Steering issues, seized gear box?

Vaximily · Aug 18, 2015

1989 Ford Ranger 4x4 XLT Automatic, 2.9L V6

A little background... :popcorn:

- I'm not mechanically inclined, don't know the vast majority of what anything in a vehicle is actually called, but I can usually read an instruction manual and watch youtube videos and figure things out.

- I've had this truck in my driveway for nearly 2 years, have driven it a cumulative of maybe 300 miles, mostly back and forth to the auto parts store.

- Replaced the Power Steering Pump 18 months ago as multiple people told me that was the noise I was hearing... shade tree mechanic helped do it, noise didn't go away, so he said it must be "the rack & pinion". Recently discovered that this truck uses ATF Type 'F' instead of PS Fluid, so I drained it and refilled accordingly as best I could.

Time goes by, I ignore the truck, recently started poking at it again... it has always (since I've had it) had steering issues... crawls all over the road, constantly have to adjust, etc. Not a particular pull to one side or the other, just won't go in a straight line.

- Multiple people told me it must be the alignment. I took it in, the guy calls me and says it's not an alignment, it's the "gear box" is seized (later confirmed he meant the steering box) as the wheel doesn't come back to zero on it's own. :bawling:

At this point, I've got it up on jacks, replacement Power Steering Pump in hand (just in case, since lifetime warranty, autozone gave me another in case the first I installed was bad) and I've got a gear box ready to go in as well, just need to get the pitman arm off and figure out how that sucker is supposed to come out of the engine bay. :icon_welder:

Is there anything ELSE I should be looking at here? Common problems? Hoses / nuts / other components I should replace while I'm at it? :dunno:

Also, anybody know what size that Pitman Arm nut is? I read 32mm or 1 1/5" somewhere, but wanted to confirm that applies to this particular model year before I drive back to autozone to pick one up.

Will I need any OTHER special sizes while I'm out? I've just got basic tools and a basic wrench set and rented the Pitman Arm Puller.

Thanks in advance! :icon_bounceblue:

Mark_88 · Aug 18, 2015

Pretty sure the pitman nut is 1 1/8"...I know I bought a socket a long time ago to remove mine and have since lost or given away the socket...but you will want to remove that one before removing the steering box...unless you like wrestling with things a bit.

I'd go out and measure the nut diameter for you but it's getting dark and...wait, I have a spare out there somewhere so I don't have to crawl under the truck...

Be back in a flash...

EDIT: OK, sorry, the nut is actually 1.25 or 1 1/4"...that was out of a 96 but I don't think they changed nut sizes...however, my previous box was an 88...

Vaximily · Aug 18, 2015

Forgot to mention, the 4x4 doesn't seem to work at all in this truck, but maybe I'm doing it wrong? I got the 4x4 light to turn on one time very briefly (and turned it back off because it surprised me that it actually came on). Not sure if that's in any way related to the steering issue.

Vaximily · Aug 18, 2015

1 1/4" socket just barely doesn't fit, back to get a 1 5/16" if i can even find anybody that carries one

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adsm08 · Aug 18, 2015

Steering gear doesn't come out through the engine bay, it goes out the bottom.

Also, don't forget to center the new box before putting it in.

Spott · Aug 18, 2015

I'd try a 32mm in that case, it's .25mm larger than 1 1/4".

Most, if not all, the parts on the Rangers use metric fasteners.

Vaximily · Aug 18, 2015

adsm08 said:
Steering gear doesn't come out through the engine bay, it goes out the bottom.

Also, don't forget to center the new box before putting it in.

According to the instructions (photo below), the new box comes centered from the factory. This might as well be written in Russian to me. Taking things one step at a time.

Also this came with the new box, not sure at what point to do it though...

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Vaximily · Aug 18, 2015

Spott said:
I'd try a 32mm in that case, it's .25mm larger than 1 1/4".

Most, if not all, the parts on the Rangers use metric fasteners.

I sprayed it twice with liquid wrench earlier and it took almost no effort at all to get the bolt off with a 1 5/16" socket. Hardest part using the pitman puller was that the socket wrench didn't fit on with the (what i believe to be) differential (transfer case? I'm ignorant here... Picture attached....).

Thanks for the heads up on metric, i assumed standard since it's American. Most of my tools are metric from working on my Subaru last year.

It's also worth mentioning that there was a 1/4" to 1/2" gap above the pitman arm where it attached to the steering box. I assume that's normal but since i have no history on this truck I'm trying to be thorough in case anything like that could be the cause of the issues I'm having before I get this thing off.

So, pitman arm detached, what's next?! [emoji4]

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Vaximily · Aug 18, 2015

For good measure, this is where the jack stands currently sit, it's where i remember them putting them at the shop... Won't cause any issues as I'm dropping the steering box, right?

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Vaximily · Aug 18, 2015

Oops... Got ahead of myself on the pitman arm... RTFM dummy [emoji13]

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Vaximily · Aug 19, 2015

OK, calling it a night, here's where i got stuck...

the flex joint doesn't seem to want to come out of / off of the gear box. The rubber grommet thing twists but I don't want to damage it. There's only one bolt to remove that i could see and only one that shows up on the diagram, but I'm wondering if there's something I've not properly disconnected?

Alternatives 1 would be to disconnect the steering shaft further up, the bolt of which is shown here:

Or perhaps alternative 2 would be disconnecting the lower radiator hose (it could probably use a good flush anyway but wasn't really planning on doing that now).

Thoughts? [emoji16]

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Mark_88 · Aug 19, 2015

I can't remember exactly, but if you have the steering section popped off the gear box or at least loose, you should be able to drop the gear box by removing the three bolts that hold the box on the frame rail. Keep in mind that this box is fairly heavy...deceptively so.

Removing bolts farther up the steering shaft may not get you where you want to go...there are three sections IIRC to the firewall and through...the section on the other side of the firewall connects to the final section that is attached to the steering wheel. That section has a pivot type connector that allows you to pull the shaft down and out...but that means undoing the boot...

That's why I think removing the retaining bolts on the gear box may be easiest. You will need to thread it back into place when installing the new box...

Vaximily · Aug 19, 2015

Mark_88 said:
I can't remember exactly, but if you have the steering section popped off the gear box or at least loose, you should be able to drop the gear box by removing the three bolts that hold the box on the frame rail. Keep in mind that this box is fairly heavy...deceptively so.

Removing bolts farther up the steering shaft may not get you where you want to go...there are three sections IIRC to the firewall and through...the section on the other side of the firewall connects to the final section that is attached to the steering wheel. That section has a pivot type connector that allows you to pull the shaft down and out...but that means undoing the boot...

That's why I think removing the retaining bolts on the gear box may be easiest. You will need to thread it back into place when installing the new box...

I've already got the 3 bolts off the box, I'm just not able to wiggle it off of the flex joint (u joint?? Maybe I'm using the wrong terminology) without making that rubber grommet bend more than I'm comfortable with.

My thought on removing the bolt further up or the radiator hose is that it would give me more room to slide them straight off without bending the flex joint too much.

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Vaximily · Aug 19, 2015

Another thing I forgot to mention earlier... the locking washer was missing when I pulled the Pitman Arm off. Is the nut enough or do I need to try to find a replacement washer?

Vaximily · Aug 19, 2015

OK, got the steering gear box out of the truck finally... :yahoo:

I ended up sliding a short stubby screw driver through the bolt hole on the steering column / flex joint and pulling up while wiggling the steering gear downward and it slipped right off. Just needed a bit of extra leverage.

Not sure if I mentioned, but I pulled the power steering pump out as well... since I already have a new one from autozone (free lifetime warranty replacement since it was still making noise, figured I might as well).

Turns out the pressure hose was rounded off on the power steering end, so I'll throw new hoses on while I'm at it.

Will post again when I have more... at this point I'm expecting smooth sailing, except one detail...

HOW DO I MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS "CENTERED" while I'm doing this? I straightened the wheel before I lifted the truck, kept the pitman arm aligned (it's still attached to the steering rod), the new steering gear is centered from the factory... what else? Does the steering column need anything special done before I attach it back to the steering gear?

Getting excited, this project is really starting to come together =)

Steering issues, seized gear box?

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