53 Pontiac Chieftain deluxe 4 door sedan steering box removal

[JayWelds]

Hello, I need to remove my manual steering box to be repaired. There's about 4inches of play in the wheel and is past the point of turning the adjusting screw. how hard is it to separate the steering column from the steering box?  remove the 2 bolts under the dash, remove the floor trim plate and yank? or does the wheel have to come off too? Pictures help if you have any.

 

There's no shifter or any electrical connected, so that's out of the way.

 

Thanks.

[Oldtech]

Methinks you have to take the steering wheel off, disconnect everything then pull it down through the floorboards. You will need the front of the car raised quite a bit.

[JayWelds]

ok, but when i send the gear box out, i dont send the steering column out too. How are the two connected? 

[PONTIAC1953]

1 hour ago, JayWelds said:

ok, but when i send the gear box out, i dont send the steering column out too. How are the two connected? 

the steering column shaft goes right into the gearbox, you cannot separate to send the box out for repair without the column.

 

Charles L. Coker

1953 & 1954 Pontiac

Technical Advisor

Pontiac Oakland Club International.

[PONTIAC1953]

1 hour ago, JayWelds said:

ok, but when i send the gear box out, i dont send the steering column out too. How are the two connected? 

you can remove the jacket or tube that conceals the shaft from the gearbox, thereby exposing the shaft.

[Ray500]

I did that  routine on  my 41 Lincoln Zephyr, and yes you have to raise the vehicle up very high to get the whole steering unit with the attached steering shaft connected.  When I received  rebuilt one from a dealer who stocks the parts for the early Lincolns, he put a piece of PVC tubing over the long shaft and then wrapped the whole thing and put it on UPS.  I have a new problem or one that was there after I finally stopped the 90 weight oil from leaking.  I sealed the bottom with RTV silicon compound and got it to not leak.  In doing so I removed the paper gaskets which I later found out are also shims to adjust the tension on the steering column.  So now I have ordered more shims to determine the proper adjustment of the box, and then I will install the shims with more RTV to keep it from leaking.  Also one trick the old timers used was to just put wheel bearing grease inside the steering gear box, but that doesn't work too well but of course it doesn't leak either!   LARES is a company in the midwest that rebuilds them for about $600 + frieght!   

[Grimy]

1 hour ago, Ray500 said:

ust put wheel bearing grease inside the steering gear box, but that doesn't work too well but of course it doesn't leak either

Wheel bearing or chassis grease will channel and leave the gears unprotected. You can use John Deere Corn Head Grease or other "00" (aught aught) semi-fluid grease for leaky steering boxes as it will not channel away from the gears.  This is, however, a band-aid, but one I'm willing to use until the engine needs to come out to make the steering gear removal far easier.

[JayWelds]

Thanks guys. I think i'll try the band aids and RTV first... At least for this season. then I can send it out over the fall and winter and not miss any shows.