go ahead and get a new coupler/rag joint while im at it.

Other than the pittman arm puller, any other pita's to consider replacing one?

|UPDATED|6/11/2015 7:58:48 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

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Re: Steering box blues (6/10)
6/11/15 11:44am

kstyer

Not really. Pretty straight forward. Just pay attention to lining up the splines on the input and output shafts. It's more involved with air bags, but does not apply to a C3.

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Re: Steering box blues (7/10)
6/11/15 12:15pm

manchestershark

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Equinunk, PA - USA

Vette(s):
1972 conv, 4-speed, 350, 200hp, numbers match, rally wheels, war bonnett yellow w/white top. good condition, nice driver.

Joined: 10/31/2007
Posts: 2385

GOOD IDEA, on the reman from a supplier. I took both of mine apart, and the grease was akin to cozmoline. Gears were dry and worn. New box did the trick, and the degree of handling was WAY above expected. You won't be sorry.

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Re: Steering box blues (8/10)
6/11/15 12:57pm

Adams' Apple

Just for future reference, the proper lubricant for the Corvette steering gearbox is a grease, not any kind of an oil, or gear lube. Other GM steering boxes from the era did use different types of gear oil/fluids, but Corvette ONLY used a grease. Some folks use a chassis grease, but you can still get the correct stuff from GM. Comes in a tube just like regular grease for a grease gun, GM part #12377985.
You will not normally find grease leaking, but...grease = an oil & a soap. The soap won't break down and leak, but the oil will, and that's what you'll see seeping out of a gearbox.

Steering Gearbox 101 is concluded for today. There will be a test later.... Evil Smile

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Re: Steering box blues (9/10)
10/7/15 1:03pm

nascar03
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, - Canada

Vette(s):
1975 Corvette Coupe ZZ4/4sp. Owned 31+ years. 2003 Corvette Convert, owned 1 year.

Joined: 11/4/2012
Posts: 9

I plan to pull my steering box and send it in to be rebuilt.

There are few shops here locally that can do this.

My question is what is the best way to pull the box from the car.

Is it best to remove the pittman arm from the box o/p shaft or is it better to remove the tapered joint at the power steering control valve end of the arm?

I've never done this before and it scares me to use any force near the control valve to break the tapered joint loose.

thanx

graham (1975 coupe).

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1975 Corvette 4 speed coupe...ZZ4 crate, lowered, 17" wheels BFG G-Force KDW tires.

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2003 Corvette roadster, Z06 wheels/susp., Corsa, Dynatech, Halltech, Baer,

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Re: Steering box blues (10/10)
10/7/15 2:24pm

F4Gary

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Grapevine, TX - USA

Vette(s):
1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air.

Joined: 8/26/2006
Posts: 1409

You could kick in another 400 bucks and go Borgeson.

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