rebuild / seal 1977 power steering gear box

[mfresia]

Question for anyone who has rebuilt a steering gear box on a 1977 4X4 F150 or something similar.

Got it pretty much torn down but am having trouble removing the input shaft and associated valve body from the valve body enclosure.

The directions (from the kit purchased from Napa) talk about removing a lock nut and retainer nut similar to the wheel bearings. Unfortunately there isn't a deep enough well socket to fit over the shaft to remove this nut unless I am looking at the wrong thing.

Can anyone offer any advise?

Thanks
Marc

 

[mfresia]

Hi Guys, it's me again. Doing a little more investigation it turns out there is a special tool to remove the worm bearing lock nut. Have any of you heard of part number T66P-3553-B? It's over $270!!! Anybody run into this? Any ways to get around this tool?

Thanks as always
Marc

 

[mfresia]

Me again,
Found that there is a small set screw. Once removed I was able to get the nut off using a drift and hammer. It came off just fine with no damage.

Does anyone know where one can purchase the input shaft bearing to the steering gear? Found a part number (FC65753) but no one has one, not even a photo of one. Junk yard part?

 

[BigNate]

Sorry you've been at this with no replies yet. I'm covered up like a cat turd myself and this is the first time on here in a while.

The "how to get around it" thing is not to terrible depending on what you have available to you. One thing you can do is weld a "handle" of some sort to the side of a cheap socket, the drill out the back just slightly larger than the shaft diameter. The welding does cause the heat treat to be ruined but it usually isn't an issue for nuts like you're describing. This allows the shaft to pass through. Harbor Freight has great tool to modify.